Jessie Vargas is hoping the next time he enters the ring, it will be against Juan Manuel Marquez. Although Marquez has not officially named an opponent for his next fight, Vargas’ name has been floated out there as a possibility for this April.
“I hope that i do get that fight. But they haven’t said anything yet. They did tell me it could happen though. It depends on if Marquez wants the fight,” Vargas said when asked if he has been offered the fight with Marquez.
Many fans are wondering if Vargas has the credentials to have earned such a fight and are somewhat perplexed considering he has not been mentioned previously in proposed matches for Marquez. However, it makes sense from Top Rank’s standpoint. Juan Manuel Marquez will never be a hotter commodity than he is right now. Fresh off of one of the most memorable knockouts of all time against Manny Pacquiao, he has surprisingly few intriguing match ups awaiting him. Because he was so thoroughly dominated by Floyd Mayweather Jr., the public is not likely to accept that fight.
Enter Jessie Vargas. Although still in his early 20’s, he has been around seemingly forever. It is time to see if Top Rank has a potential superstar in him. What better way is there to do that than to put him up against Marquez? A win by Vargas elevates him to the stratosphere, giving Bob Arum an heir apparent to the aging Marquez and Manny Pacquiao. A loss by Vargas is not a huge setback considering he has so much of his career still ahead of him. There would be plenty of time to build him back up. If they want to pass the torch from a current Mexican great to a future one, there is no time like the present.
“I feel that I can beat him and surprise the world of boxing. I just have to use all my advantages such as height, reach and speed. He’s old. Strong, but old,” Vargas said when asked what he thought about his chances.
It may be a huge step up in class for Vargas, but clearly he would love the opportunity. We should find out soon if Top Rank will grant his wish. A showdown in Mexico between a legend and an undefeated contender would be great for fans of the sport. If Vargas is able to pull off the upset, a new star will be born just as Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao start to fade off into the sunset.
