By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Former IBO junior lightweight champion “Jazzy Jeff” Mayweather, the uncle of unbeaten former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr, believes Jessie Vargas “is in a great situation” when he faces eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on November 5.

Boxing Scene quoted Mayweather who said he had “seen this kid (Vargas) since he was 13 years old and said Vargas “has to do it by long range and if he gets Manny with one or two good shots he has a good chance.”

He said Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum chose Vargas instead of unbeaten Terrence Crawford because he was “the lesser of the two opponents” and that Manny who would “rather take his chances against Vargas instead of Crawford.”

Mayweather said Crawford “can box and bang and Pacquiao doesn’t want to go out with a loss.”

Pacquiao who has a record of 58-6-2 with 38 knockouts will be campaigning to become the only incumbent congressman and senator to win a world title when he clashes with Vargas who has a record of 27-1 with 10 knockouts and is a two-division world champion.

A press luncheon will be held at the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on September 8 in the fight promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions and Wynn Las Vegas.

The fight card will be distributed on pay-per-view but there has been no indication of the network after HBO Sports declined to telecast the fight.