Jessie Vargas believes a victory over Manny Pacquiao will make him a star

Welterweight champion Jessie Vargas works out with trainer Dewey Cooper for his fight Saturday against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas. (Photo by Gene Blevins)

Jessie Vargas works with trainer Dewey Cooper/Photo by Gene Blevins

 

Jessie Vargas is a welterweight world champion, but he’s not exactly a household name even though he’s from Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world. If he beats Manny Pacquiao on Saturday at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, that will change.

“It would definitely put me on the worldwide stage, make me that boxing star that I have been looking forward to being,” Vargas said. “I have been waiting for this for a long time and I’m glad it’s here and I am going to take advantage of it.

“The only fighters to beat Manny Pacquiao have become legends themselves. So I plan to become one of the few to beat Manny Pacquiao and also become one of the legends.”

Bob Arum, whose Top Rank Inc. is producing the ($59.95) pay-per-view feed for the card, promotes both fighters. He agrees Vargas could alter how he is viewed by the boxing world.

“He becomes not just a champion, but a superstar,” Arum said. “I will deny to him that I said that because I will have to negotiate his next fight (laughing). He would be a superstar, there is no question about that, if he were to beat Manny Pacquiao. He has a hell of a shot to do that.”

Pacqujiao, 37, is 58-6-2 with 38 knockouts. Vargas, 27, is 27-1 with 10 knockouts.

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Sylvester Stallone takes in Manny Pacquiao sparring session at Wild Card

Manny Pacquiao poses with Sylvester Stallone on Saturday at Wild Card gym in Hollywood/Photo courtesy of Miguel Salazar

 

Manny Pacquiao received a visit from a rather famous fictional fighter on Saturday at Wild Card gym in Hollywood. It was none other than Sylvester Stallone of “Rocky” fame.

The two posed for pictures after Pacquiao finished sparring in preparation for his challenge to welterweight champion Jessie Vargas on Saturday at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view).

Pacquaio (58-6-2, 38 KOs) is hopeful he and Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) can put on a heck of a show.

“My first concern is for the fans; that the people who are going to watch the fight will be happy and satisfied,” Pacquiao said. “I want this to be a fight for fans to remember.”

 

 

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Jessie Vargas’ trainer Dewey Cooper says he’s improving his fighter’s power

Jessie Vargas/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Dewey Cooper isn’t the most well-known trainer in the world. But his passionate way of answering questions could help grow his popularity.

Cooper on Thursday was part of a conference call promoting the Nov. 5 welterweight title fight between champion Jessie Vargas and Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs) at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95). Cooper trains Vargas, who has only 10 knockouts in 28 pro bouts. That’s a low knockout ratio of 36 percent.

But Cooper has been telling reporters that he is improving Vargas’ punching power through various techniques and exercises. He scoffs at the notion that a fighter either has power or he doesn’t, and that one can’t improve upon that power.

By the time Cooper was finished explaining to an inquiring reporter, he had left a lasting impression.

“He feels it,” Cooper said of Vargas’ newfound heavier punch. “He feels it in his knuckles, he feels it in his forearm when he hits, he feels it in his hip when he hits and it’s a natural thing, guys. For anyone in the world to say someone cannot improve on something is just ignorant. We can improve our reading speed, we can improve our running speed, we can improve our strength on a bench press, so why wouldn’t we be able to improve our punching power?

“Everything’s about technique and exercise on the right sports specific move that should make you improve. And that’s all we’ve done. It’s not rocket scientist. We’re just smart enough to know not to limit ourselves and our possibilities. We can do the improbable, we could do the impossible, and that’s exactly what’s going to happen on Nov. 5, guys.”

Vargas (27-1) has had one fight under Cooper. That was March 5 when Vargas stopped Sadam Ali in the ninth round to win the vacant title. Vargas decked Ali twice.

 

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Bob Arum can envision Manny Pacquiao and Vasyl Lomachenko tangling

Manny Pacquiao/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Manny Pacquiao is a small welterweight. Heck, he wouldn’t even be a big junior welterweight if he were still fighting in that division. It therefore wasn’t shocking to
hear his promoter – Bob Arum – talk about the possibility of Pacquiao at some point taking on super featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko.

Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs) on Nov. 5 will challenge Jessie Vargas for his welterweight belt at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95). Three weeks later – on Nov. 26 – Lomachenko will defend his title against tough Nicholas Walters at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (on HBO).

At the moment, Pacquiao and Lomachenko (6-1, 4 KOs) are fighting at 147 and 130 pounds, respectively. But Lomachenko told yours truly prior to his most recent bout this past June that he could see himself moving up another weight class or two, meaning lightweight (135 pounds) and as high as junior welterweight (140).

“Yeah, 135 to 140,” Arum said. “Manny, he can fight at 135.”

He can still make that weight?

“That’s what he says, sure,” Arum said Wednesday afternoon at Pacquiao’s camp in Hollywood. “I saw him sparring with Ray Beltran yesterday and Beltran’s a lightweight
and Beltran towered over him. He was so much bigger.”

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Manny Pacquiao to arrive at LAX on Saturday night, will finish his training camp for Jessie Vargas at Wild Card

Manny Pacquiao/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to arrive at LAX at 7:30 p.m. Saturday from the Philippines to conclude his training for his Nov. 5 fight against Jessie Vargas. Pacquiao will train the last two weeks at Wild Card Boxing in Hollywood under the watchful eye of his longtime trainer Freddie Roach, who has been in the Philippines with Pacquiao.

Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs) will challenge Las Vegas’ Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) for his welterweight title at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95).

Pacquiao has been training in the Philippines until now because of his senatorial duties there.

Pacquiao will be flying in on Philippine Airlines on flight 102. To check the status, go to this link: https://www.philippineairlines.com/en.

 

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Oscar Valdez, Jessie Magdaleno tell fans why they should buy Nov. 5 card that includes Pacquiao-Vargas in main event

Jessie Magdaleno

Jessie Magdaleno/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

The heck with the naysayers. According to Oscar Valdez and Jessie Magdaleno, there are plenty of reasons why fans should buy their Nov. 5 pay-per-view card that will be headlined by Manny Pacquiao challenging Jessie Vargas for his welterweight title at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Indeed, there is not as much buzz for this Pacquiao fight as usual. Valdez and Magdaleno are in title fights on the undercard, and when asked why fans should fork over the $59.95 for the Top Rank-produced feed, they let everyone know why this is a worthwhile purchase.

“Why shouldn’t they?” Magdaleno said Thursday during a workout at Jackrabbit Boxing Club in Long Beach. “They’ve got great, young talent that’s in that ring. They’ve got myself, they’ve got Jessie Vargas, they’ve got Oscar Valdez – two-time Olympian who is now a world champion. They’ve got great upcoming historical guys who are going to make history in the boxing world, and who are going to put on great shows as the years go on.

“… We are the future of boxing and we are action-packed guys who want to put on great shows as great Mexican guys. We want to live to that legend. And that’s what we’re doing. That’s why people should continue buying this pay per view card.”

Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs), of Las Vegas, will challenge Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs) for his super bantamweight title.

Mexico’s Valdez (20-0, 18 KOs) will make the first defense of his featherweight world title when he squares off with Hiroshige Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs) of Japan. Valdez put his own colorful spin on why this is a solid purchase.

“First of all, you’ve got Jessie Magadaleno,” Valdez said. “Hungry lion, as they say, fighting Nonito Donaire, which, Nonito is still a tough, tough fighter. He’s one of the top fighters out there, so that;s going to be a great, great fight. Me, as a fan, I would love to see that fight. In my case, I’m fighting the WBO ranked No. 1 – Osawa. A lot of people don’t know this guy because he mainly did his career in Japan. But he’s still a tough fighter. I don’t take him lightly at all and I never will take a fighter lightly.

“In my case, I’m going to give it my best. … And then, finally, you’ve got this fighter, Pacquiao, fighting Jessie Vargas. Jessie Vargas is not easy. He could beat Pacquiao. Anyone that knows boxing knows that Jessie Vargas could beat Pacquiao. Pacquiao’s still Pacquiao. I still think Pacquiao is going to put up a good fight, he always puts up a good fight. And I think that’s why everyone should buy this fight.”

There is a fourth world-title fight on this card. It will match Zou Shiming (8-1, 2 KOs) of China against  Prasitsak Papoem (39-1-2, 24 KOs) of Thailand for a vacant flyweight title.

 

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Trainer Manuel Robles believes Oscar Valdez can become an all-time great

Oscar Valdez/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Oscar Valdez on Nov. 5 will make the first defense of his featherweight world title when he takes on Hiroshige Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs) of Japan underneath the welterweight title fight between champion Jessie Vargas and Manny Pacquiao at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95).

Valdez’s trainer, Manuel Robles, on Thursday spoke as if boxing fans are on the cusp of witnessing another fighter who soon will be considered among boxing’s elite.

“I’ve trained champions like Reggie Johnson, Martin Castillo, Israel Vasquez, Mike Anchondo and now Oscar,” Robles said during a media workout at Jackrabbit Boxing Club in Long Beach. “All of those champions have similarities in how they are focused and how hard they want it. Oscar has all of that. I think he will become one of the greatest champions of all time.”

Valdez’s desire to be all he can be is what will get him there, Robles said.

“Oscar is a world champion for these reasons – dedication, determination, will to win, wants to be the best ever,” Robles said.

Valdez (20-0, 18 KOs) of Mexico, won his title with a second-round stoppage of Matias Rueda of Argentina in July at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Prospect Andy Vences will prepare for Nov. 4 fight by sparring with featherweight champ Oscar Valdez

Andy Vences

Andy Vences/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Andy Vences of San Jose is finally going to get a fight that could help propel him toward his goal of winning a world title.

Vences (16-0, 10 KOs) on Nov. 4 will take on another undefeated fighter – Casey Ramos (23-0, 6 KOs) – in the super featherweight main event from Treasure Island in Las Vegas (on UniMas).

“It’s the biggest fight of my career and is a great opportunity for me to show my talent,” Vences said. “I know a win on Nov. 4 will open a lot of doors for me.”

Vences is in the Los Angeles area this week to spar with featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez of Mexico. Valdez is preparing to defend his title for the first time when he takes on Hiroshige Osawa of Japan on the undercard of the Nov. 5 welterweight title fight between Jessie Vargas and Manny Pacquiao at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view).

Sparring with Valdez is an inspiration to Vences.

“I know this fight against Ramos is very important and I need to have a great camp and great sparring, and Valdez and his team have allowed us to come down and work with the champ,” said Vences, 25. “He (Valdez) has what I want – a championship. My fight is a big step toward that goal.”

Ramos, 27, is from Austin, Texas.

General admission tickets for this Top Rank Inc. card are $50 and are on sale at the Treasure Island box office. They can also be purchased by calling  800-392-1999 or 702-894-7722.

 

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Art Hovhannisyan wants to put on show Friday in main event at Belasco Theater

Art Hovhannisyan addresses reporters at this week’s media workout in Los Angeles/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

 

If Art Hovhannisyan of Glendale stays true to his credo, fans could be in for a good time when he takes on Diego Magdaleno in the junior welterweight main event Friday at Belasco Theater in Los Angeles (on Estrella TV).

“I started my boxing career when I was 12, and was inspired by my favorite boxer, Mike Tyson,” Hovhannisyan said. “I’m the type of fighter that loves to put on a show in the ring.”

Hovhannisyan could have his hands full with Magdaleno, a southpaw out of Las Vegas who is 29-2 with 12 knockouts.

“… I have watched him fight a few times,” Hovhannisyan said. “I know what I have to do in the ring to earn the victory.”

Magdaleno is the older brother of Jessie Magdaleno, who Nov. 5 will challenge Nonito Donaire for his super bantamweight title on the undercard of the Jessie Vargas-Manny Pacquiao welterweight title fight at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95.

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail

Jessie Magdaleno looks for first title, but will have hands full with Nonito Donaire

Jessie Magdaleno

Jessie Magdaleno/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

World-class boxer Jessie Magdaleno was born in Pomona, but he moved away at age 4 and has since called Las Vegas home.

“Vegas, it’s been good to me,” Magdaleno said. “It’s been a great city and I just have so many kid memories from there.”

It is therefore appropriate that Magadaleno will fight for his first world title in his backyard. He’ll challenge Nonito Donaire for his super bantamweight belt on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas welterweight title fight Nov. 5 at Thomas & Mack Center.

“It’s a huge opportunity for me,” Magdaleno said this week at an L.A. news conference.

That’s for sure. Donaire, of San Leandro via the Philippines, has won world titles in four weight classes. He’s more than likely going to one day be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Nevertheless, the undefeated Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs) speaks in undaunted tones about this shot.

“It’s a big challenge for me, but like I tell everybody, I have this vision and I feel like my age and my speed and my power is really going to overcome him,” Magdaleno said. “I take nothing from him. He’s a great fighter. He’s accomplished what he’s accomplished in the sport.

“But I believe it’s time there’s a new champion and I believe it’s me.”

Magdaleno, a southpaw, is just 24. Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs) is 33 and has been in plenty of ring wars. Frank Espinoza, Magdaleno’s West Covina-based manager, intimated his fighter has to go hard all the way through to take full advantage of his youth.

“We’ve gotta look to go all 12 rounds and wear him down because we are the younger fighter,” Espinoza said. “I think it’s his time and I believe Jessie Magdaleno is going to become a world champion Nov. 5.”

For Donaire, he’s stoked about fighting on the same card as Pacquiao for the first time. He also likes where his head is at, and he figures that’s bad news for Magdaleno.

“Most of all, I’m very excited for the mind-set that I have,” he said. “The person that’s within this ring, that’s going to be in that ring is a man who’s a king. And whoever steps in that ring, it’s my ring.”

This card will be available on Top Rank pay-per-view for $59.95.

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Reddit Tumblr Email Snailmail