The next offspring of a great fighter/former world champion to attempt to follow in big footsteps is Fernando Vargas Junior. Son of course of “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas, the man who became junior-middleweight champion at the young age of just 21, Vargas Jr will box a four-rounder on December 18 reports RingTV.com. Vargas Jr is going pro at a significantly older age than his father did, Jr being 24 years of age. Vargas Jr will face Pablo Rosas, 2-1, in Mexico, the fight to go out on ESPN Knockout. Interestingly, Vargas Jr has sparred a number of top notch fighters, including Shawn Porter and Yordenis Ugas.
Vargas Jr, who will go pro at middleweight, spoke with Ring, explaining how he is excited to be following in his father’s footsteps:
“I’m looking to follow in the footsteps of my father,” he said. “He’s the one that gave me my start in boxing and I want to carry on the Vargas family legacy. I’m looking forward to fighting in Mexico, where our family heritage is from and my father has many fans. I plan to make my own fans there and out on an exciting show in my pro debut.”
If he turns out to half as exciting a fighter as his dad was, Vargas Jr will soon make plenty of fans. “El Feroz” really did light up the 154 pound weight division in a major way back in the 1990s and 2000s. Vargas, who turned 43 yesterday and who opened his own boxing gym in Las Vegas after retiring from the ring in 2007, was a two-time 154 pound champ, beating Luis Ramon Campas in 1998 and then, after losing a great war with Felix Trinidad, defeating Jose Flores to become champion a second time. Vargas, who finished with a 26-5(22) record, had a grudge-fight with Oscar De La Hoya, which he also lost, but not after giving De La Hoya a hard time of things. Again, if Vargas Jr is anywhere near as good, as full of heart and fire and as determined as his father was, he will do well in the sport.
Over the years, there have been a good number of “Boxing Juniors,” young fighters who tried to carve out their own name: Chavez Jr, Ronald Hearns, Hasim Rahman Jr, Jorge Paez Jr and George Foreman III to name just a few. It will be interesting to see how Vargas Jr – who compiled a 36-4 amateur record – gets on in the pro ranks.
Vargas Snr also spoke with Ring:
“Junior has worked very hard and I’m looking forward to him turning professional,” Vargas said. “He has great experience sparring with top professionals and the time is right for him now. I look forward to seeing him in the ring and will guide him so that he can be the best he can be.”
Tom Loeffler, who of course has guided, among others fighters, the Klitschko brothers and Gennady Golovkin, will be working with Vargas Jr.
