Vargas on Pacquiao fight: Fans will enjoy it

MANILA, Philippines – Having granted the opportunity of a lifetime in the form of  megabuck fight with Manny Pacquiao, WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas has promised not to disappoint.

A day after Pacquiao confirmed he is returning to the boxing ring on November 5 against Vargas, the latter said fans are up for a treat as both their styles suit each other.

“Styles make fights and that’s what you’re going to get when Jessie Vargas and Manny Pacquiao get in the ring,” Vargas told Gilbert Manzano of the Las Vegas Review Journal. “If you want something slow, go look for a wrestling match.”

Vargas said he will put his WBO welterweight title against Pacquiao, who has held the same diadem before. The Filipino icon picked the Las Vegas-based Vargas over rising star Terence Crawford, the current WBC and WBO super lightweight champion, because of style concerns.

Compared to the forward-fighting Vargas, Crawford is a slick fighter who loves to use the ring to his advantage – a style even Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach isn’t receptive to.

Additionally, either Pacquiao will have to move down in weight or Crawford will have to move up one weight class to make the fight happen. Vargas said his selection has eliminated that particular problem for Pacquiao.

“It doesn’t make sense for (Pacquiao) to come down,” Vargas said.

“He’s gonna fight at welterweight. I have the WBO welterweight belt. We’re gonna fight for it. That makes sense,” he added.

In 28 fights, Vargas has only lost once, interestingly to Timothy Bradley, who outpointed him in 2015 and was the same fighter Pacquiao dominated last April.

The 27-year-old Vargas, for his part, said he has learned from his loss to Bradley.

 “There were mistakes made (against Bradley). I was a different fighter in a negative way. I have corrected those mistakes,” he continued.

 “I look forward to beating Pacquiao and defending my belt for a long time,” said Vargas, who rebounded with a TKO win over Sadam Ali to win the then-vacant title.