According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, The November 5th ppv fight between Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas generated around 300,00 Pay Per View buys.

This week, Bob Arum told ESPN that his decision to have Top Rank produce and distribute the event on its own was successful. The Pacquiao-Vargas fight sold “around 300,000, probably a little more” pay-per-view buys, he said.

“It did about the same as Pacquiao-[Timothy] Bradley,” Arum said of the third fight between the rivals that took place in April and was produced and distributed by HBO.
“So if it did about the same as that fight, why do I need HBO to be involved? Why do I have to pay them a percentage when we can do the same thing on our own?”

Arum said he did not have precise numbers yet for the Pacquiao-Vargas pay-per-view sales because “one thing we can’t do is get a handle on all the numbers as quickly as HBO can. They have that down pat, but we’ll learn. That said, the numbers are still coming in and we’re pleased. We had a good show, we put on some entertaining fights, and we made money, the fighters made money, so that’s good.”

Although Vargas was not a well-known opponent and nobody expected Pacquiao to generate the seven-figure pay-per-view sales he did during his heyday a few years ago, Arum said he thought one reason the fight would wind up doing about 300,000 sales is because consumers knew that without HBO’s involvement that there would be no delayed broadcast on the network a week later. Arum also said he was aware that because fans can easily find live streams on social media, it likely robbed the event of hundreds of thousands of buys.

“It’s always been a problem, but it’s gotten worse,” Arum said. “It’s stealing, and it’s not just a Pacquiao fight. It’s Canelo [Alvarez] fights. It’s UFC pay-per-views. We have our attorneys working on things.”

MANILA (November 8, 2016) — The streak continues! No sooner had boxing superhero Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (59-6-2, 38 KOs) won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world title for a third time — dethroning the younger and taller defending champion Jessie Vargas (27-2, 10 KOs) on Saturday in front of 16,321 fans at the Thomas & Mack Center — boxing’s only eight-division world champion jetted back to Manila in time to attend the first day of the Philippine Senate’s new session. Pacquiao has not missed one day of Senate activity since being sworn in, despite a grueling schedule that incorporated an intense training camp for his challenge of Vargas.

Upon entering the Senate chamber today, as a world champion, carrying his new world title belt, Senator Pacquiao was lauded by his colleagues. The Senate passed a resolution commending Pacquiao’s discipline to effectively serve the citizens of the Philippines while training for his world championship challenge in his ring return against Vargas, both on a fulltime basis.

Pacquiao, the first senator from any country to win a world title, then presented his new world championship belt to Senate President Koko Pimentel as a gift to the citizens of the Philippines.

“To manifest my heartfelt thanksgiving, I would like to donate my WBO welterweight belt to the Senate of the Philippines. The honor does not belong to me alone but to every Filipino,” said Pacquiao. “May it serve as an inspiration for everyone to pursue excellence and to continue fighting for our nation’s sovereignty.”

SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES RESOLUTION NO. 217

SENATE CONGRATULATES SENATOR PACMAN: Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and the other senators congratulate their colleague Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao after the Senate approved Senate Resolution No. 217 commending Pacquaio for his recent victory over former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight Champion Jessie Vargas, during Tuesday’s session, November 08, 2016. Apart from Pimentel, Senators Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe, Richard Gordon, Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto and Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, along with Senators Loren Legarda, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan were also present to celebrate Pacquaio’s win.

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Boxing’s only eight division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (59-6-2, 38 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, dethroned World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion JESSIE VARGAS (27-2, 10 KOs), of Las Vegas. Pacquiao and Vargas went mano a mano and toe-to-toe in a high-stakes welterweight showdown. While Pacquiao became a three-time WBO welterweight champion as well as the first senator to win a world title, Vargas gamely failed to enforce a term limit on the future Hall of Famer’s boxing career.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Wynn Las Vegas and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Vargas took place Saturday, November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs. Vargas and its three co-main event world title fights were produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, and was available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices. No replay is scheduled.

The three additional world championship fights on the pay-per-view telecast included: four-division world champion NONITO “The Filipino Flash” DONAIRE (37-4, 24 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, losing his WBO junior featherweight title to undefeated No. 1 contender JESSIE MAGDALENO (24-0, 17 KOs), from Las Vegas; and newly-minted WBO featherweight champion and two-time Mexican Olympian ÓSCAR VALDEZ (22-0, 19 KOs), from Nogales, Mexico, successfully defendIng his title, stopping No. 1 contender HIROSHIGE OSAWA (30-4-4, 19 KOs), from Osaka, Japan. The pay-per-view telecast opened with the rematch between top-rated contenders Chinese Olympic icon ZOU SHIMING (9-1, 2 KOs), from Guizhou, China, and PRASITAK PAPOEM (39-2-2, 24 KOs), of Buriram, Thailand, battling for the vacant WBO flyweight world title. Zou a two-time Olympic gold medalist trained by Freddie Roach, defeated Prasitak, who had entered the fight riding a two-year, 12-bout winning streak, with all of his victories coming by way of knockout.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on UNLV’s campus or thereabouts Filipino senator Manny Pacquiao unanimously decisioned American welterweight titlist Jessie Vargas in a good match that proved Pacquiao’s fighting class has not dissipated fast as the welterweight division’s. Vargas was a top-10 guy at 147 pounds whom Pacquiao beat conclusively without exerting more than 45 seconds of any round, the same way Pacquiao conclusively beat Timothy Bradley, a top-5 guy at 147 pounds, in April.

Pacman’s fighting capacities have not diminished nearly quick as American interest in his capacities – as represented by purse guarantees – have: His reflexes and savagery are down about 20-percent from where they were before Mayweather while his Saturday purse guarantee was about 20-percent of what it was before Mayweather. Of course an 80-percent paycut from $20 million still makes Pacquiao what American conservatives call a “job creator” and Pacquiao at 80-percent remains very much better than other titlists in the welterweight division though nothing close to enough to beat Floyd Mayweather till Money’s 45th birthday.

Pity that Manny cannot be remanded to a cryogenic lab till 2021, then, especially if greed and desperation force a rematch of the Fight to Ruin Boxing which they will if Manny and his promoter have any say because Manny’s promoter has nary a better option – whatever talent Bud Crawford has, whatever doggedness Timothy Bradley maintains, neither guy has more than a city much less a state much less a country much less a global region he captivates or might monetize.

The preamble of the moment, the consensus throatclearing, goes something like: Pacquiao, while not nearly the man he was in his prime, is still very good. That’s about half right. Pacquiao actually is much nearer the man he was in his prime than we say he is; what has changed is our perception – our memories and our expectations and our tolerance and ourselves generally.

That’s a bold statement, Mr. Barry, are you being dumbly controversial to court traffic in the spirit of contemporary politics?

Yes! actually no. I watched the Russian rebroadcast of Pacquiao-Vargas on Sunday morning (pro tip: putting the words ““???? ???” in front of your YouTube search criteria for most any match gets you an early rebroadcast without perception-skewing commentary to suffer) and then, ready for a mindbending trip through the fourth dimension, I called up Pacquiao-Morales 1, a match Pacquiao lost, sure, but a Pacquiao 11 1/2 years younger and 15 pounds smaller and presumably quicker than today’s iteration. What I expected was the nonlinear thing that happens when you juxtapose any heavyweight title match of the 1990s with a Wlad Klitschko fight – wait, you mean heavyweights once fought with bent knees and courage? (OK, that’s not fair: Klitschko fought his courage most every title defense) – but that’s not what I got.

Pacquiao was more explosive and frankly weirder back in 2005 but he didn’t have fractionally the wiles he has today, and yes, that’s allowing for the feral qualitative disparity between Erik Morales and Jessie Vargas. Pacquiao’s head movement is perhaps the largest difference between then and now and that’s a tribute to Pacquiao’s latterday conditioning. Head movement is rarely a matter of moving one’s head; effective head movement is at least pendulous upperbody movement but best when born of the feet and knees and thighs. Eleven years ago Pacquiao windshield-wipered his hands back and forth in lieu of moving his head and Morales hit him often and hard with the Mexican’s worldclass jab.

Part of what doomed Vargas, aside from trying to do what Juan Manuel Marquez did without understanding why Marquez thought to do it and therefore a hundred microscopic adjustments of both physique and character Marquez learned to make (ain’t nothing like the real thing, Jes-sie) was Vargas’ inability to jab at uncertainty after Pacquiao snatched his confidence in round 2. Nearly no one can jab confidently at uncertainty – if there were anything natural about it the double-end bag’d not exist – and Pacquiao’s creation and maintenance of defensive uncertainty (offensively he’s been a wildcard his whole life) is one sure source of his longevity.

And even at 80-percent Pacquiao is fast in an elite way today’s fighters are not. There are quick hands aplenty out there, Showtime Sports, formerly known as The PBC, now bursts with them, but that’s different from being fast in a way that instantly closes space as Pacquiao does in yards, not inches. While Pacquiao had seen a few dozen Vargases in his career, Saturday it was clear in the match’s second half Vargas’d not before seen a Pacquiao, and some combination of fatigue and inactive offensive imagination and hyperactive defensive imagination (anxiety about consequences) kept Vargas’ hands at home while Senator Pacquiao, ever a vote-counter, did barely more than he needed do to win each round.

Never again will Pacquiao be quick to the breach as he was the night Marquez pistonstroked him, in part because every opponent now chants “jab-feint / leapback / jab / cross” through every trainingcamp, in part because Pacquiao no longer thrills quite so much at the fray, and in part because there’s no need. Today Senator Pacquiao resides in a curious yet lucrative space: He’s good enough, still, to unify the welterweight division and not nearly good enough to win more than two rounds against Mayweather.

At least it’s lucrative.

Bart Barry can be reach via Twitter @bartbarry

First Blows: Fuentes opens Pacquiao-Vargas card with a decision over Chinese featherweight

Follow all the action as Manny Pacquiao tries to regain the WBO Welterweight title from Jessie Vargas.  The action kicks off at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT / 9 AM Sunday in General Santos City, Philippines.  The action kicks off with 3 more world title bouts as Nonito Dnaire takes on Jessie Magdaleno for the WBO Super Bantamweight title; Oscar Valdez battles Hiroshige Osawa for the WBO Featherweight title and Zou Shiming battles Pratisak Phaprom in a rematch for the WBO Flyweight title

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED…THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1 Jab, right and jab from Vargas..right…Left from Pacquiao …Short uppercut

Round 2 Straight left from Pacquiao ..Combination..Left from Vargas…HARD STRAIGHT LEFT AND DOWN GOES VARGAS…

Round 3 Body and head from Vargas..Staright left from Pacquiao and and another..Hard jab..straight left..Right from Vargas,,

Round 4 Stleft…raight left..lead left..Counter left..

Round 5 Pacquiao lands to a straight left

Round 6 Staright right from Vargas…Vargas right eye swelling..lead left from Pacquiao…Right

Round 7 Jab from Pacquiao …Nice right from Vargas…Jab from Pacquiao..

Round 8 Jab from Pacquiao..Hard right from Vragas…left hook..Vargas bleeding above his nose..right from Vragas..Jabs from Pacquiao..left…left..

Round 9 Good right from Vargas..Left from Pacquiao

Round 10 Combination from Pacquiao…left…good right hook…Jab..right from Vargas..

Round 11 Pacquiao lands a jab..Straight right from Vargas..Left hook…

Round 12 lead left from Pacquiao..Body shot from Vargas..counter left from Pacquiao..

Vargas landed 147 of 662   Pacquiao landed  147 of 409

114-113; 118-109; 118-109 for MANNY PACQUIAO 

Round 1 Jab from Magdaleno..

Round 2 Body shot from Magdaleno..Left hook from Donaire…Staright left from Magdaleno..Good right from Donaire..

Round 3 Right from Magdaleno..Body shot…head shot..Body shot..Left to body from Donaire..

Round 4 Left from Donaire..Right hook from Magdaleno…Magdaleno bleeding over the left eye…Straight right from Donaire..

Round 5 Left from Donaire…Right..doube jab..Body shot from Magdaleno..

Round 6: 3 jabs and right hook from Mgdaleno..Body shot

Round 7 Hook from Donaire..right from Magdaleno..Good right to body from Donaire..

Round 8 2 lefts to body from Magdaleno..Counter jab from Donaire..Good right hook from Magdaleno..Body shot..Right from Dinaire..right hook from Magdaleno..Body shoot..Uppercut from Donaire..

Round 9 Blood over right eye of Donaire..Big left from Magdaleno…ripping shots on the ropes..

Round 10 Right rocks Magdaleno..Swelling under left eye of Donaire..right from Magdaleno..Good right from Donaire..Left from Magdaleno

Round 11  Counter right from Donaire..Counter right from Magdaleno..Right from Donaire..Hook from Magdaleno..Good body shot..

Round 12 Good body shot and hook from Magdaleno..Good right from Donaire..Right hook from Magdaleno…Hard right from Donaire..right..Left hook from Magdaleno

Magdaleno 154-500  Donaire  132-404–Punches

116-112 twice and 118-110 FOR NEW CHAMPION..JESSIE MAGDALENO

Round 1 Valdez lands a left hook to the body..Good left hook..Jab..

Round 2 Hard right from Valdez

Round 3 Big right and left hook from Valdez..left hook and right..Hard jab

Round 4 BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES OSAWA…Huge right hands from Valdez…Jab from Osawa…Uppercut from Valdez..Right from Osawa…Hook from Valdez

Round 5 Hook and right from Valdez

Round 6 2 right hooks from Valdez from the southpaw stance

Round 7 HUGE FLURRY ON THE ROPES..VALDEZ RIPPING SHOTS TO THE HEAD AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Combination from Shiming..Hard combination…Right from Phaprom…Body from Shiming..

ROUND 2 HARD RIGHT AND DOWN GOES PHAPROM

Round 3 Good right from Shiming..Nice right and left hook..

Round 4:  Right from Phaprom..Hard right…Right..Body shot from Shiming…Jab..

Round 5: 3 punch combo from Shiming…Uppercut..Body from Phapron..Left hook from Shiming….Left hook

Round 6 Shiming lands a body shot..Right …Hard 1-2…Flush right..Phapron saying come on…

Round 7 Shiming lands a right…Crisp right

Round 8 Blood over left eye of Phapron..Jab from Shiming..Good exchange with Shiming landing hard head shots…Big left hook from Phapron…left hook..

Round 9 Good right from Shiming…Shiming shuffling and lands a combination..

Round 10 Phapron lands a right to the body…1-2 from Shimimg

Round 11 Body combination from Shiming

Round 12  

PUNCH STATS  107-503 for Phapron…Shiming was   347-778

120-107  twice and 119-108 for ZOU SHIMING

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – There was enough room on Jessie Vargas’ shoulder for a world title belt when he faced Manny Pacquiao in the nose-nose, eye-to-eye ritual for cameras Friday after the formal weigh-in for their welterweight bout Saturday at Thomas & Mack.

Apparently, that chip didn’t get in the way.

That proverbial chip — and all the motivation it is supposed to represent – has been among the many story lines leading up to Top Rank’s pay-per-view card (6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET). Vargas has been friendly enough. The bigger the media, the friendlier he became. He seldom betrayed any sign he might be angry at being the so-called B-side despite his ownership of the WBO title.

But it’s there, Vargas trainer Dewey Cooper said.

“He’s kind of pissed at you all,’’ Cooper said to reporters during a roundtable session. “I’m trying to keep him clam about all of this.’’

Mission accomplished, at least through the last days and final few hours before opening bell to the scheduled 12 rounder. Vargas has kept his emotions in check, saying the expected.

“I feel great,’’ Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) said after stepping off the scale at 146.5, nearly two pounds heavier than Pacquiao, (58-6-2, 38 KOs) who was at 144.8. “My motivation is to prove I’m the best in the division. Pacquiao is a legend. Fighters who have beaten him become legends. I plan to be a legend.’’

Odds say otherwise. They were at 7-1 in favor of a Pacquaio victory Friday in the crowded sports book at the Wynn, the host hotel. The one-sided line suggests a blowout victory for Pacquiao, a Filipino senator who hopes to add a major boxing championship to his political title.

Pacquiao’s historical pursuit and his international celebrity are irresistible for the media. In prefight interviews, there’s also a sense that Pacquaio’s energy and instincts have somehow been reborn. He’s been thoughtful and often funny. His English has never been better. In part, that’s because the Filipino Senate conducts its business in English. He has had to speak it and write it every day since he won a Senatorial seat in May.

That and more mean it has been easy to overlook Vargas. Maybe, too easy. But that’s nothing new for Vargas, who is a decade younger and four inches taller than Pacquiao. He’s made a career out of being overlooked.

In an impressive stoppage of Sadam Ali last March at the D.C. Armory in Washington, Cooper said Vargas didn’t get any respect. Didn’t get a dressing room either.

“We were out in a hallway, near the door,’’ Cooper said. “We were brought in as a sacrificial lamb.’’

But the lamb walked out of that hallway with a title he won with power few thought he had. The question is whether any of that power will be able to slow down and perhaps even stop Pacquiao. The, there’s a question whether Vargas might have a bit too much motivation. He is promising to be aggressive from the beginning. Pacquiao welcomes that prospect. So does Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach.

“If he comes too aggressively, he gets knocked out early, maybe in four or five rounds,’’ said Roach, who says Pacquiao is more motivated for a stoppage than ever in part because of the media reporting repeatedly that he hasn’t scored one since 2009.

Timothy Bradley, who will be at ringside as an analyst for the pay-per-view telecast, has fought both. He believes Pacquiao’s overall speed will be too much for Vargas. He picked the Filipino to win. But he also says that Vargas’ is very tough.

And maybe motivated just enough.

Best of the undercard: WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez Jr. (21-0, 18 KOs), of Tucson and Nogales, Mexico, makes his first title defense against Japan’s Hiroshige Osawa. Valdez (21-0, 18 KOs) weighed 125.25 pounds. Osawa (30-3-4. 19 KOs) was also at 125.25.

In the immediate wake of Valdez’ victory for the WBO title in July, Top Rank had tentative plans to stage the two-time Mexican Olympian’s first defense in Tucson, where he went to school. His mom also still lives in the southern Arizona city. But Arum opted to put him on the pay-per-view card. Arum said this week that he still plans for a Valdez bout in Tucson, perhaps next year when he is expected to fight at least four times.

In another undercard bout, Nonito Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs) faces Jessie Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs) in a junior-featherweight bout. Donaire weighed 121.8 pounds. Magdaleno was 121.1. Donaire has talked about moving back up to featherweight. If he beats Magdaleno and Donaire beats Osawa, Donaire-Valdez is a possibility.

Manny Pacquiao 144.8 – Jessie Vargas 146.5
(WBO Welterweight title)
Oscar Valdez 125.3 – Hiroshige Osawa 125.3
(WBO World featherweight title)
Nonito Donaire 121.8 – Jessie Magdaleno 121.25
(WBO Jr. Featherweight title)
Zou Shiming 111 – Prasitsak Phaprom 111.5
(WBO Flyweight title)
Robson Conceicao 129.6 – Clay Burns 129
Teofimo Lopez 133 – Ishwar Siqueiros 133.75
Alexander Besputin 149.75 – Azael Cosio 150
Que Xu 125.5 – Fernando Fuentes 124.5

Los Angeles, CA (November 2, 2016) Legendary ring announcer MICHAEL “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” BUFFER celebrates his 72nd birthday today. The internationally known Hall of Fame ring announcer, still going strong and working more than ever, is headed to Las Vegas this week for Saturday’s World Welterweight Championship clash between Boxing Legend Manny Pacquiao and Las Vegas based champion Jesse Vargas at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

“I feel great and I’m busier than ever with appearances all over the world,” said Buffer. “It’s a thrill to work with Manny once again on such a huge international event.”

Last month, Buffer helped kick off “Big Blue Madness” as Coach Calipari and the University of Kentucky Wildcats held their annual first public practice in front of over 20,000 fans at Rupp Arena. He is booked solid through 2016 with multiple engagements all over the world.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (November 2, 2016) – On Fight Night for the MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO vs. JESSIE VARGAS world championship event, Top Rank® will utilize Twitter’s (twitter.com/trboxing) polling functionality to allow fans to participate in each bout as a collective, unofficial “4th judge.” Fans that tune into Saturday’s live pay-per-view telecast or catch it from a coveted seat at the Thomas & Mack Center will be able to easily vote on who they think is winning each undercard matchup, with the winner being announced on air prior to the official judges’ scorecards. During the main event, fans will have the option to vote round-by-round. The broadcast team of Stephen A. Smith, Brian Kenny, Charissa Thompson and Tim Bradley, Jr., will deliver updates in between rounds, with scorecard graphics appearing on-screen throughout the main event. Employing this feature, fans are granted another avenue to engage with the historic night of world championship fights on November 5th.

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In just three days, boxing’s only eight division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (58-6-2, 38 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, collides with World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion JESSIE VARGAS (27-1, 10 KOs), of Las Vegas. Pacquiao and Vargas will go mano a mano and toe-to-toe in a high-stakes welterweight showdown. While Pacquiao will be looking to become a three-time WBO welterweight champion as well as the first senator to win a world title, Vargas will be resolute in enforcing a term limit on the future Hall of Famer’s boxing career.

Pacquiao vs. Vargas takes place This Saturday! November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center, on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs. Vargas and its three co-main event world title fights will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

The three additional world championship fights on the pay-per-view telecast include: four-division world champion NONITO “The Filipino Flash” DONAIRE (37-3, 24 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, defending his WBO junior featherweight title against undefeated No. 1 contender JESSIE MAGDALENO (23-0, 17 KOs), from Las Vegas; and newly-minted WBO featherweight champion and two-time Mexican Olympian ÓSCAR VALDEZ (21-0, 18 KOs), from Nogales, Mexico, making his first title defense, against No. 1 contender HIROSHIGE OSAWA (30-3-4, 19 KOs), from Osaka, Japan. The pay-per-view telecast will open with the rematch between top-rated contenders Chinese Olympic icon ZOU SHIMING (8-1, 2 KOs), from Guizhou, China, and PRASITAK PAPOEM (39-1-2, 24 KOs), of Buriram, Thailand, battling for the vacant WBO flyweight world title. Zou a two-time Olympic gold medalist trained by Freddie Roach, will have his hands full against Prasitak, who enters this fight riding a two-year, 12-bout winning streak, with all of his victories coming by way of knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Wynn Las Vegas and Tecate, remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees. Tickets may be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office (except on Wednesday, October 19 because of the Clinton – Trump presidential debate), online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets. To charge by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267).

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

LONDON (2 November) – Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is out to prove he is still one of the very best around in his upcoming world title clash.

The Filipino fighter will be facing WBO welterweight world champion Jessie Vargas from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, exclusively live on BoxNation this Saturday night.

Following his loss to Floyd Mayweather and his delving into politics in his home country, recently being elected to the Philippines Senate, doubts have arisen as to whether the eight-weight world champion has lost his hunger for boxing.

37-year-old Pacquiao is well aware of the question marks around his fight career and knows he has to show he still belongs with the best when he steps back in the ring for the first time since his April win over Timothy Bradley.

“I want to prove that I am still one of the best pound-for-pound fighters. 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,” said Pacquiao.

“I am fighting for history. I was the first sitting congressman to win a world title. For this one, it is not enough to be the first sitting senator to fight for a world title – I want to be the first senator to become world champion. For me, that would be quite an accomplishment,” he said.

The future Hall-of-Famer will be up against the slick Vargas who has lost just one of his 28 fights and will be making the first defence of his title following his impressive ninth-round stoppage over the talented Sadam Ali.

Pacquiao is refusing to overlook the 27-year-old and knows he will need to bring his A-game to beat the rising American ace. “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,” Pacquiao said.

“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,” he said.

The reigning ‘Fighter of the Decade’ is sure he has all the bases covered to overcome Vargas and is keen to put on a show for the fans.

“We have three different plans for Jessie Vargas,” he said.

“My first concern is for the fans; that the people who are going to watch the fight will be happy and satisfied. I want this to be a fight for fans to remember.”

Pacquiao v Vargas is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/Online & App) this Saturday night. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –
About BoxNation

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Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.

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*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Filipino former world champion and current senator Manny Pacquiao matches himself with American welterweight Jessie Vargas in a pay-per-view fight televised by promoter Top Rank. Pacquiao retired in April after decisioning Timothy Bradley in their third match but returns seven months later because that was always the plan. Vargas lost to Bradley a month after Pacquiao lost to Mayweather in 2015 but recently stopped Sadam Ali and got chosen for Saturday’s fight because that flash of power in March is expected to prove anomalous – if Pacquiao or Top Rank thought there were any way Vargas’d stretch Pacquiao this fight would not happen.

There isn’t much to be done but write about this spectacle however undeserving. In bygone years the hungerstrike we experienced these last howsoever many months would induce an appetite coiled as a spring and ready to leap towards a million buys after a month of promotional coverage under the auspices of reportage, but no more. There are but two types of boxing coverage that survive today in the United States: the financially selfinterested and the quixotic.

They’re easily identified. Positive coverage of Pacquiao-Vargas is financially selfinterested, the line between publicist and reporter gone to the publicists, and quixotic coverage, those who cover the sport from habit or nostalgia, is not positive. No American without financial selfinterest understood Pacquiao’s retirement and even less his comeback from that faux retirement – since declaring Pacquiao’s third match with Timothy Bradley in April the last time Pacquiao would fight did little to promote the match and according to Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum did not begin to offset the damage done the fight’s marketing by Pacquiao’s strongly worded reiteration of his strongly held beliefs about others’ sexual orientations or the lasting damage done the sport by Pacquiao’s terrible 2015 match with Floyd Mayweather.

Yes, the shoulder match. No one has forgiven Pacquiao for that halfassed performance, nor should he, but most of us have forgotten it – until Pacquiao decides to promote his match with Vargas by telling us he’s healed and ready for a second serving of Money. It’s the wrong message because it makes some of what few consumers remain interested enough in our sport to purchase a match from a promoter’s website reconsider that purchase for fear their support might launch another yearslong buildup to another terrible superfight no one asks for anymore, and Richard Schaefer just began a comeback of his own, too, in case more nostalgic dissonance were craved (incredibly he says fans approached him at fights and told him the sport needs him).

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COMMERCIAL BREAK
Boxing’s only eight-time world champion and sitting senator returns Saturday in a match you can purchase through his promoter’s website because, in a historic show of ungratefulness, HBO and Showtime and all the terrestrial networks on which Pacquiao was possibly rumored potentially to fight for the last eight years declined to pay retail prices for what worn and defective merchandise they’re now offered.

Camera-phone footage indicates the Senator is in the best shape of his life.

“Manny’s in the best shape of his life,” reported Coach Freddie from training camp. “I know I’ve said this each of his last 12 fights, or more, but this time? The best. Unbelievable.”

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Pacquiao looked quite good against Timothy Bradley seven months ago, better than Jessie Vargas did, but just because Vargas lost the Pacquiao sweepstakes 19 months ago does not mean Vargas lost the Pacquiao sweepstakes. Vargas did after all clip Bradley at the end of their match and may very well have . . . if only the referee . . . in an unprecedented act of interference . . . the very integrity of the sport . . . and probably deserved to win by knockout, something Vargas’ promoter was not at liberty to disclose while selling Pacquiao-Bradley 3, but now after a closer look thinks all aficionados should revisit.

Talk of Pacquiao’s milling with someone who might beat him like Terence Crawford and make Pacquiao actually retire succumbed this summer to sobriety and brought us limping to Saturday’s spectacle, possibly a tuneup for Pacquiao’s future match with middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, a rich promotional subplot given how much press Golovkin’s trainer receives for threatening the world’s best light heavyweights while trashtalking a junior middleweight and actually fighting a welterweight.

Pacquiao press releases now include airlines and flight numbers in the hopes of materializing an enormous crowd at LAX, something worthy of promotional footage on SportsCenter, alas. The American fight scene to which Pacquiao returns for Saturday’s fight is worse than the one he visited in the spring but more apparently awful to Pacquiao because, one assumes, Pacquiao’s previous purse guarantees were voided by his retirement and the dearth of interest the Pacquiao brand now generates among cable-network executives – before one considers what American consumers now know of politics in the Philippines complemented by our own fatigue with domestic politics. One begins to wonder if promoting Pacquiao as a successful Filipino politician still is the sage tact it once appeared.

Or perhaps all this is superfluous because nobody is about to discover Manny Pacquiao; those of us interested in Pacquiao enough to purchase Saturday’s fight, or heaven help us travel to it, know Pacquiao well enough to know how steadily his capacities have eroded since that 2012 encounter with the Marquez spearchisel and aren’t any longer candidates for a Pacman conversion. We know with Pacquiao we are either at the beginning or the middle part of the embarrassing stage many great prizefighters end their careers with. However extraordinary Pacquiao was in ascent, his descent is all too ordinary.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

LONDON (27 October) – BoxNation will be the only place to watch boxing legend Manny Pacquiao’s ring return as he takes on WBO welterweight world champion Jessie Vargas on November 5th from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

The bout will be broadcast exclusively live on ‘The Channel of Champions’ BoxNation as eight-division world champion Pacquiao takes a break from his political commitments in the Philippines in a bid to become the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title.

That task, however, will not come easy he steps in against the accomplished Vargas who has won all but one of his 28 fights, and, at 27-years-old, is already a two-weight world champion.

Future Hall-of-Famer Pacquiao is regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet and has decided to carry on with his career in the ring despite expecting to hang up the gloves after being elected to the Philippines Senate in the summer.

“Public service is my calling but boxing is my passion. I realised this summer I was not ready to retire from the ring,” said Pacquiao. “I made history when I became the first congressman to win a world title and now that the good people of the Philippines have elected me to the Senate I want to make more history by becoming the first senator to win a world title. I promised the voters I would not miss a Senate session which is why I will be training in Manila until the Senate goes into recess in late October. I dedicate this fight to my fans and to my countrymen throughout the world who have kept me in their prayers. And as always, I fight to bring glory to the Philippines.”

Las Vegas resident Vargas is coming-off an impressive ninth-round stoppage earlier this year over the highly-touted Sadam Ali in which he claimed his second world title.

Vargas has always had his eye on the formidable Pacquiao and can’t wait to get revenge for the losses he inflicted on his fighting heroes.

“When I was younger I watched what Manny did to my two boxing idols, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera – two great Mexican warriors. I told myself, someday I would get into the ring against Manny and avenge what he did to them. Now I will fight for them as well as myself. To me, this fight isn’t about a friendly ring rivalry between our countries. This fight is about payback,” said Vargas.

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “It is fantastic that BoxNation will be showcasing Manny Pacquiao’s return to the ring exclusively live on November 5th. Pacquiao is among the most exciting fighters in the world and is rightly regarded as one of the very best pound-for-pound around today. BoxNation subscribers will be in for a great fight as he takes on the WBO welterweight world champion and a top fighter in his own right in Jessie Vargas. This fight will be action-packed as both boxers have exciting and come-forward styles that can only make for a thrilling spectacle.”

Pacquiao v Vargas is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/Online & App) on November 5th. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –
About BoxNation

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Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.

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LAS VEGAS, NEV (October 24, 2016) –Top Rank (@trboxing) will debut its new and innovative video series, “ALL IN: Pacquiao-Vargas,” Today! Monday. October 24. “ALL IN: Pacquiao-Vargas” is designed to bring the fan closer to the action and the event, taking you … ALL IN. Daily episodes will be released exclusively on Facebook (facebook.com/trboxing) and Twitter (twitter.com/trboxing). “ALL IN: Pacquiao-Vargas” will follow boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO and his opponent World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion JESSIE VARGAS on the road to their world championship collision on November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.. As the intensity heats up so will the series. Viewers will be given an inside look into each fighter’s daily preparations, where they will see and hear the trainers, fighters, media and fans interact. In the days before the big rumble, a special edition of the series, “ALL IN: Pacquiao-Vargas: Fight Week,” will debut Tuesday, November 1 and will also be available exclusively on social media. Fans can expect to hear interviews with the fighters and their trainers and get a behind the scenes look into fight week events including media workouts, the final press conference, the official weigh-in, and more.

“All In is a series that not only gives the fans a good look behind the scenes of a major world championship fight, it’s done on a daily basis so that it’s fresh, current, informative and entertaining,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “By making these episodes available via various social platforms we are confident that we will reach a wide audience beyond the core boxing fans. We are very proud and excited to present this series.”

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Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Wynn Las Vegas and Tecate, Pacquiao vs. Vargas and its three co-main event world title fights will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

Remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees. Tickets may be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets. To charge by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267).

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

LOS ANGELES (October 22, 2016) – Pacquiao Nation Assemble!

Boxing superhero and reigning Fighter of the Decade, Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO, arrives in the U.S. Tonight! Saturday, October 22. Pacquiao and his team are scheduled to arrive at LAX International’s Tom Bradley Terminal aboard Philippine Airlines Flight 102 at 7:30 p.m. PT. To check the status of the flight, use this link and click “Flight Status”: https://www.philippineairlines.com/en

With the current Philippine Senate session in recess, Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (58-6-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, will begin phase two of his training in the familiar surrounds of Wild Card Boxing Club, in Hollywood, on Monday. Pacquiao is two weeks away from his challenge of World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion JESSIE VARGAS (27-1, 10 KOs), of Las Vegas. While Pacquiao will be looking to become a three-time WBO welterweight champion as well as the first senator to win a world title, Vargas will be resolute in enforcing a term limit on the future Hall of Famer’s boxing career.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas, Pacquiao vs. Vargas will take place Saturday, November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs. Vargas and its three co-main event world title fights will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (October 20, 2016) — Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight world champion ÓSCAR VALDEZ and undefeated No. 1 junior featherweight contender JESSIE MAGDALENO held a Media Workout on Thursday at Jack Rabbit Boxing Club in Long Beach, Calif. Both men are in deep training for their respective world championship fights which will take place as the co-features to the MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO – JESSIE VARGAS WBO welterweight world title fight, on Saturday, November 5, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Valdez (21-0, 18 KOs), from Nogales, Mexico, who represented Mexico in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, was the first Mexican fighter to qualify for two Olympic games. He will be making his first title defense, against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger Hiroshige Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs), from Osaka, Japan.

Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs), from Las Vegas, Nev., will be challenging four-division world champion NONITO “The Filipino Flash” DONAIRE (37-3, 24 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, for his WBO junior featherweight title.

Not only did they look ready, they sounded ready. Here’s what they had to say:

Óscar Valdez

“When you are a champion there is pressure to maintain your performance and keep your world title. I am defending against a tall, rangy fighter who has more fights than me. He really has an awkward style of fighting which is challenging for me as well. However it is nothing I have not seen before. I am going to win this one for Mexico.”

Jessie Magdaleno

“I am going against Nonito who is smart in the ring, has a dangerous left hook I must deal with. A real good hard shot to the body will take away some of his left hook power. And once he really opens up it’s better for me to get in big punches. He will be strong for about five rounds then there will be a fade and we will take it over. He’s a tough competitor for sure. But this is my dream fight, not his.”

Manny Robles on Óscar Valdez

“Óscar is a world champion for these reasons – dedication, determination, will to win, and the desire to be the best ever.

“While training Óscar we always told him ‘your next fight is your biggest ever — your world title fight.’ Now he is a world champion and he knows the real challenges of keeping the title belt.

“I’ve trained champions like Reggie Johnson, Martin Castillo, Israel Vasquez, Mike Anchondo and now Óscar. Those champions shared similarities in deep focus and strong desire. Óscar possesses those qualities too. I think he will become one of the greatest champions of all time.”

Manny Robles on Jessie Magdaleno

“Fighters like a lot of attention, a trainer who cares for him. That was my priority when I began training Jessie for this big title fight against Nonito Donaire.

“Jessie has done everything we’ve asked. We pay a lot of attention to him and he has responded with such hard training and dedication.

“Jessie has sparred for many rounds — 12 rounds yesterday alone – – and he is totally prepared to beat Donaire.”

Brad Goodman. Top Rank matchmaker

“Nonito and Jessie each have one-punch knockout power. This could be a one-punch knockout fight but I am not sure who wins it.”

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Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas, the Pacquiao – Vargas world welterweight championship event will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

Remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees. They may be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets. To charge by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267).

For fight updates go to www.pacvargas.com and www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

LAS VEGAS, NEV (October 19, 2016) — As the current Philippine Senate session draws to a close, political science will morph into the sweet science for boxing’s only eight-division world champion and reigning Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO. Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, who was elected to the Philippine Senate in May, will be going through his own climate change when he flies from Manila to Los Angeles on Saturday, October 22, via Philippine Airlines flight 102. On Monday, October 24, he will begin phase two of his training camp, at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, for his challenge of World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion JESSIE VARGAS (27-1, 10 KOs), of Las Vegas. While Pacquiao will be looking to become a three-time WBO welterweight champion as well as the first senator to win a world title, Vargas will be resolute in enforcing a term limit on the future Hall of Famer’s boxing career. Pacquiao vs. Vargas takes place Saturday, November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Pacquiao vs. Vargas and its three co-main event world title fights will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

“I have been training Manny for 15 years and even after all this time he still amazes me,” said seven-time Trainer of the Year and Hall of Famer World-Famous Freddie Roach. “He’s pushing 38 and he still outworks every fighter I’ve ever worked with. He’s had a killer schedule during this training camp but it’s been really productive. You’d have to see it to believe it.”

A typical work/training day for Pacquiao begins with a 5 a.m. wakeup call that has him doing his multi-mile morning run one hour later. His run is followed by grueling strength and conditioning work with Justin Fortune. After that, it’s a shower, a daily reading of the Bible and breakfast before he heads off in business attire to the Senate for a full day of legislative duties. Pacquiao usually arrives at the gym between 5 and 6 p.m. where he works out for three hours with Roach and his sparring partners. The day ends with dinner at home followed by a game of chess and a deep sleep. True to his promise to the electorate, Pacquiao did not miss one senate session.

“It is all about discipline and time management,” said Pacquiao. “Boxing is my passion and public service is my calling. I will continue to travel both roads as long as I can do both effectively. I dedicate the fights I take on to my fans and my countrymen. They have kept me in their prayers. I fight to bring glory to the Philippines whether I’m wearing boxing gloves or standing on the floor of the senate.”

“Manny is the only person I know who you can read about in the sports section and the national news section of the same newspaper on a daily basis,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “When Manny is inducted into the Hall of Fame, his plaque will say he was boxing’s only eight-division world champion, but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what makes him so special. He is literally a national treasure who has brought great honor to the sport and to his country. He’s the amazing Manny.”

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Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas, remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees. Tickets may be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office (except on Wednesday, October 19 because of the Clinton – Trump presidential debate), online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets. To charge by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267).

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (October 17, 2016) — Remaining tickets to the world championship fight between boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade, Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (58-6-2, 38 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, and defending World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion JESSIE VARGAS (27-1, 10 KOs), from Las Vegas, can be purchased online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets and charged by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267). The Thomas & Mack Center box office will reopen on Thursday. The Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is playing host to the third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on Wednesday.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas, the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event will take place on Saturday, November 5, at the Thomas & Mack Center. Remaining tickets are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees.

“Our ticket sales are great with Las Vegas fighters on this card in significant world championship fights. Fans in Las Vegas can still buy their tickets online or by phone,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “And to Mr. Trump’s chagrin, the only drug testing taking place at Thomas & Mack, between now and November 5, will be the ones given by the Nevada State Athletic Commission to the fighters on the Pacquiao – Vargas card.”

Pacquiao vs. Vargas, and its three co-main event world title fights, will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (September 27, 2016) — Three action-packed world championship fights will act as co-main events to the MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO – JESSIE VARGAS World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world title fight, Saturday, November 5, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas, the Pacquiao – Vargas world welterweight championship event will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

NONITO “The Filipino Flash” DONAIRE and ÓSCAR VALDEZ, WBO junior featherweight and featherweight champions, respectively, will be risking their crowns in mandatory title defenses against their respective No. 1 contenders JESSIE MAGDALENO and HIROSHIGE OSAWA. The pay-per-view telecast will open with Chinese Olympic icon ZOU SHIMING in a 12-round rumble with PRASITAK PAPOEM for the vacant WBO flyweight world title. This marks the first time Pacquiao and Donaire, the two biggest boxing stars to come out of the Philippines, have ever shared the same card.

The six co-main event gladiators, representing six different countries, have a combined record of 158-8-6 (104 KOs) — a winning percentage of 92% with nearly 2/3 of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees. They may be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets. To charge by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267).

“Jessie is a great challenger, a mandatory title defense and I know he’s hungry because he has been calling me out on social media,” said Donaire. “I am working great with my new trainer Ismael Salas. We are learning about each other and he’s instructing me on a more precise, compact way of fighting while still being very explosive as everyone is going to see on November 5.”

“Nonito is one of the greatest boxers of all time,” said Donaire’s manager Cameron Dunkin. “He’s fought the best and he’s beat the best. He’s faced many tough challenges. This is a very tough challenge but this is what Nonito does.”

“As a kid I’ve dreamt of this moment and the time is finally here. On November 5th I will be victorious with my hands raised up high and a belt around my waist,” said Magdaleno.

“It’s a pleasure to work with Jessie Magdaleno. We’ve been working together since July 23, and so far training camp has been great, the weight hasn’t been an issue, sparring hasn’t been an issue as he has been working with top notch boxers and the workload has not been an issue. He has embraced the work, and is definitely up to the challenge as he faces Nonito Donaire,” said Manuel Robles, Magdaleno’s trainer.

“Jessie Magdaleno is very, very motivated for his fight against Nonito Donaire,” said Frank Espinoza, Magdaleno’s manager.. “Nonito has been a great champion and has fought in many big fights for a long time. But this is Jessie’s time. He has worked hard and he has what it takes to win and become a world champion.”

“As a world champion you have to face tough challenges and my first defense will be against a tough challenger, but I am ready to face him,” said Valdez. “I worked hard to get my belt and I intend to keep it for a long time.”

“Óscar Valdez always works very hard to get ready for his fights. He will be even more focused and work even harder defending his championship belt on November 5 than he was when he won it back in July,” said Valdez’s trainer Manuel Robles.

“Óscar Valdez won his world championship with a spectacular performance in July and on November 5, I am sure he will give us another great fight and successfully defend his belt,” said Frank Espinoza, Valdez’s manager.

“The boxing ring has always been a world stage where I have been able to fulfill my dreams. It has given me countless opportunities to challenge myself and surpass my limits which I have always found more important than defeating an opponent,” said Zou. “Though my first world title fight was not as successful as I had hoped, I have focused even more on developing and improving myself mentally and physically to meet the challenge of fighting for another world title. I have worked hard to get this second opportunity and I will work even harder in training camp to succeed. On November 5, I will enter the ring fueled by the strength of the Chinese people. Together we will make our mark on boxing history.”

“Prasitak may look like Manny Pacquiao but he sure doesn’t fight like him. He’s dirty as hell. The last time we fought him, Prasitak was head butting and landing low blows on Shiming throughout the fight. But just to play it safe, I’ll have Shiming spar with Manny when we get back from Manila so we’re extra prepared,” said Zou’s Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

“Zou is rated No. 2 and I am rated No. 3, but that is the only thing that has remained the same from our first fight,” said Prasitak. “I am a much different fighter than the man Zou fought in China two years ago. I have knocked everyone out since that fight and I have developed elephant strength punching power. I look forward to avenging my only loss and becoming world champion on November 5.”

“Top Rank is very proud to be presenting such a special pay-per-view event,”: said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “Las Vegas will truly be the boxing capital of the world on November 5 with a championship card featuring the best fighters from six different countries.”

Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, now living in Las Vegas, is a five-division world champion. He regained the WBO junior featherweight crown on December 11, 2015, winning a 12-round unanimous decision over No. 1 world-rated contender Cesar Juarez for the vacant title. His banner year in 2012 featured four world championship victories which included beating former world champion Israel Vazquez, Jr. to capture the vacant WBO junior featherweight title, unifying the title by defeating International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight champion Jeffrey Mathebula, followed by Donaire collecting his third belt of the year with a knockout of World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond Belt super bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka, ending Nishioka’s eight-year, 16-bout, winning streak, and concluding his magnificent year by blasting out Mexican icon Jorge Arce in the third round and sealing his 2012 Fighter of the Year honors while extending his 12-year, 30-bout winning streak. He lost his title to undefeated Cuban sensation and WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux in a title unification bout at a sold-out Radio City Music Hall on April 13, 2013. He bounced back in 2014, dethroning World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight world champion Simpiwe Vetyeka in Macau, China. Career highlights for Donaire also include knockout victories of world champions Vic Darchinyan, Wladimir Sidorenko, and Fernando Montiel, ending Montiel’s 25-bout winning streak. That victory was named the 2011 Knockout of the Year. Donaire returns to the ring fresh from his first title defense, a third-round knockout of Hungarian Olympian Zsolt Bedak on April 23. The fight took place outdoors in Cebu and attracted 30,000 fans despite the extremely hot and humid conditions.

Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs), from Las Vegas, NV, enters this fight having won eight of his last 10 bouts by knockout. The former U.S. Amateur Champion has crafted a sterling professional ring record since making his professional debut on November 6, 2010. The younger brother of lightweight contender Diego Magdaleno, Jessie is a southpaw whose aggressive style and fierce punching power has produced a victory by knockout ratio of 73% en route to becoming the WBO’s No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger.

Valdez (21-0, 18 KOs), from Nogales, Mexico, and who represented Mexico in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, was the first Mexican fighter to qualify for two Olympic games. He is considered one of the bright lights of the featherweight division and a new face for boxing’s next generation. He will be making the first defense of the vacant world title he won on July 23 via a second-round knockout of undefeated No. 2 rated Matías Rueda. Rueda entered that fight having won his previous 10 bouts by stoppage. Valdez, 26, started the year with a fourth-round knockout victory over former IBF featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich on the April 9 Pacquiao – Tim Bradley III pay-per-view undercard in Las Vegas. It was the first time Gradovich had ever been stopped in his 24-bout professional career. Other career highlights include knockout victories of former world title challengers Ruben Tamayo and Chris Avalos.

Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs), from Osaka, Japan, will be making his U.S. debut. He enters this fight riding a seven-year, 16-bout unbeaten streak, with 12 victories coming by way of knockout, including his last 10. He returns to the ring fresh from a first-round knockout of Yon Armed on April 2, where he captured the WBO Asia-Pacific featherweight title and solidified his position as the No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger to Valdez.

Zou (8-1, 2 KOs), from Guizhou, China, returns to the ring fresh from his U.S. pro debut, which took place on June 11 at Madison Square Garden. He defeated Jozsef Ajtai of Hungary by a lopsided unanimous decision. He started the year out with a bang, knocking out undefeated contender Natan Santana Coutinho, to regain the WBO International flyweight title, on January 30, in Shanghai. Zou’s professional career highlights include a 12-round decision loss t to International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight world champion Amnat Ruenroeng in 2015 and a 12-round unanimous decision victory over undefeated No. 3 contender Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym in a world flyweight title elimination bout. Their fight was the co-main event to the Pacquiao – Chris Algieri world welterweight championship on November 22, 2014 in Macau, China. Zou scored three knockdowns en route to a 119-106, 119-106 and 120-103 victory over his vastly more experienced opponent. He showed his mettle by fighting through numerous head butts that swelled his left eye shut as well as weathering numerous low blows. But Zou kept his composure throughout the fight showing the world he was ready for a world title shot. Zou captured his first WBO International flyweight title on July 19, 2014, stepping up to his first 10-round fight and winning a unanimous decision over Top-10 contender Luis De La Rosa, proving to the world that he had developed into a world title contender. Zou is currently world-rated No. 2 by the WBO and No. 3 by the IBF. One of the most popular Olympic athletes in China, Zou was the world’s greatest amateur light flyweight, capturing gold medals in the World Amateur Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2011, along with gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He also owns an Olympic bronze medal from the 2004 games, making him his nation’s first Olympic medallist in boxing as well as its first boxing gold medallist in the World Amateur Championships and the Olympics.

Prasitak (39-1-2, 24 KOs), of Buriram, Thailand, made his professional debut in 2010 and captured the WBO Oriental junior bantamweight title the following year knocking out Fredirex Rodriguez in the seventh round. After one successful defense he moved down one division where he captured the WBO Oriental flyweight title in 2012, which he successfully defended six time during his two-year reign. After losing a unanimous decision to Zou in 2014, he regained the WBO Oriental flyweight title on April 3, 2015 by knocking out Haji Juma in the 12th round. Since his loss to Zou, Prasitak has fashioned a two-year, 12-bout winning streak, with all of his victories coming by way of knockout, including five defenses of his WBO Oriental flyweight title. Prasitak, who will be making his U.S. debut, is currently world-rated No. 3 by the WBO.

For fight updates go to www.pacvargas.com and www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

LAS VEGAS, NV (September 26, 2016) — Sports commentating stars STEPHEN A. SMITH, BRIAN KENNY and CHARISSA THOMPSON will join former two-division and five-time world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY as the ringside broadcast team for the MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO vs.. JESSIE VARGAS world welterweight championship fight which will take place Saturday, November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The broadcast team will also feature TopRank.com’s CRYSTINA PONCHER who will be the telecast’s roving reporter. Featuring four world title fights, the Pacquiao vs. Vargas championship event will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices.

“We wanted to give the viewers a different perspective that informs and entertains and I think we have accomplished that with this fantastic team,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “It’s a great combination with Brian, one of television’s top TV announcers, color commentary from Stephen A. and Charissa ‘s balanced hosting style. The expert analysis from Tim will round this out perfectly as he is considered one of the best fighters in the world and has secured victories against both Pacquiao and Vargas. We will expand the reach of this event beyond the boxing fan to an audience that has watched Stephen A., Brian and Charissa as regular fixtures in covering other major sports.”

“To say I’m incredibly excited would be an understatement,” said Smith. “Anyone who knows me knows I fell in love with boxing from the time I was three-years-old, when my Dad showed me Muhammad Ali beating Jerry Quarry in October 1970. Ever since that day, Boxing has been a passion of mine. But never — ever — in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d ever get a chance to actually call a fight. November 5 can’t get here soon enough.”

“I’m thrilled to once again call a Manny Pacquaio fight,” said Kenny. “Pacquaio remains one of the most exciting athletes in not just boxing, but in all of sports. After his win over Timothy Bradley, he is also still at the top of the incredibly competitive welterweight division. Jessie Vargas, coming off a tough win over the talented Sadam Ali, will present Pacquaio with a challenge that will test his world class talent.”

“I’m so excited to be a part of the Top Rank boxing telecast for Pacquiao vs. Vargas on November 5 from Las Vegas, and getting the opportunity to reunite with friends and former colleagues Stephen A. Smith and Brian Kenny is a bonus, said Thompson.”

“It is an honor to work in collaboration with such a respected crew on a historic night for Top Rank as they host their very own pay-per-view. I hope this is the first of many to come and look forward to seeing everyone on November 5, said Bradley.”

Smith, along with Max Kellerman, is a featured commentator on ESPN2’s First Take weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, discussing and debating the sports topics of the day. He joined First Take on a permanent basis in 2012. In September 2014, Smith began hosting the daily Stephen A. Smith Show on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio. The two-hour show is produced and broadcast from ESPN Audio’s headquarters in Bristol, Conn. From 2011 until 2014, Smith hosted a two-hour (1-3 p.m.), weekday local show on ESPN Radio 98.7FM in New York. For one year, starting in 2011, he also hosted a local show on ESPN LA 710AM in Los Angeles, covering both coasts. Smith made a variety of contributions to ESPN from 2003-08. Smith hosted The Stephen A. Smith Show on ESPN Radio from 2005-08. He was also the host of ESPN2’s Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith, a one-hour show featuring sports news, commentary on sports issues, and interviews, from 2005-07. Smith joined ESPN in 2003 as an analyst for the network’s NBA Shootaround (since renamed NBA Countdown) pregame show. He regularly appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, ESPN2’s First Take and as guest host of Pardon the Interruption and Jim Rome is Burning. Smith also hosted a morning show on Fox Sports Radio. Previously, Smith held several positions – most recently as a general sports columnist – during 16 years with the Philadelphia Inquirer (1994-2010).

Kenny is an MLB Network host, appearing across MLB Network’s studio programming, including MLB Now and MLB Tonight. On MLB Now, Kenny hosts a one-hour live daily panel discussion that covers breaking news and the most recent trends in the game with perspectives from baseball journalists, sabermetricians, broadcasters and current and former players and managers. Kenny joined MLB Network from ESPN, where he was anchor of the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter, host of the Brian Kenny Show on ESPN Radio and Friday Night Fights on ESPN2. He previously served as an ESPN anchor for “Baseball Tonight,” receiving a Sports Emmy Award in 2003. Kenny called play-by-play for ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball and the World Baseball Classic, and hosted ESPN’s coverage of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, New York. Kenny was named “Media Personality of the Year” by SI.com in 2004, and in 2005 he was the recipient of the Sam Taub Award, given by the Boxing Writers Association of America to the Boxing Broadcaster of the Year. Kenny appeared as himself in the 2006 film, “Rocky Balboa,” and in the 2007 film, “Resurrecting the Champ.”

Thompson is co-host of FOX NFL Kickoff on Fox Sports, co-host of the entertainment news magazine Extra with Mario Lopez and a host of Netflix’s brand new competition show, Ultimate Beastmaster. Prior to her current role on Fox Sports, Thompson was the co-host of FS1’s Fox Sports Live since its inception in 2013. Previously,she worked at ESPN where she co-hosted ESPN2’s SportsNation along with Marcellus Wiley. Thompson had joined ESPN in September 2011 as the co-host of ESPN2’s Numbers Never Lie and, after frequent guest appearances on SportsNation, she moved in the permanent co-host role in June 2012. Prior to joining ESPN, Thompson covered the NHL for Versus from 2010-11, including the 2010 All-Star Game and Stanley Cup Finals.

Bradley (33-2-1, 13 KOs), from Palm Springs, Calif., is a former two-division world champion who has held a world title every year since 2008. One of boxing’s top pound for pound fighters, Bradley’s resume includes world championship victories over Pacquiao and Vargas. His welterweight championship reigns also included successful title defenses against former world champions Ruslan Provodnikov, which was selected as the Fight of the Year for 2013 by the Boxing Writers Association of America, Mexican icon Juan Manuel Márquez and Brandon Rios. As a junior welterweight champion he produced sensational victories over world champions Junior Witter, Devon Alexander Kendall Holt and Lamont Peterson while twice unifying the WBO and WBC titles.

The Pacquiao vs. Vargas pay-per-view telecast will also feature NONITO “The Filipino Flash” DONAIRE and ÓSCAR VALDEZ, WBO junior featherweight and featherweight champions, respectively, risking their crowns in mandatory title defenses against their respective No. 1 contenders JESSIE MAGDALENO and HIROSHIGE OSAWA. The pay-per-view telecast will open with Chinese Olympic icon ZOU SHIMING in a 12-round rumble with PRASITAK PAPOEM for the vacant WBO flyweight world title. This marks the first time Pacquiao and Donaire, the two biggest boxing stars to come out of the Philippines, have ever shared the same card.

The eight pay-per-view gladiators, representing six different countries, have a combined record of 243-15-8 (152 KOs) — a winning percentage of 91% with nearly 2/3 of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas, remaining tickets to the Pacquiao vs. Vargas world championship event are priced at $1,000, $700, $500, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service fees. They may be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/, at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets. To charge by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267).

For fight updates go to www.pacvargas.com and www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo. Use the Hashtag #PacVargas to join the conversation on Twitter.

The November 5th Manny Pacquiao – Jessie Vargas card will feature a total of 4 world title bouts, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We were bound and determined to make this the best overall boxing card of the year, and four world title fights on it with fighters from all over the word does just that,” promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com. “We think boxing is a great sport and it has global ramifications, and we will have fighters from the United States, from Mexico, from China, the Philippines and Japan. I love that. It’s like I’m promoting fights in the United Nations.”

In the co-feature, junior featherweight titlist Nonito Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs), 33, the most famous active Filipino fighter other than Pacquiao, will make his second defense when he takes on mandatory challenger Jessie Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs).

“Jessie is a great challenger, a mandatory defense and I know he’s hungry because he has been calling me out on social media,” said Donaire, the 2012 fighter of the year who has won world titles in four weight classes (five if interim titles are included) from flyweight to featherweight.

“I am working great with my new trainer, Ismael Salas. We are learning about each other and he’s instructing me about a more precise, compact way of fighting, but still [how to] be very explosive as everyone is going to see on Nov. 5,” Donaire said.

Said manager Cameron Dunkin: “[Donaire has] fought the best and beat the best. He’s faced many tough challenges. This is a very tough challenge, but this is what Nonito does.”

“As a kid, I’ve dreamt of this moment, and the time is finally here,” said Magdaleno, younger brother of former lightweight world title challenger Diego Magdaleno. “Nov. 5, I will be victorious with my hands up high.”

Frank Espinoza, Magdaleno’s manager, has watched Donaire for years and respects him but believes his fighter is ready to knock off the veteran.

“Jessie Magdaleno is very, very motivated for his fight against Nonito Donaire,” Espinoza said. “Nonito has been a great champion and has fought in many big fights for a long time. But this is Jessie’s time. He has worked hard, and he has what it takes to win and become a world champion.”

Said Arum: “I think it’s a terrific fight. The managers are really confident, Cameron and Frank. Magdaleno, when he lets his hands go, is terrific, and I love Donaire as a fighter. This is going to be a good one.”

Featherweight titlist Oscar Valdez (20-0, 18 KOs), a 25-year-old, two-time Olympian from Mexico, knocked out Matias Adrian Rueda in the second round on July 23 to win a vacant belt and will make his first defense against mandatory challenger Hiroshige Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs), 31, of Japan. Hiroshige will be facing the first notable opponent of his 12-year career.

“As a world champion, you have to face tough challenges, and my first defense will be against a tough challenger, but I am ready to face him,” Valdez said. “I worked hard to get my belt, and I intend to keep it for a long time.”

“Oscar Valdez won his world championship with a spectacular performance in July, and on Nov. 5, I am sure he will give us another great fight and he will get the win to retain his belt.”

The opening bout of the pay-per-view will pit two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalist and three-time world amateur champion Zou Shiming (8-1, 2 KOs) against Thailand’s Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym (39-1-2, 24 KOs) for one of the flyweight world titles vacated earlier this month by Juan Francisco Estrada, who is moving up in weight.

“And I know (casino magnate) Steve Wynn is delighted he is on the card because there will be many high-rollers from China coming in for the fight and staying at (host casino) The Wynn because Zou is fighting for a world title. And if he wins, it means huge fights in 2017 in China and Macau.”