Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas Latest Fight Card Odds and More Bets
Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2) and Jessie Vargas (27-1) will meet for the WBO welterweight title on Saturday in Pac-Man's first fight since his win over Timothy Bradley Jr. in April.
The Filipino slugger is a huge favourite to win the bout, with Odds Shark giving Pacquiao 1-10 odds and Vargas coming in at 131-2 as of Wednesday.
Vargas earned the WBO title with a technical-knockout win over Sadam Ali in March, but his track record is littered with little-known fighters and journeymen. Should he beat Pacquiao, it would rank among the top upsets of the last five years.
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Saturday's card will feature several intriguing fights, including a showdown between WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (37-3) and Jessie Magdaleno (23-0).
The undefeated 24-year-old isn't a household name yet, but he has the potential to change that in the near future—and a win over Donaire would do the trick. Per Oddschecker, Magdaleno comes in as a 13-8 underdog, with Donaire carrying 1-2 odds.
Also on the card will be a bout between featherweight champion Oscar Valdez and Hiroshige Osawa.
Here's a look at some of the top bets for Saturday's card, courtesy of Oddschecker.
Pacquiao by Decision: 4-7
Saturday's main event is not a particularly popular fight among punters, with most assuming Pacquiao will cruise to an easy win by decision, a result that comes in at 4-7, per Oddschecker.
The 37-year-old was once fearsome for his incredible combination of hand speed and raw power, and while Pacquiao still has the hands to break down some of the best defensive fighters in the world, he hasn't consistently shown his knockout power in years.
Speaking to Jenna J. of On the Ropes, trainer Freddie Roach sounded confident his fighter has what it takes to force a stoppage, as he's been training specifically for that goal:
"He’s being more explosive and being more aggressive than he has been in the past. I think he finally realizes that he can’t just tune up to win fights, he has to knock people out to be impressive and for people to want to watch him more. We had a great run back in the day and that’s what made him famous and made him a great fighter. I think he wants to be that guy again.
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Vargas isn't a knockout artist, with just 10 stoppages in 28 fights on his record, but the Las Vegas native has quick hands and a mean streak he puts to good use. Significantly, he came in as the underdog against Ali, wearing down the favourite before knocking him out in the ninth round.
His June 2015 loss against Bradley was disappointing, but he learned from the experience―as you can see in this video from HBO Boxing, he hurt Desert Storm late, and he might have beaten him had he been less conservative early:
Roach will talk up Pacquiao's power at every turn, but the experienced trainer knows his fighter's biggest strengths are his work rate, energy and hand speed. Pac-Man is not going to expose himself, knowing he's too fast for Vargas, and should cruise to a decision win if he paces himself.
Magdaleno to Win: 13-8
At 13-8, more adventurous punters looking to score big might take a chance on Magdaleno, who will face the biggest challenge of his life against Donaire. The veteran is a former Fighter of the Year and has bags of experience, but some cracks have appeared in his armour recently.
The 33-year-old has won his last four bouts since a knockout loss against Nicholas Walters in 2014. On paper, his experience and all-round skill set should negate Magdaleno's youth advantage.
As he told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Donaire doesn't fear the challenger:
"Magdaleno is very talented and he has a good amount of speed and a good amount of power. As I looked to study him he has pretty good pop and lateral movement and speed. I'm excited to be fighting him. I love the challenge but I think that my experience is going to be a big, key factor.
He has never faced anyone who can punch like I do or move like I can. He's in the big leagues now. I know that I'm going to dominate this fight. He's more of a textbook fighter and easy to read.
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Magdaleno should have the crowd behind him, however, and he won't be far behind Donaire in terms of hand speed, the champion's biggest weapon. He's young and hungry, and he'll be looking to put on a show in front of his home fans.
Donaire's left hook is a major weapon, but Magdaleno has some power of his own, with 17 stoppages in 23 bouts. This bout should turn into a slugfest if the younger fighter can avoid Donaire's massive left in the opening rounds.
If that happens, his younger legs and home-field advantage might carry Magdaleno to an upset. It's not the safest bet, but it could pay huge dividends.
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