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“Ferocious” Fernando Vargas and “El Matador” Ricardo Mayorga will finally meet on November 23, 2007 to settle any and all bad blood that is lingering between them once and for all.
In a fight billed as “The Brawl” that had been postponed from September 8 due to a low iron count in Vargas’ blood stream, both men seem intent on doing more then just winning.
In fact, they have both publicly stated in this bout their intention is to “Teach the other man a lesson” and if the punches they throw during the bout have a third of the heat the comments thrown out by each man thus far I can almost guarantee a lesson will be learned by one of them, a lesson that neither man may be anticipating in learning so harshly.
Former two-time light middleweight champion Fernando Vargas, 26-4 (22), is winding down a colorful and successful career. As the division’s youngest ever world title holder, Fernando has faced everyone who is anyone to grace the 154 pound weight class over the last decade.
On his resume, names such as Ike Quartey, Winky Wright, Raul Marquez and Yori Boy Campas have all tasted defeat at the hands of “El Feroz”. Even in his losses to Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley (twice), Vargas proved his worth as a man to not only be respected in the ring but feared as well.
His opponent Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga, 28-6 (23), is a man who in his own right has garnished a reputation as a fighter to be respected in the ring. With world titles at both welterweight and light middleweight, Ricardo has proven to be as devastating as he is foolish at times.
In 2002, Ricardo burst on the international scene in a big way by capturing back to back title wins at 147 lb with more than impressive blowouts of WBA welterweight champion Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis via fifth round TKO followed up a year later duplicating the feat against WBC titlist Vernon Forrest in only three rounds.
Since that time, Mayorga has also tasted a bit of his own medicine at the hands of Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. It was De La Hoya that ended the last title reign of Mayorga in 2006 after punishing the Nicaraguan native for comments made about Oscar’s family during their pre fight build up, comments that left Mayorga battered, bruised and without his 154 pound WBC title in just over 6 rounds.
This November 23,, will Fernando Vargas walk away with a win over Ricardo Mayorga, avenging the comments made about Vargas wife and children, retiring satisfied with his career accomplishments as he states? Or will Ricardo Mayorga fulfill his ever on-going boast and banish Vargas from boxing by beating him into submission in front of his wife as he claims?
Two months ago, I sat in on a press conference between these two men that had insults flying around harsh enough to make even Andrew Dice Clay blush. Yesterday, both men attended their portion of the conference call separately, but it was clear that neither felt any better about his opponent.
Here is what each had to say about the other, their prediction for November 23 and more, read it here exclusively on SaddoBoxing.
Press Conference intro: We would like to thank the media for joining us today for the up coming Fernando Vargas versus Ricardo Mayorga bout billed as “The Brawl” scheduled for November 23 2007. We would now like to turn the conference over to Fernando Vargas for opening comments.
Fernando Vargas: I just want to thank everyone for joining us today and want everyone to know I am in great shape, I have been keeping myself fit doing light workouts while waiting for my blood levels to return to normal by walking, doing light running stretching, though against my doctors orders. So everyone can know I will be in great shape come November 23.
Boxing Press: Fernando, where have you been training?
FV: I have been at Big John McCarthy’s in Valencia, California. This way during training I am away from the distractions of home and can fully concentrate on training but I also get a chance to go home on weekends to see my family as well.
BP: Fernando, how has the layoff effected your motivation for the fight?
FV: It was really only three weeks. I hope everyone understands this is something I did not want to happen. I had been taking aspirins and other over the counter pain medications as does every athlete who has aches and pains. The aspirin’s had an effect on the lining in my stomach.
The doctor said it caused a cigar burn size hole in the lining of my stomach. That in turn was causing me to have blood in my stool; I lost about 2 pints of blood due to the hole. That is what caused the iron deficiency, but I am back feeling better and ready to fight.
BP: Fernando, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out the fight will not go the distance, you are bigger and stronger naturally than Mayorga. Is this an advantage for you?
FV: I am also the better boxer. Mayorga is a stupid fighter. He throws wide looping shots and leaves himself wide open; I am prepared to knock him out.
BP: Fernando, how is your weight?
FV: Right now I am five pounds over the agreed upon limit but I will be ready come fight time.
BP: Fernando , why is it you think that Mayorga trash talks you the way he does?
FV: He is stupid! I am going to knock him down and then tell him to get back up again. I am going to remind him of the things he said up until now and punish him for it.
SaddoBoxing: Fernando how is the back doing, any problems with it?
FV: It is feeling OK, I have the bulging disc and it gets sore if I do to many abs and then back extensions but at night I have a pad that I lay on that helps with the pain, sometimes I have to lay a certain way on the mattress but it is really not that bad and usually feels fine.
SaddoBoxing: Fernando, while you built a reputation as a puncher for most of your career, many people forget you can box when need be and box well, something that we spoke about in the last press conference many people underestimate about you.
Mayorga was beaten by two other fighters that can box well and that can hit hard, two fighters you are familiar with in Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. Did the fights Mayorga had with those two layout the blueprint on how to beat Mayorga?
FV: That’s exactly what I am going to do, I am going to combine the two just like I did against Yori Boy Campas and Ike Quartey. You have seen the things Mayorga doesn’t like and I am going to use them.
BP: Fernando, we all know how hard retirement is for fighters. Can you retire after this fight and stay retired?
FV: I was planning on retiring after the Mosley fights, if I won I would have walked away but I didn’t. Shane is a great fighter, who is also going to beat Miguel Cotto, Cotto is a one dimensional fighter and Mosley is going to destroy him.
My trainer asked me if I was happy after the fights with Mosley. He knew I wasn’t and I told him I wasn’t because of my pride and the fact it wouldn’t allow me to be. I promised my family that this would be it win, lose or draw. They were not happy but said they would support me if I promised that this would be it.
BP: Fernando, in your career which fight stands out the most? Which one do you look back on and are most proud of?
FV: My fight with Yori Boy Campas is one. I became the youngest Junior Middleweight Champion of all time. I had only 14 fights at the time and Yori Boy was something like 76-2 at the time. My fights with Ike Quartey, Winky Wright all of them were great fights. Even the great fighters that beat me were good fights. I lost but I was in the fights from start to end. I would just like to say thanks to everyone for all the years in the sport and everyone here for taking the time today to talk before I go.
The Mayorga Camp interrupts Vargas mid statement with “Ricardo Mayorga, is here you can shut up now, Ricardo has something to say…”
Ricardo Mayorga: I don’t care what weight he comes in at, I am going to knock his fat ass out, I want you to know that.
Press moderator: Fernando ,can you stay for a minute and talk with us and hear what Ricardo has to say?
FV: I think I am going to leave now, I have some things to do and head over to training, this guy has nothing to say I want to hear I’ll do my talking in the ring. I turn it over to the jackass.
RM: Yeah, you can leave, that is all I wanted to tell you, you fat ass.
BP: Ricardo has the delay in the fight effected your training?
RM: No it did not matter to me, I took a few days off is all. After that I went right back to training. It doesn’t matter anyway I am going to knock him out and that is that.
BP: Ricardo do you feel that at 166 you are going to be the stronger of the two?
RM: I am stronger then him at any weight. It all has to do with hormones that’s what everyone does not understand. I have man hormones and he has too many woman hormones.
BP: Most of your memorable fights have ended early; what do you predict for this fight?
RM: This fight will end early, inside of three rounds.
BP: Ricardo do you have your eyes set on anyone else at middleweight after this fight. What are your plans after this bout?
RM: I am going to drop back down to 154, everyone knows who my son is there, Vernon Forrest. It is only an amount of time before he gives me my title.
SaddoBoxing: Ricardo, you speak about being stronger than Vargas, but at 154 you were knocked out by two fighters Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando is more comfortable at 160 or 166 then either of them. What makes you think that you are stronger and hit harder at 166 against a power puncher like Vargas, when you were KO’d twice at 154 by power punchers?
RM: ( pauses) I said already, it is the female hormones.
BP: You seem to have personal issues against Vargas. Why is that?
RM: I just don’t like him. I am going to knock him out so bad his wife will cry as she walks to the ring and sees a real champion.
BP: You stated before you do not consider Vargas as a serious opponent. Does that mean you feel you do not need to prepare properly to train for him?
RM: I said he is not a usual opponent for me but make no mistake. I do not take him lightly. I trained hard for him and this fight. I want him to feel my hands when I hit him!
