By Steve Kim
As Dewey Cooper prepares Jessie Vargas to defend his WBO welterweight title on November 5th versus Manny Pacquiao, he still sees a great fighter in the other corner.
Pacquiao announced his retirement back in April, but it didn't take long before the Filipino star was discussing a return. In May, the boxer pursued his political ambitions by winning a senatorial seat back home in the Philippines. Pacquiao will challenge Vargas at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Some experts believes Pacquiao is no longer the same, not the same fighter who became an eight division world champion.
When asked to compare the current Pacquiao to the one that was rampaging everything in sight five years ago, the trainer told BoxingScene.com - "Pacquiao's still a beast and all in this time frame but however, the knockout loss to (Juan Manuel) Marquez (in 2012), he started to be a little more patient since that fight which is not a bad thing. So Pacquiao's still great, he still has his speed, he still has power, he's still really into fighting. He has the passion for it.
"So in our minds we're facing the 2009, 2010 Manny Pacquiao and that's how we want it because we want the best Manny Pacquiao."
The 37-year old Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KO's) last fought on April 9th where he decisively out-pointed Tim Bradley. Vargas (27-1, 10 KO's) who is a full decade younger, won the WBO title on March 5th by stopping Sadam Ali in nine rounds.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.