If this past Saturday’s Canelo Alvarez-Danny Jacobs fight didn’t quite do it for lovers of a slugfest (Canelo’s win being thrilling in spots but never really coming close to satisfying the bloodlust a good number of fight fans have), chances are the violence on display inside the Convention Centre in Tucson this coming Saturday evening will leave no-one feeling at all dissatisfied.
Super-featherweights Miguel Berchelt, 35-1(31) and Francisco Vargas, 25-1-2(18) will collide in an eagerly awaited rematch. Why eagerly awaited? Firstly, because the first fight these two put on back in January of 2017 was special with a capital ‘S,’ and secondly, because whenever two top-class Mexican warriors share a ring the action winds up being, well, special. And often brutal.
Berchelt ripped the WBC 130 pound belt from Vargas just over two years ago, stopping his countryman in the 11th round, but he sure had to go through some rough stuff before doing so. It was a sensational fight, the styles of the two men gelling so well. Assuming the war didn’t take too much out of the 34 year old Vargas (who is seven years older than Berchelt), we can brace ourselves for another installment of red-hot, relentless action this weekend.
Vargas has won just two fights since losing to Berchelt, against guys he was supposed to beat, and he has not boxed since last April. Berchelt, who will be making the fifth defence of his belt on Saturday, has won four on the spin since scoring his career best victory. The odds say Berchelt will repeat his win over Vargas, yet as he made clear when speaking with RingTV.com, Berchelt is not in any way looking past Vargas.
“I know Francisco Vargas is a great warrior and I have to be at my best,” Berchelt said.
Neither guy is a superstar, and neither man will pick up anything like the big payday Canelo enjoyed in the Jacobs fight, yet we might just get The Fight of The Year this Saturday night. Sit back and watch the legalized violence unfold. This one promises to be, yeah, you guessed it – special.
And if Vargas can avenge his sole career defeat, who knows, we might be treated to the sport’s next great trilogy!
