01.06.07 – By Scott Frake: Fernando Vargas (26-4, 22 KO’s) has stated that he will be fighting for the final time against Ricardo Mayorga, with the bout being tentatively scheduled for September 8th, and taking place at the Staples center in Los Angeles, California. Win or lose, Vargas, 29, says that this will be the end to his boxing career.
At this point, there has been no indication that the fight will be on PPV, according to Shelly Finkel, the co-manager for Vargas. Having had trouble making weight in his last two bouts in the junior middleweight division (154 lbs), his bout with Mayorga will reportedly be fought at a catchweight of 162 lbs. However, with nothing on the line in the fight, other than pride, it would seem that the weight issue means little. Vargas, a former IBF/WBA light middleweight champion, has lost three of his last seven bouts, including his last, both TKO losses (10th round TKO on February 2006, and 6th round TKO on July 2006) to Shane Mosley.
Though he looked good in his first bout with Mosley in February 2006, he looked and fought poor in the 2nd fight, later on blaming in on the struggles of making the 154 lb limit.
Vargas started out his career in impressive fashion, winning his first 20 fights, 17 by knockout, and along the way winning the IBF light middleweight title, before coming to a screeching halt when he was brutally stopped in the 12th round by Felix Trinidad on December 2nd, 2000. Perhaps being rushed too quickly into the fight, Vargas, was knocked down four times in the bout and suffered a horrendous beating by Trinidad, who was knocked down once himself. Vargas never seemed to recover from the beating, as he was stopped two fights later, this time in the 11th round by Oscar De La Hoya in September 2002. Vargas, his offensive skills still dangerous, except for a slowing of his handspeed, won his next four bouts before running into Shane Mosley, who beat him twice in 2006. The final loss, showed that Vargas’ once impressive speed had badly eroded, making him appear to be a much older fighter than his 29 years would indicate.