By Miguel Rivera
WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas has promised to disappoint a lot of Filipino fans come next Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Vargas has promised to retire eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao on November 5th in the main event of a Top Rank pay-per-view card.
"I'm ready to claim the respect for myself, for the history of Mexican boxing. The Mexican people want me, but I need a win like this to give me the position that I want in the sport," Vargas said.
Vargas is training hard and switching things around in his camp, as he comes off the back of his March knockout victory over Sadam Ali to capture the vacant WBO welterweight crown.
"I've changed some aspects in my preparation, but it has been necessary to do things better for this fight. This is the fight of my life," he added.
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has predicted a knockout victory over Vargas. Roach doesn't see any way that Vargas will last the distance and gives him about eight to nine rounds at most. He says the "old Pacquiao" will arrive to the ring. Vargas wants to remind Roach that Pacquiao was knocked unconscious back in 2012, in the sixth round, by Juan Manuel Marquez.
Vargas has vowed to become the second Mexican to knock Pacquiao out.
"Freddie Roach says Manny will knock me out, but I have never been knocked out like has. Guess who sent him to sleep? Yes, a Mexican. Pacquiao has never faced a fighter like me," Vargas said. "I'm faster and stronger than Pacquiao. I can assure that not only will I win, but I'm going to send him to sleep."
Vargas credits his new skills to experienced coach Dewey Cooper, and also credits experienced cutman Rafael Garcia as a leader in the team. Garcia was a longtime cornerman for retired pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.
