By Edward Chaykovsky
Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38KOs) admits there is pressure to put in an impressive performance against a fighter who is ten years his junior, WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas (27-1, 10KOs).
The fight takes place on November 5th at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao retired back in April after defeating Timothy Bradley in their trilogy fight. He then won a senatorial seat in May back home in the Philippines.
Vargas, along with his trainer Dewey Cooper, are predicting a retirement party where Pacquiao will be dumped with another defeat.
Pacquiao wants to prove to everyone, including himself, that he's still one of the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound.
"There’s a pressure for me, but I don’t want to think about that, I don’t want to get distracted by that. For me, the pressure encourages me, is a motivation to focus hard, focus on training, work hard," Pacquiao said to The National.
"I will do my best. I will not predict the fight, but I’ll do my best to make the Filipino people and the fans happy, and to win the fight. Of course, I don’t want to underestimate him. I respect him because he’s a champion. I have to make sure that I’m 100 per cent conditioned, that that’s still there and that I’m 100 percent ready for the fight."
As far as the future, there are numerous opponents being kicked around like WBC/WBO junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford, the winner of Danny Garcia vs. Keith Thurman, and a few others. Pacquiao wants to take it one fight at a time.
" I cannot say that right now, because my focus is on the upcoming fight with Vargas on November 5," Pacquiao said. "Sure, it is exciting. I’m excited to show that even as a senator I can still excel in boxing, that I can still maintain my name at the top."
