Jessie Vargas ready to gain national fame in Manny Pacquiao fight

Jessie Vargas is the perfect boxing ambassador for Las Vegas.

When a charity event needs a boxer to make an appearance. Vargas gets the first call.

Promoters want a world champion at your local card? Better call Vargas.

Need a speaker? Vargas would say what language. He can do English and Spanish.

Nine times out of 10, Vargas gladly responds yes to a public service in his hometown of Las Vegas. He won’t show up late and will shake hundreds of hands with a smile. Vargas is a godsend for event coordinators.

But Vargas’ services haven’t been needed on Saturday nights on the Strip. Floyd Mayweather Jr. had that covered.

Unfortunately, charity work didn’t help Vargas in the star power department. For years, Vargas has been the underdog in fights and the scrappy unknown boxer on Mayweather undercards.

Vargas, who rarely gets angry in public, was tired of it. He demanded a big fight, and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum finally delivered — probably more than Vargas expected.

Vargas (27-1, 10 knockouts) will headline his first pay-per-view event and defend his WBO welterweight belt against Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs) on Saturday night at the Thomas &Mack Center.

So nice guys don’t always finish last.

It’s highly possible Arum was looking in the best interest of Pacquiao, a 5-1 favorite. But Vargas doesn’t care why Arum made the fight. The Las Vegas-raised boxer is running with the opportunity.

“I respect what Pacquiao has done in the sport, but now it’s my time,” Vargas said. “It’s time for everyone to talk about me and my performance Saturday.”

Arum is loaded with talented fighters in his Top Rank stable. Vargas, however, might not be high on the priority list. The 84-year-old promoter, who recently became Twitter savvy, has six of his best fighters standing next to him on his Twitter photo header. None of them named Jessie Vargas.

Vargas’ frustration was noticeable during a September news conference in Los Angeles when he received questions about getting the Pacquiao fight over Terence Crawford, another rising Top Rank fighter. Many pundits thought Pacquiao-Crawford would be the better fight.

“Fighters from the Olympics who I have never heard of are getting more attention,” Vargas said in September. “We are frustrated. All this doubt. I’ve always proved all the doubters wrong. I’m probably the only champion who hasn’t gotten the proper credit.

“These Olympians haven’t earned anything. I’ve busted my (butt) off for years.”

Vargas, 27, hasn’t shown that frustration since the news conference. His confidence throughout fight week has probably gained him a few more believers.

The hometown hero felt the support during Friday’s weigh-ins. The crowd at the Encore Theatre at Wynn Las Vegas erupted with “Jessie” chants and drowned out the “Manny” cheers. Vargas stepped on the scale at 146.5 pounds, and Pacquiao weighed 144.8 pounds.

Pacquiao, 37, is arguably the best fighter of this generation, but the former eight-division champion has been beaten multiple times, as Vargas keeps reminding everyone.

Vargas has said he’s a taller, faster Juan Manuel Marquez, who recorded a memorable knockout of Pacquiao in 2012. Vargas also has stated that he’s going to end Pacquiao’s career like the Filipino did against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008.

“I know what (Vargas) is feeling,” Pacquiao said. “I was in his position. You can feel the hunger in your heart, but you need the skills.”

Timothy Bradley, who has defeated Pacquiao and Vargas, said the Las Vegan has a secret weapon to winning the fight.

“Jessie Vargas is the champion and has to be respected, and I know no one is really respecting him,” Bradley said. “He has a secret and a little trick under his sleeve, that overhand right. I don’t know how in the hell he landed it.”

Bradley was on the other end of Vargas’ overhand right last year. Bradley’s knees buckled in the 12th round after the punch, but the referee ended the fight 10 seconds too soon, and Bradley was awarded the unanimous decision.

Vargas didn’t wait to use the overhand right against Sadam Ali to win the WBO belt in March. Vargas dropped Ali, a previously undefeated U.S. Olympian, multiple times before the fight was stopped in the ninth round.

“Jessie won’t quit even if the Pacquiao fight goes bad,” said Dewey Cooper, who trains Vargas. “Look at the Bradley fight, he found a way to stay in the fight until the end. Pacquiao is going to give Jessie opportunities to use that right hand.”

So there’s a chance for Vargas to shock the boxing world, but don’t expect him to change win or lose. He’ll still be at the local fundraisers and helping young fighters.

“I’m the type of individual to try and want to give back to my community in any way I can,” Vargas said. “The more success I have, the more I’m going to be able to give back. I remember where I come from, and I’m proud of where I come from.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.