Fernando Vargas

Fernando Vargas, also known as 'El Feroz,' was a talented boxer whose professional career spanned over a decade. Born on December 7, 1977, in Oxnard, California, Vargas was a determined fighter who began his professional career at the young age of 19. Over the years, he achieved several titles and victories, earning a place among the greats in the sport.

Vargas fought a total of 31 professional fights, out of which he won 26 with an impressive 22 of those wins coming via knockout. He suffered a total of five losses, four of which were due to a knockout. In all his professional fights, he never recorded a draw or a no-contest, which is a testament to his dedication and commitment to the sport.

Vargas won his first boxing world title on December 12, 1998, at the young age of 21, defeating Yori Boy Campas via 7th round RTD to clinch the IBF super-welterweight world champion title. He went on to defend this title successfully in two back-to-back fights. The first was on July 17, 1999, against Raúl Márquez, where he won via an 11th round TKO. The second defense was against Winky Wright on December 4, 1999, where he won via a 12th round majority decision.

On April 15, 2000, Vargas fought Ike Quartey and won via a unanimous decision in a 12-round fight, successfully defending his super-welterweight world title for the third time. Seven months later, Vargas faced his first-ever professional loss, a fierce 12th round TKO defeat to Félix Trinidad, which ended his impressive 20-fight win streak.

Vargas bounced back from this defeat and made another successful title defense against Ross Thompson via 7th round TKO. However, his winning streak came to an end in his third title defense on September 14, 2002, in a rematch against Oscar De La Hoya, where he lost via a 11th round TKO.

Vargas took a break from boxing for almost three years following his loss to De La Hoya. He made his comeback to the sport on June 4, 2005, against Tony Marshall in a non-title bout, and won via a 7th round KO. He fought two more bouts that year, winning both via unanimous decision.

Vargas' last notable fight was on August 20, 2005, where he defeated Javier Castillejo via a 10th round unanimous decision. However, his last professional fight was two years later, on November 23, 2007, in a non-title bout against Ricardo Mayorga, which he lost via a 12 round majority decision. Vargas retired from professional boxing with an impressive record of 26-5, including 22 knockout wins.

Vargas is one of the rare boxers who have won titles in multiple weight classes. Besides his IBF super-welterweight world title, he won the WBA and IBA light-middleweight world titles on August 21, 2004, against Tony Marshall. This win made him the second-youngest boxer ever to win world titles in two different weight classes, just behind Sugar Ray Leonard.

Throughout his professional career, Vargas had some incredible fights and victories. One of his notable victories includes a unanimous decision win over Hall-of-Famer Winky Wright on December 4, 1999. In this fight, Vargas showed a great deal of resilience and tenacity, which helped him win the tight battle after 12 rounds.

Another standout victory came against Ike Quartey on April 15, 2000. Quartey was a former WBA Welterweight champion and had only lost once in his career before facing Vargas. The fight was a tough battle that went the distance, with Vargas winning via a unanimous decision.

In conclusion, Fernando Vargas was a hard-hitting boxer who had an impressive career as a professional fighter. He achieved several titles in his career and took on some of the best fighters in the world, including legends like Félix Trinidad and Óscar De La Hoya. Vargas was known for his power and determination, and his fights were never dull. His achievements have earned him a place among the greats in boxing history.

Fernando Vargas Fight Record