LAS VEGAS - Like many, Jessie Vargas will be a very interested observer of Saturday’s FOX pay-per-view showdown pitting 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2) against Yordenis Ugas (26-4). The fight takes place at the T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip. 

The former 2-division champion is very familiar with Pacquiao having dropped a 12 round decision to the Filipino senator in 2016. After a feel out first round, Vargas hit the canvas in the second round. He was able to recover and stayed on his fight for the duration of the fight. 

Fast forward almost 5 years and Vargas believes that the 42-year-old Pacquiao is still at the top of his game. 

“He still looks very good out there. He hasn’t showed any symptoms of slowing down in my eyes,” Vargas recently told BoxingScene.com. 

Pacquiao was originally slated to face Errol Spence but the hard hitting southpaw had to withdraw when a torn retina was discovered in a pre-fight medical exam. 

Ugas had been training for a fight on the undercard against Fabian Maidana. Both Ugas and Pacquiao agreed to face each other on 10 days notice. 

The former Olympic bronze medalist isn’t known for being a power puncher but has a sturdy chin and has proven to be able to take a good shot. With that being said Vargas believes that both fighters can hurt each other. 

“I feel that it’s possible for either fighter to stun the other. Both have enough power to do so,” Vargas stated. 

Vargas has been out of the ring since early 2020 but plans on returning before the end of the year. 

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