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| Manny Pacquiao, right, hits Jessie Vargas during their WBO welterweight title boxing match, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Las Vegas (Sunday in Manila). | AP Photo/Isaac Brekken with Dino Maragay via Associated Press |
LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao fought barely looking like a 37-year-old, stalking Jessie Vargas and outgunning him to become the new WBO welterweight champion in front of a packed crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Pacquiao, proving he has no problem fighting significantly taller opponents, peppered the 5-foot-10 Vargas with his signature left straights to complete the dominant win.
The scores were 118-109, 118-109, 114-113 all for Pacquiao, who reclaimed his old WBO diadem in front of a 16,132-strong crowd that included rival Floyd Mayweather Jr.
A highlight of the fight came in the second round, with Pacquiao countering a Vargas jab with a perfectly timed left straight that sent the defending champion down.
After the 27-year-old Vargas had a taste of Pacquaio’s power, he started backpedalling, his offense reduced to a counterpunching game.
He later claimed Pacquiao’s punches hardly had any effect on him.
“He didn’t hurt me,” said Vargas, eliciting boos from the crowd. He said he only suffered a flash knockdown in the second canto.
Instead, Vargas, along with many Pacquiao victims before, pointed to the Filipino icon’s speed as the usual culprit for his ordeal.
“Fighting Manny Pacquiao was like playing a fast game of chess. You have to be alert at all times,” he added.
Pacquiao, for his part, said he is satisfied with his performance despite again failing to nail that elusive knockout win.
“I'm so happy with my performance tonight. I wanted to win every round. Walking into the ring tonight as a challenger energized me,”
The Las Vegas-based Vargas would have his moments in the second half of the fight by landing his money punch – the overhand right.
But Pacquiao just shrugged them off, an indication of Vargas’ inferior punching power.
With win, Pacquiao improved to 59-6, with 38 KOs. Vargas tasted his second loss against 27 wins (with 10 KOs).
Pacquiao said he is looking forward to resuming his work as a senator
“I can't wait to get back home to the Senate. It (session) starts Tuesday,” said Pacquiao, who will fly back to Los Angeles and then to the Philippines the next day.
Pacquiao, proving he has no problem fighting significantly taller opponents, peppered the 5-foot-10 Vargas with his signature left straights to complete the dominant win.
The scores were 118-109, 118-109, 114-113 all for Pacquiao, who reclaimed his old WBO diadem in front of a 16,132-strong crowd that included rival Floyd Mayweather Jr.
A highlight of the fight came in the second round, with Pacquiao countering a Vargas jab with a perfectly timed left straight that sent the defending champion down.
After the 27-year-old Vargas had a taste of Pacquaio’s power, he started backpedalling, his offense reduced to a counterpunching game.
He later claimed Pacquiao’s punches hardly had any effect on him.
“He didn’t hurt me,” said Vargas, eliciting boos from the crowd. He said he only suffered a flash knockdown in the second canto.
Instead, Vargas, along with many Pacquiao victims before, pointed to the Filipino icon’s speed as the usual culprit for his ordeal.
“Fighting Manny Pacquiao was like playing a fast game of chess. You have to be alert at all times,” he added.
Pacquiao, for his part, said he is satisfied with his performance despite again failing to nail that elusive knockout win.
“I'm so happy with my performance tonight. I wanted to win every round. Walking into the ring tonight as a challenger energized me,”
The Las Vegas-based Vargas would have his moments in the second half of the fight by landing his money punch – the overhand right.
But Pacquiao just shrugged them off, an indication of Vargas’ inferior punching power.
With win, Pacquiao improved to 59-6, with 38 KOs. Vargas tasted his second loss against 27 wins (with 10 KOs).
Pacquiao said he is looking forward to resuming his work as a senator
“I can't wait to get back home to the Senate. It (session) starts Tuesday,” said Pacquiao, who will fly back to Los Angeles and then to the Philippines the next day.
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