Fernando Vargas
|
|
Fernando Vargas (born December 7, 1977) is a young boxer from Michoacán, Mexico who moved to Oxnard, California at a very young age and is now a 2 time world champion. His nickname is Ferocious, but he nicknames himself The Aztec Warrior too.
Fernando won his first world title knocking out Yori Boy Campas in 7 rounds in 1998. He lost that title to Félix Trinidad in 2000, sending Trinidad to the floor in round 4, but visiting the canvas 5 times himself before being stopped in round 12. Many consider the Trinidad vs. Vargas duel to have been one for the ages.
Fernando recovered the title beating his former sparring parter, Jose Flores by a knockout in 7 for the WBA's world title, but once again, he lost it to arch rival Oscar De La Hoya by knockout in 11 in another epic battle.
Fernando's corner team could be called a dream team of boxing: His trainer was International Boxing Hall Of Fame member Lou Duva, who has since been replaced. He is promoted by Main Events, a prominent promotional firm. His manager is Shelly Finkel, who also manages the career of Mike Tyson. His association with Duva made Fernando become friends with such world champions as Pernell Whitaker and Mark Breland.
Apart from Campas and Flores, Fernando's victims include former world champions Raul Marquez and Ike Quartey and current IBF world champ Winky Wright. His losses to Trinidad and De La Hoya remain his only career defeats and he remains a favorite of American cable tv giant HBO.
Fernando had trouble with the law in 2000, and was found to have taken steriods before the De La Hoya fight. Vargas said the steroids were given to him without his knowledge, but he accepted full responsibility. The Nevada State Athletic Commission announced on November 20 of 2002 that it would fine Vargas $100,000 because use of steroids. He was also suspended for several months.
Despite these problems, Fernando remains an accessible celebrity who loves his fans and likes to sign autographs for them and he also likes to feel liked by them. After his knockout win over Fitz Vanderpool on July 26, 2003, he stood at a corner and yelled I love you guys! to his fans. Vargas continued his comeback, on December 12, with a seventh round knockout of Tony Marshall that was shown live nationwide from Tucson, on Telemundo. During that fight, Vargas injured a disc on his back, and his doctor recommended surgery to be performed, but Vargas chose to rehabilitate his back himself without having the surgery. This caused him to spend almost two years in inactivity, but, on March 26 he returned to boxing with a ten round unanimous decision win over Ray Joval in Corpus Cristy, Texas.
Fernando is very good friends with Julio Cesar Chavez.
Fernando's career record stands at 25 wins and 2 losses, with 22 wins by knockout.
Vargas founded, in 2001, the "Ferocious Foundation for Kids" as a way to give back to his community a small portion of the riches he has obtained as a boxer; on December 22, 2004, the organization had it's fourth annual Christmas toy giveaway in Oxnard.