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On 8 September at the Staples Center in Los Angels, two of boxing’s most well known all out action fighters will face off in what is billed as “The Brawl”, but a better title for this event may be, “It’s All About Pride”. Seeing how thus far there has been enough insults and accusations to force each man to step in the ring for just that reason, “PRIDE”.
On one side of the ring we will see former two time world champion, “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas, 26-4 (22), stepping into the ring for what will be the last time, win, lose or draw.
The soon to be 30 year old fighter has had the kind of career that makes best selling box set DVD’s. Vargas, the youngest 154 lb world title holder in history, has made a storied career with his 100% heart invested performances. Even in a loss, Vargas has kept the fans entertained and knowing full well what the true spirit of a ring warrior is about.
In his career, Vargas has claimed wins over such great fighters as Yori Boy Campus, Winky Wright, Ike Quartey and Javier Castillejo. His only losses have come at the hands of our truly elite at their best; Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley (twice). All of which Vargas stood toe to toe with until the end.
On the other side of the ring, we have boxing’s “bad boy”, so to speak. Former two time welterweight and former WBC 154 lb world champion, Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga, 28-6-1 (23).
Mayorga, despite winning his first title 2002 with a fifth round TKO over Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis, did not make it to the mainstream until 2003. It was in January of that year that he dethroned then undefeated Vernon “The Viper” Forrest in a third round TKO upset.
Forrest had just beaten the then pound for pound king, Shane Mosley, in back to back affairs, making him one of the sport’s most regarded champions of the moment. After winning the rematch against Forrest by majority decision, Mayorga had officially joined the top tier of boxing.
Although his career since those fights has been hot and cold, to say the least, with losses to both Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad by knockout, Mayorga will always be considered as a dangerous foe. His dominance over Michele Piccirillo in August of 2005 for the WBC Light Middleweight title in less than a year after being stopped by Trinidad showed us why you can never count him out.
After insulting each others families, after slugging it out on the podium of their Los Angeles press conference and after making sure the world knows that their intentions on September 8 are not in the best interest of their opponent’s, Ricardo Mayorga and Fernando Vargas can finally agree on one thing. They want to knock the other one out!!
Boxing Press: Fernando how is training?
Fernando Vargas: “It’s going great. I only have 8 more pounds to lose. I have been sparring 8 and 10 rounds at a time. It has been going good.”
BP: This is really your final fight regardless?
FV: “Correct.”
BP: We all know that Ricardo Mayorga pulls a lot of his antics, like he has for this fight, to fuel the fire. What is motivating you more, his antics or this being your final fight?
FV: “Both. The fact it is my final fight, plus Mayorga. I already have one up on him and will finish it on Sept 8th. He tried to slap me at the conference and then tried to pull the old school boy by pulling my jacket over my head. He got my right hand for it. It New York he would not even look at me. I am working hard, taking no side steps and I will KO him.”
BP: Fernando, looking back at your two world title wins and big fights, you have had an exciting career; Did you accomplish everything you wanted?
FV: “Yes I have. I am the youngest fighter to ever win a world title at 154. When I fought Yori Boy Campas, no one gave me a chance. I only had 14 pro fights, so no one thought I could win. I won that night in New Jersey. I should be a 3 time world champion. I beat Castillejo but the title was stripped due to politics. That’s OK though because fighters make the titles, the titles don’t make the fighters.”
BP: What do you consider your greatest victory?
FV: “Wright, Castillejo, Campas, I don’t know. They were all hard. On a bad night, 3 egg whites and Nyquil.”
BP: I have to ask you to pick just one.
FV: “I don’t know, probably Campas? It was the night I won my first title. I said NyQuil and egg whites because for two weeks when I have to cut weight, that’s about all I get into my system.”
BP: You have had some tough losses in your career; which is the worst?
FV: “All of them. I hate to lose. That’s why I don’t play checkers (laughs).”
BP: Why is this the final fight of all fights?
FV: “This fight is for pride. This fight is for myself. There are no titles. This is for me. There are other things to do. I don’t need money. My manager helped me the right way. He put me in the right hands. Taught me how to use my money for the better. I created a stock portfolio. I have a secure future.
“I just made a movie called ‘Stiletto’ where I play a gangster and get myself killed. Next, I am going over to Thailand and I am going to be in an Oliver Stone film. I am retiring because I want to. I don’t want to be one of those guys who hangs around too long. There are other things to do. I will be around boxing. Teaching boxing, teaching guys how to use the money they earn in boxing to succeed later on in life.”
BP: Fernando, you speak about starting your own promotion company, Fernando Vargas Promotions. Winky Wright, Floyd Mayweather and of course Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy all are doing the same thing. Do you feel fighters are being taken advantage of?
FV: “I think that a fighter should know at all times what is going on with their careers. They should know about their finances. They should be taught on what to do with those finances and be able to keep as much of their money as possible. Boxing is a sport where you leave young. I think fighters should not only be guided with their career in the ring but be able to have that help outside of it as well, if need be.”
BP: When did you know it was time to walk away?
FV: “After losing the Mosley fight in the rematch, No disrespect to Shane Mosley; I cannot make 154 anymore. My body cannot handle the ups and downs anymore. It is hard to make this 162, but it is a lot easier than 154. I realized I cannot keep doing this to myself. I want to be able to eat what I want to, do what I want to. This is my last fight, it is for pride and that is it.”
BP: You say it is about your pride and this is your last fight, but what if you were offered a rematch with De La Hoya? Wouldn’t that be for pride?
FV: “I said I am not fighting again. I said this fight was about pride. The De La Hoya fight would be about other things if I went and did it. I promised my mother, my wife, my family this would be it. They are my heart and I am not going to fight again. Even if it was for 100 million. I don’t need to. I don’t need money.”
SaddoBoxing: Fernando this is a fight that fits you perfectly. You made your reputation early on as an all action fighter. Most fights ended in KO one way or another. What many people forget, though, is that you can box and box well if need be. Mayorga is a guy who is reckless yet dangerous. He also has been known to fade late in fights and be outboxed in the past.
Is this a fight you look forward to retiring on? I don’t mean because of all the bad blood and everything that has taken place at the conferences or because of the comments made about your families. I am speaking in a way that Mayorga is the perfect opponent to showcase the complete Vargas. You can outbox him early, then late you can revert to the style that has made you famous, once he starts to fade. It will give you the opportunity to make your final fight your best performance for the fans to remember you by.
FV: “Absolutely, my man, perfect. Fighters can do that. Stick to things for others to remember them by. I am looking forward to going out like this. You nailed it on the head. I am going to fight intelligent. I am going to box. When he feels me later on, he will fall. I am going to use all my skills and retire with a knockout.”
SaddoBoxing: Fernando, you mentioned before about retiring your way. Leaving on your own terms, not wanting to be one of those guys who hung around too long. You say win or lose, this is your last fight.
Lennox Lewis left boxing on his own terms and was criticized by many for several different reasons but no matter what, thus far he has stuck by his word.
So many guys stick around hoping for that one last fight, that one last big win that will end their career on a high note. Sometimes that win never comes and guys never realize it is not going to.
Do you hope that others will follow your lead and the lead of Lennox Lewis by retiring when they know things are starting to become more difficult? Before they end up taking to many punches for no reason. So this way later in life they are able to do what they want?
FV: “Absolutely, again, you said it perfect. I would like to see guys retire when they should. There are other things in boxing. These guys can go on and work for a promoter, become trainers, whatever. There is business in anything, there is a lot to do after boxing and there is no reason to stay too long and end up hurt. I am humble. I pray at night before bed and thank God for what I have. I have so much left to do in boxing, just not in the ring. This is my last fight and I am going out on a win.”
[The conference is interrupted by Ricardo Mayorga speaking curse words in Spanish and making comments towards Vargas. Before Fernando is able to reply, he is disconnected]Boxing Press: Ricardo how is training going?
Ricardo Mayorga: “Training is great. I am going to knock out Fernando Vargas. I want to thank God, Don King Productions and everyone for what they are doing.”
BP: Ricardo, you have been known as a guy who likes to smoke and drink a lot, even while you’re in training. Are you doing anything different for this fight?
RM: “No, not really. I am doing the same things as always. Maybe smoking and drinking a little less.”
BP: Vargas has been saying that you are a foolish fighter. You just throw punches hoping for the KO and that is why he will KO you.
RM: “Vargas is out of his mind. He does not know my power. When he feels my power, he will be the one who is knocked out.”
BP: How do you feel about his comments towards you as a stupid fighter?
RM: “The world is full of stupid and crazy people. I will show him in the ring who is the stupid one.”
BP: Ricardo, why did you feel the need to bring his family into this by making comments towards them?
RM: “Vargas mentioned my family first and I just kept it going. When I beat him, he will know why he should not have done that. When I fight someone, I don’t like them or their family.”
BP: Vargas said he would make you apologize to his mother…
RM: “I am a man, I will sustain my words. If I lose, I will apologize. If he loses, he owes my family an apology.”
BP: Why is it you always seem to go further then just trash talk? Is this to throw your opponent off his game? Or something deeper?
RM: “This time it is not to take him off his game, I just hate this guy. When I am done with him, he won’t be able to recognize his own mother.”
BP: Ricardo, you’re a guy that seems to be who everyone comes to for comeback fights or last big career fights. First it was Trinidad, then De La Hoya and now Vargas. Why is it your name involved in these fights?
RM: “They choose me. I am a three time world champion. Even if I lose, they remember me forever. I have only lost to the best.”
BP: You mentioning you only lose to the best; do you feel like you have what it takes to win this fight?
RM: “I am going to win this fight, no matter what.”
BP: Ricardo, you have stated before that your best weight is welterweight. Why then are you fighting at 162?
RM: “I am not going to say no to a fight because of weight class. He is just a fat guy I will beat. Make sure he brings his mother to watch him apologize to my mother. I will then apologize to his mother. She does not deserve this. He started this.”
BP: What is next for you after this fight?
RM: “I am going to drop down and fight anyone at 154 or 147. Cotto, Forrest, Mosley.. I am going to knock out all of them.”
SaddoBoxing: Ricardo, if you lose this fight, you will not be taken serious as a top caliber fighter again, or at least for a long time to come. You lost to Trinidad, you lost to De La Hoya. This seems to happen when you fight a big name fighter. What will you do if you lose this fight? How will you expect to get a shot at Cotto, Mosley or any of those guys?
RM: “I don’t worry about it. I won’t lose. Don King is just putting him here for me to KO.”
SaddoBoxing: Well, assuming you win, who will you target? There are a lot of champions at 147 and 154. Cotto, Williams and Forrest, who you have beaten before. What name in specific is on your list?
RM: “Floyd Mayweather.”
SaddoBoxing: Everyone wants Floyd because of who he is. Who besides Floyd, specifically?
RM: “I would say Miguel Cotto, but Cotto is off my list. Shane Mosley will beat him for the title. I will have to say Shane Mosley.”
[Conference ends]The talk sounds good. Their reputations can promise big time action. The question is, who will be the one most for wear and fall first? Or should I say, the question is will this live up to the promise?
