LOS ANGELES ? Manny Pacquiao has sharpened the punch that will likely be his key weapon against WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas next week.
During Friday?s workout at the Wild Card Gym here (Saturday Manila time), Pacquiao, while shadowboxing, mimicked Vargas? main punch ? an overhand right thrown with his head leaning.
He then switched to his southpaw stance and flicked a right hook, which would be the perfect counterpunch once the slower Vargas? leaves himself exposed.
?The right hook looks very good,? Pacquiao?s strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune told Philstar.com/The STAR after the Filipino icon?s workout ended.
?After the [Timothy] Bradley fight [in April] where he really wanted to test that right hook, now he?s perfected it,? Fortune added.
Indeed, a quick, devastating right hook would be the ideal antidote to Vargas? overhand right, whom the champion has employed to rock several opponents before, including Timothy Bradley and Sadam Ali. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
?That (overhand right) is his best weapon,? Pacquiao?s chief trainer Freddie Roach said.
But throwing the same punch leaves the Las Vegas-based fighter prone to countershots to the body and head. Pacquiao will look to capitalize on that.
Additionally, Vargas is no knockout artist, with only 10 of 27 wins not lasting the distance.
?Vargas is not a big puncher, and that will be his downfall,? added Fortune.
Roach for his part, just doesn?t see Vargas landing his money punch on Pacquiao.
?Too slow,? Pacquiao?s longtime trainer said.
