Pacquiao and Vargas praise each other ahead of fight

Both Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas praised each other in their pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time), but assured that their fight on Saturday will be action-packed.

In the main event press conference, Pacquiao and Vargas boasted about their respective preparations for the match, and how their training helped them in improving their boxing skills, GMA News' Mariz Umali said in an Unang Balita report on Thursday.

Boxing icon and Senator Manny Pacquiao (left) and US boxing champ Jessie Vargas of the US pose during their final news conference at The Wynn Las Vegas on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 (Thursday, November 3, PHL time). Pacquiao will challenge Vargas for the WBO Welterweight Championship title on November 5, 2016 (November 6, PHL time) at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. AFP/John Gurzinski

But despite the brewing intensity of the fight, the boxing champions still commended each other’s capabilities.

"It's an honor for me to challenge a champion. I'm the challenger," Pacquiao said.

"I've wanted this fight for quite sometime. Manny is one of the best and to be the best you have to beat the best," Vargas said.

Pacquiao said that despite that talks that he would lose more than what Vargas would in the fight, he would still do his best.

"That's part of boxing. I won't let that happen. I pushed myself in training," Pacquiao said.

He also thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for his statement of support.

"I'm so inspired with the message, I'll do my best," Pacquiao said.

During the press conference, the Filipino champ was also asked what is more difficult: being a boxer or being a senator.

Pacquiao replied: "Both hard. In senator, [you have to] serve people honestly. As a boxer, you have to prepare for a fight."

If Pacquiao wins this fight, he said he is willing to face again the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom he had fought in 2015. 

The Pacquiao-Vargas match will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5 (Sunday, Nov. 6 PHL time) at the Thomas & Mack Center, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News