Jessie Vargas is the reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight champion but will be a heavy underdog in his next fight. Vargas is set to collide with boxing great Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Vargas told BoxingScene that he knows most fans and boxing analysts are already counting him out. But the welterweight superstar is not getting discouraged, saying that he is confident of his chances against Pacquiao.
The 27-year-old champion, who holds a 27-1 record with 10 knockout victories, is coming off a scintillating ninth-round knockout win over then-undefeated Sadam Ali in March. Vargas said that his morale is high following his win against Ali, which makes him believe the bout with Pacquiao came at a perfect time.
Vargas looked very impressive during his win against Ali. He warned Pacquiao and his camp that the best is yet to come for him, reiterating that he will shock them in November.
"You still haven't see the best that I have to offer but you will see it on November 5th. That is for sure without a doubt," Vargas said. "Mark my words, November 5th will be even better than the win over Ali."
Vargas feels that he is ready to face a southpaw like Pacquiao because of his previous experience against lefties. He previously fought southpaws Khabib Allakhvediev, Anton Novikov and Antonio DeMarco in 2014.
HBO shuns Pacquiao-Vargas showdown
Meanwhile, Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum is looking for a network to carry the upcoming Pacquiao-Vargas fight. According to Los Angeles Times, HBO declined to distribute the fight because it was scheduled on a date when fans will focus on more important events like the start of the new NBA season and US president election.
Arum blasted HBO for "abandoning" Pacquiao after reaping the benefits of his stardom for 10 years. "Who are they to say it's an awful date? It's my money," Arum said. "They have no risk on this. I think it's a good date."
With HBO out of the picture, Arum said that he has talked to Turner Sports and is planning to sit down with ESPN and Showtime. The veteran promoter also said that Top Rank is open to self-distribution.
Watch the highlights of Vargas' recent win over Ali in the video below.