LAS VEGAS, USA - When Timothy Bradley Jr vacated the WBO welterweight title in order to face Manny Pacquiao for a third time, it was Jessie Vargas who put it around his waist.
The 26-year-old Vargas, who knocked out Sadam Ali last month to win the vacant title, is in Las Vegas as an interested spectator for Bradley's third fight with Manny Pacquiao, which takes place Saturday, April 9 (US time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Vargas (27-1, 10 knockouts) has only suffered one defeat in his career, a decision loss in 2015 to Bradley which saw him one or two punches away from scoring a dramatic twelfth round knockout. Bradley has a controversial decision win over Pacquiao in their first meeting in 2012, while the only loss of Bradley's career came in their 2014 rematch by unanimous decision.
Vargas doesn't think Bradley won either of his first two fights with Pacquiao, but thinks Saturday could be his time.
"It's a 50-50 fight. If there’s any chance of Timothy Bradley beating Manny Pacquiao, it’s now," says Vargas. "He wasn’t able to do it in the first two but hopefully he has a better result and we just have to wait and see."
Vargas thinks it depends a great deal on what Pacquiao's frame of mind is going into the fight. Pacquiao, 37, hasn't fought since losing a unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr in May 2015 and says this fight will be the last of his 21-year career as he shifts towards a full-time career in politics.
"It depends on Manny Pacquiao too, that mindset that he has," says Vargas. "Is he the older fighter who wants to prove that he still has something left in him or is he the older fighter that just that comes in saying ‘you know, it’s my last fight, win or lose I’m out?'"
When asked if he thinks Pacquiao will stick to his retirement plan, Vargas said it could depend on what happens against Bradley.
"I think that if he wins, he’ll probably come back for another one. If he loses, he’ll probably call it quits," says Vargas.
Vargas, rated no. 9 by THE RING magazine at 147 pounds, says he will make the first defense of his title in July against an opponent to be named. – Rappler.com
Video by Troi Santos