Pacquiao vs Vargas Wrap Up – The end result of last Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao vs Jessie Vargas Top Rank Boxing pay-per-view card is basically “Manny’s back.” Pacquiao won a comfortable unanimous decision over Vargas to take the WBO’s World welterweight title and add it to his considerable resume. At 37 years old, Pacquiao looked quick and he was able to send Vargas to the canvas early in the fight.
But it was a good performance, not a great one. Vargas was clearly in trouble with Pacquiao’s speed, which at 37 still remains impressive. The problem with that is that Vargas was never a fighter who was known as fast. But the guys in the weight neighborhood that do have elite speed have to notice that Pacquiao is starting to age. It also bares noticing that it is now going on seven years since the last time Pacquiao won via stoppage.
Promoter Bob Arum tossed a list of potential future opponents for Pacquiao, and perhaps the most interesting name mentioned was once again that of Terence Crawford. The undefeated (29-0) Crawford holds the WBC and WBO belts at 140 pounds and he embodies a lot of the attributes that might beat Pacquiao. Crawford’s name was floated as a potential opponent this last fight out before Pac-man settled on Vargas, and it was Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach who basically said “we need more time to fight a guy like Crawford.”
Pacquiao celebrates his 38th birthday in January, meaning he will be 38 the next time he stepped into the ring. Though Arum will not say it, the spectre of a Floyd Mayweather Jr re-match looms, as “Money” Mayweather sat front row for Pacquiao vs Vargas and the television broadcast crew celebrated his arrival at the show. Sometime in the later rounds of the fight, the commentary crew caught Pacquiao gesturing or smiling at Mayweather
The most important number comes later in this week when the pay-per-view buys are announced.
Check out more details in this 27th version of the Talk’n’Shoot Boxing Podcast.
Pacquiao vs Vargas Wrap Up
The 3 world title fights in support of Pacquiao vs Vargas had a distinct international flavor that led to the show having a great atmosphere.
The WBO flyweight world title is going to China with Xou Shiming (9-1). The 35 year old succeeded in becoming the first professional boxing world champion from China in his second attempt at a world title as he far outpointed a game Prasitsak Phaprom of Thailand.
WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez bludgeoned his way to a seventh round stoppage of Japan’s Hiroshige Osawa. Osawa gets the “going out on his shield” award for not giving up under intense fire.
In the most competitive fight o the evening WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito DOnaire ceded his belt to undefeated Jessie Magdaleno (now 24-0) as the 24 year old Magdaleno flashed a lot of talent. Magdaleno came in shape and was the faster, sharper fighter throughout the fight. Credit is also deserved by his corner and trainer Manny Robles as team magdaleno went into the fight with a gameplan and they executed and adjusted very well throughout the fight.
Pacquaio vs Vargas Wrap Up / Into boxing as well? Check out the latest news and features at The Sweet Science.
