Fernando Vargas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fernando Vargas |
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Vargas in 2005
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| Real name | Fernando Javier Vargas | |||||||||||||
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| Rated at |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in | |||||||||||||
| Reach | 74 in | |||||||||||||
| Born | December 7, 1977 Oxnard, California, U.S. |
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| Stance | Orthodox | |||||||||||||
| Boxing record | ||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 31 | |||||||||||||
| Wins | 26 | |||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 22 | |||||||||||||
| Losses | 5 | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Fernando Javier Vargas (born December 7, 1977) is a Mexican American former professional boxer. He competed from 1997 to 2007. Fernando was a two-time world champion in the light middleweight division. He held the IBF title from 1998 to 2000. He also held the WBA title from 2001 to 2002. As an amateur boxer, he won a bronze medal at the 1995 Pan American Games. He also reached the second round of the 1996 Olympics.
Vargas is well-known for his exciting rivalries. He had memorable fights against famous boxers like Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, and Ricardo Mayorga.
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Fernando Vargas's Early Boxing Days
Fernando Vargas had an amazing amateur boxing career. He won 100 fights and only lost 5. In 1992, he won championships at the Junior Olympics. The next year, he won the "triple crown" of amateur boxing. This included the Junior Olympics Box-Offs and the Junior Olympics International tournament.
In 1994, he became one of the best amateur fighters. He won a gold medal at the Olympic Festival. He also became the youngest boxer ever to win the U.S. Championships. In 1995, he was chosen for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team.
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Vargas lost a close fight in the second round. He planned to become a professional boxer in November 1996. However, he broke his right hand while training. Fernando worked hard on his recovery. He was ready for his professional debut in just five months.
Becoming a Professional Boxer
Fernando Vargas started his professional career on March 25, 1997. He quickly defeated Jorge Morales in less than a minute. He won his first six fights very fast. He spent only eight rounds in total for those matches. By the time he fought for his first world championship, he had won all 14 of his fights by knockout.
In 1998, he won his first world title. He knocked out Yori Boy Campas in seven rounds. This made him the IBF light middleweight champion. Vargas successfully defended his title in 1999. He had big wins against boxers like Raúl Márquez and Ike Quartey.
Big Fights and Challenges
Vargas lost his IBF title to Félix Trinidad in 2000. Vargas was knocked down early in the fight. But he fought back and even knocked Trinidad down later. However, Trinidad eventually won by knockout in the 12th round.
On September 14, 2002, Vargas faced Oscar De La Hoya. This was a huge fight to unite the light middleweight titles. It was a very popular event, watched by many people. In the beginning, Vargas pushed De La Hoya around the ring. But as the fight went on, Vargas got tired. De La Hoya then used his speed to take control. De La Hoya won the fight by knockout in the 11th round.
After this fight, Vargas faced a challenge. He was suspended for nine months. He also had to pay a fine.
Fernando's Comeback Trail
Even with these challenges, Fernando remained a popular boxer. He was known for signing many autographs for his fans. After a win in July 2003, he shouted "I love you guys!" to the crowd. Vargas continued his comeback. In December, he won another fight by knockout.
During that fight, Vargas hurt his back. Doctors suggested surgery, but he chose to recover on his own. This meant he was out of action for almost two years. But on March 26, 2005, he returned to boxing. He won a ten-round decision against Ray Joval.
On August 20, 2005, he fought Javier Castillejo. Vargas knocked Castillejo down in the third round. Vargas also broke his right hand during the fight. Despite the injury, Vargas won the fight by decision.
Mosley vs. Vargas Fights
On February 25, 2006, Vargas fought Sugar Shane Mosley. It was a very close fight. Vargas's left eye became very swollen. The referee stopped the fight in the 10th round to protect Vargas. Mosley won by technical knockout (TKO). Vargas believed the fight was stopped too soon. He wanted a rematch.
The rematch happened on July 15, 2006. Mosley won again by TKO in the 6th round. Mosley landed a powerful punch that knocked Vargas down. Vargas got up, but Mosley continued to attack. The referee stopped the fight as Vargas was unable to defend himself.
Final Showdown with Ricardo Mayorga
On November 23, 2007, Vargas had his final fight against Ricardo Mayorga. This fight was for a super middleweight title. Vargas had said this would be his last fight, no matter the outcome.
Before the fight, there was a lot of tension between the two boxers. Mayorga said some disrespectful things to Vargas. Vargas reacted strongly, and a small brawl broke out between their teams. This showed how intense their rivalry was.
In the fight, Mayorga defeated Vargas by a majority decision. Vargas was knocked down twice during the match. After the fight, Ricardo Mayorga apologized to Vargas. The two boxers made up. Fernando Vargas officially announced his retirement from boxing soon after.
Acting Career
Fernando Vargas also tried acting. He had a role in the 2006 crime drama movie Alpha Dog. He played a character named Tiko "TKO" Martinez. Vargas also appeared as a guest star on the TV show Moesha. He was in the episode called "Mama Said Knock You Out girl."
Reality Television Series
In 2014, Vargas and his family starred in a reality show. It was on the Mun2 television station. The show was called Welcome to Los Vargas. He also took part in a cooking reality contest. It was called Top Chef Celebrity on Telemundo.
Images for kids
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Vargas in 2005
See also
In Spanish: Fernando Vargas (boxeador) para niños
