Pacquiao vs. Vargas Odds, Projected Winner and Undercard Schedule

Manny Pacquiao will return from his brief retirement when he takes on WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The Filipino is being backed as the heavy favourite for the bout with 1-8 odds, while the American is coming in at 5-1, per Odds Shark.

Pacquiao hung up his gloves in April after beating Timothy Bradley Jr. in their third fight, but he'll return to compete for the title he lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May 2015.

Here's how Pacquiao and Vargas match up, per CNN Philippines' Sports Desk:

The pair comprise the main event at the Thomas & Mack Center, but with titles on offer in all four of the evening's bouts, there should be plenty of entertainment on show.

Here is the undercard schedule, with the action starting at 9 p.m. ET:

Bout	Weight Class
Zou Shiming vs. Prasitsak Papoem	Flyweight
Nonito Donaire vs. Jessie Magdaleno	Super Bantamweight
Oscar Valdez vs. Hiroshige Osawa	Featherweight
Jessie Vargas vs. Manny Pacquiao	Welterweight

While his absence was scarcely long enough to make the heart grow fonder, Pacquiao's return to the ring catches the eye.

The 37-year-old bounced back from his loss to Mayweather with a convincing unanimous-decision win over Bradley, and despite Vargas having the advantage of youth by a full decade, it's understandable why Pac-Man is the favourite.

While he has lacked knockout power for some time—his last KO was in 2009 against Ricky Hatton—his hand speed and footwork remain unrivalled in the welterweight division, not to mention his incredible work rate and impressive endurance.

Pacquiao twice knocked down Bradley—the only fighter to defeat Vargas—in April, so while he may not be as volatile as he once was, he's still capable of producing explosive moments.

Pacquiao shared a glimpse of his preparation for the bout on Twitter:

Pacquiao, who was elected as a senator in the Philippines in May and is balancing his duties as a politician with his training, is determined to show he still has what it takes in the ring.

"I want to prove that I am still one of the best pound-for-pound fighters," he said, per The Telegraph's Gareth A. Davies. "I feel I still have a lot to prove. I am not done with boxing. I will continue to keep fighting as long as I love boxing and boxing still loves me. I do not feel old. I feel like I am still 27."

Pacquiao is wary of his opponents' talent, though, and knows there is much riding on his performance, per Davies:

"

I do not underestimate Jessie Vargas. He is a good strong champion. You cannot fight at this level and be successful by underestimating your opponent.

Every opponent gets my full attention and respect. I respect Jessie and that is why I trained hard. This is the most important fight because it will determine the direction of my boxing career. I need to win convincingly.

"

Vargas isn't known for stopping his opponents, having knocked out just 10 of the 27 fighters he's beaten.

The 27-year-old did impress in his last bout, though, when he knocked out rising star Sadam Ali. He's working on his own speed and power ahead of the fight:

Furthermore, according to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Vargas is anticipating a successful defence of his belt on Saturday:

The American has the advantages of height and reach, but his confidence will likely be misplaced.

It will take an inch-perfect all-round performance from him to beat Pac-Man, and even coming off an impressive knockout, he hasn't shown the ability to sustain that quality over what will most likely be a 12-round affair.

Pacquiao's experience and overall superiority in a number of facets—speed, versatility and work rate, to name a few—should help him regain the belt.

Prediction: Pacquiao wins via unanimous decision.