WBC #1 ranked contender Rocky Juarez will challenge WBC #2 ranked contender Humberto Soto for the WBC-Interim Featherweight Championship on August 20 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, it was announced today by Main Events CEO Kathy Duva. Both the Juarez-Soto 12 round co-feature bout and the Fernando Vargas-Javier Castillejo 12 round main event bout will be broadcast live on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" series, beginning at 10:15 P.M. ET and 9:15 pm. CT.

Juarez was originally scheduled to battle WBC champion In Jin Chi; however, Chi was forced to pull out of the bout after spraining his right ankle while jogging on July 28.

Vargas (26-2, 23 KO’s) is a two-time jr. middleweight champion. The 27-year-old Oxnard, CA native became the youngest jr. middleweight world champion in boxing history (21 years and 5 days old) on December 12, 1998, when he dismantled defending IBF champion Yory Boy Campas in seven rounds (TKO 7). Vargas regained a world jr. middleweight crown on September 22, 2001, when he stopped Jose “Shibata” Flores to earn the WBA jr. middleweight championship (KO 7). Vargas, one of the sport’s most popular boxers, has won his last three bouts. In his last bout on March 26, 2005, Vargas decisioned Raymond Joval (W 10).

Soto (36-5-2, 21 KO’s) has won 13 of his last 14 bouts. The sole blemish on the 25-year-old Los Mochis, Mexico native’s record during this span was a no-decision against Jorge Solis on September 17, 2004 (ND 3). In his last bout on December 10, 2004, Soto stopped Ismael Gonzalez (TKO 5).

The evening of boxing is being promoted by Main Events in association with Rimer Box, Miller Lite, Sportsbook.com, and 8 Count Productions.

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