Putting his WBO welterweight title on the line, Vargas said, he wants to avenge the defeats suffered by his boxing idols and compatriots Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera at the hands of Pacquiao a couple of years ago.
Vargas said he was a fan of Morales and Barrera when the two Mexican boxing stars were at the heights of their careers and he felt bad when Pacquiao came in the way of their budding boxing careers.
I was hurt when I saw how Pacquiao beat them, particularly in how the third fight with Morales went down (third-round KO),” the Los Angeles-born fighter said Thursday. “I told myself I would sometime get in the ring and beat Pacquiao. It burns inside of me to win this fight. I will beat Pacquiao to avenge those fights he had with Erik and Marco,” Vargas added.
Vargas, now 27, was six years old when Pacquiao started his pro career and for many years after launching his own boxing career, Vargas kept his burning desire to face Pacquiao in the ring to avenge Morales and Barrera’s loss to Pacquiao. Now the time has come for Vargas to prove to his idols that he can beat Pacquiao.
Pacquiao is out to regain his WBO welterweight belt which Vargas now wears and while he is the huge favorite to win the fight and take back his old title, he is also wary of what Vargas will bring to the ring on Nov. 5.
“This is a big challenge for me because, first, I’m a challenger and he’s the champion,” Pacquiao said Thursday. “And this is my first fight since I was elected as a senator, so it’s an honor for me to bring another record in my career.”
Pacquiao is coming of a unanimous decision win over Timothy Bradley when they faced each other for the third time last April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Vargas, who captured the WBO welterweight title from Sadam Ali last March has been unbeaten in his pro career when he lost a controversial bout with former Pacquiao foe Timothy Bradley last year.
