Vargas a credible foe for Manny?

MANILA, Philippines - WBA lightwelterweight champion Jessie Vargas was the only thorn on Freddie Roach’s side as the six-time Trainer of the Year awardee took a loss against two wins in three corner assignments at the Cotai Arena in the Venetian Macau last Sunday.

Roach was in WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s corner when the Filipino outpointed previously unbeaten Chris Algieri who was docked six knockdowns in a one-sided bout. He was also with two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming who survived a nasty vertical cut on his forehead down the left side of his nose and a swollen-shut left eye to decision tough Thai plodder Kwanpichit Onesongchai-Gym.

Roach’s only setback in the Macau card was his ward Antonio DeMarco’s loss on points to Vargas. DeMarco trained for Vargas in General Santos City with Roach and sparmates Dan Nazareno and WBA No. 5 welterweight contender Teerachai Kratingdaeng-Gym. Roach, Australian conditioning coach Justin Fortune and Argentinian cutman Miguel Diaz were in DeMarco’s corner.

Vargas had some shaky moments in the ninth and 10th rounds which the three judges awarded to DeMarco but steadied himself to sweep the last two stanzas. Judges Luis Pabon of Puerto Rico, Stanley Christodoulou of South Africa and Pinit Prayasab of Thailand all scored it 116-112 for Vargas. They concurred in giving Vargas eight rounds and DeMarco four.

What was evident in the bout was Vargas’ muscular build. At the weigh-in the day before, Vargas scaled 140 pounds and DeMarco 139.3. But DeMarco looked 10 pounds lighter than Vargas with a leaner frame and less bulk in his body when the first bell rang. Vargas appeared to overpower DeMarco with his physical superiority. It was reported that Vargas hired controversial performance-enhancing-drug pusher Angel Hernandez, also known as Memo Heredia, to prepare him for DeMarco. Heredia also recasted Juan Manuel Marquez’ body into a granite-like physique when the Mexican knocked out Pacquiao in 2012.

Hernandez, who turned 39 the day before Vargas’ victory, was found to be a steroid pusher for athletes but escaped indictment to turn state witness for the US government in pursuing illegal drug cases from 2008 to 2011. Before going straight, Hernandez had employed performance-enhancing-drugs to juice up athletes like track athletes Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and C. J. Hunter.

Hernandez was not in Vargas’ corner for the DeMarco fight. In the corner were legendary fighter Roy Jones, Jr., Russ Anber, David Levi and Jose Vargas. It was Vargas’ first appearance with Jones in his team. Vargas had previously worked with trainers Roger Mayweather, Cornelius Boza-Edwards and Cuban Ismael Salas.

Vargas has established himself as a nemesis for southpaws as DeMarco was his third straight left-handed victim after Russians Khabib Allakverdiev and Anton Novikov. Curiously, Pacquiao is also a southpaw.

Vargas said he has spoken with Top Rank chairman Bob Arum about the possibility of battling Pacquiao in the future. He said he could move up to welterweight or defend his 140-pound crown if the Filipino decides to drop down to the lightwelterweight division. “I’m not going to run,” vowed Vargas, referring to what Chris Algieri did in surviving 12 rounds with Pacquiao last Sunday. “I never have. I will always come here to give you a great fight. That’s always been the purpose of my game. You’re gonna see a war. This is my time and I look forward to getting the opportunity (to fight Pacquiao). I will sit there and trade with Manny. This is like a pack of lions. I’m the young lion coming in there to take him out.”

Vargas is 25 and Pacquiao turns 36 next month. His record is 26-0, with 9 KOs, compared to Pacquiao’s 57-5-2, with 38 KOs. A 2008 Beijing Olympian representing Mexico, Vargas said one of his motivations is to avenge the defeats of his idols Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales to Pacquiao. As an amateur, Vargas posted a 120-20 record.

“Not to put my boss (Arum) on the spot too much but he did talk to me and he did tell me that it was a fight that was out there and that it was very possible that it could happen,” said Vargas quoted by Lem Satterfield in Ring TV. “I’m doing everything on my part to put myself into that position which is to get that possible fight with Manny. It’s definitely motivation and putting a little pressure on me but it’s good pressure. I always want to strive to get better and I always want to give the fans a better fight than the last one. So being mentioned as a potential Pacquiao opponent really makes no difference. I’m not a boring fighter and I choose not to be a boring fighter. I want to be in an action fight.”