Jessie Vargas choice: Manny Pacquiao over Adrien Broner

MANILA, Philippines — Former WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas had been in the ring with both Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner, who will figure in their own world title clash on Jan. 19 in Vegas.

Vargas, who lost to Pacquiao in 2016 and drew with Broner last April, tried to look at the fight based on experience.

The native of Las Vegas did not find it too difficult to pick a winner.

“Pacquiao-Broner? I think Pacquiao takes it,” Vargas told ESNews in a recent interview, which is just two months to the awaited clash.

Vargas said based on experience, Pacquiao should enjoy the upperhand against Broner, who at 29 will be at least 10 years younger when he collides with the hard-hitting Filipino champion.

“I think he’s the more experienced fighter of the two. I’d have to say Pacquiao takes it. Who hits harder? I’d say Pacquiao is the stronger fighter and faster and more explosive,” he added.

Pacquiao and Broner are two different fighters, and there’s no point of comparing one with the other, according to Vargas.

“It’s two different styles. When it comes to defensive, they’re both good, they’re defensive, Pacquiao’s just faster in everything he does,” said Vargas.

When they fought in 2016 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Vargas came in confident of pulling it off.

But what he saw inside the ring was far different from what he’d heard of Pacquiao that the Filipino is past his prime.

Vargas went down in the second round, and though he tried hard to stand his ground, he went on to lose his title via unanimous decision.

In contrast, he fought Broner in an entertaining 12-round battle that ended in a draw. It was a fight that could have gone either way.

“Manny Pacquiao is on another level because he’s fast, explosive, he’s very versatile and he fights with different angles, you know,” said Vargas.