Most boxing analysts and enthusiasts have pegged Manny Pacquiao as an overwhelming favorite in his upcoming fight with WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas on November 5. In fact, the Pacman’s conditioning trainer, Justine Fortune, recently stated he “saw nothing special in him (Vargas) that will make him beat Manny.”
So is it really going to be an easy fight? Freddie Roach’s first assistant, Filipino Marvin Somodio doesn’t think so. “Si Vargas mas bata. At yung mga boxers na paangat, sila yung delikadong kalaban. Hindi pwedeng maliitin ang kalaban (Vargas is younger. And boxers on the way up are the dangerous ones. We can’t take him lightly,)” says Somodio.
And while the current WBO champion’s record of 27 wins and 1 loss is not as impressive as the fighting senator’s or most of his previous opponents, Vargas continues to improve. His new-found power in his last two bouts against solid competition is proof of that. “Si Vargas nag-iimprove at nade-develop yung lakas niya sa pagdaan ng panahon. So ngayon nasa peak siya kaya napaka delikadong kalaban (Vargas is improving and is developing his power over time. He’s now at his peak and that makes him a very dangerous opponent,)” claims the soft-spoken trainer, implying that a prime Vargas is a good match for an aging legend in Pacquiao.
"Ang kailangan dyan yung condition niya. Kailangan 100% na handa siya at mag-training syang maayos (What’s crucial is his conditioning. He should be 100% ready and should train properly,) notes Somodio while adding, “Si Vargas magaling at siya yung world champion, tayo ngayon yung challenger (Vargas is good and he’s the world champion while we’re the challenger at this point.)”
Jessie Vargas, a two division champion, is 10 years younger and almost 4 inches taller than Pacquiao. He has several physical advantages over Manny and he continues to grow in skill. We’ve also seen legends grow old overnight and lose to ordinary fighters at the twilight of their careers. Will these be factors in the fight’s outcome? Only time will tell. But contrary to the initial reaction of the boxing world, these variables are what’s making this fight even more exciting. Unpredictable ‘til we see it unfold.
