By Matthew Hurley
It became apparent quite early in his fight with Javier Castillejo that Fernando Vargas will never get all the way back. By altering his style to a more safety-first approach, he may be merely setting himself up for another big pay day and another potential beat down. There’s just something missing and even Vargas seems to realize it.
But Fernando is a warrior and always has been. Should he find himself in a shoot out with a Ricardo Mayorga or an Oscar De La Hoya, his heart will override his head like a speeding car that revs much too high until it burns out. That’s who Fernando Vargas is, an emotional guy. Javier Castillejo, a good but cautious boxer, did not have the intensity to drive Vargas to desperate measures.
Fernando knew he could get away with boxing safely against Castillejo, even after he knocked him down with a nice right cross. However, this style he has adopted is stifling the fighter that is itching to get out.
When have you ever heard Fernando Vargas speak cordially in regards to Oscar De La Hoya? We’re hearing it now because Fernando knows that’s the finish line to his career. That’s the lottery ticket and Vargas wants to cash it in. He’s fighting cautiously so nothing untoward happens.
He’s fighting cautious because his back is killing him and because he knows he may only have one more big time effort left in his body. And he wants Oscar. Oscar, despite his celebrity and mass appeal, is shop worn himself. These two rivals need each other and this fight will likely happen.
Fernando Vargas is a fan favorite for a reason. He loves his fans so he fights hard for them. This new style of boxing and moving may elicit some boos, but everyone knows what is going on. Fernando is saving himself for one last great effort. The fighter in him relentlessly criticizes himself after every win because he didn’t perform the way his heart told him to. It may have been a smart strategy against Castillejo, but that’s not Fernando Vargas. He prides himself on being reckless, no matter what he says. This young fellow, who grew up in the ring much too quickly, is determined to give the fans one last great performance.
Javier Castillejo? Even with diminished skills, Vargas could lie back on this guy and get away with a careful effort. But Oscar De La Hoya? Well, Fernando will take his shield into the ring and lay down on it, should he lose against his most hated rival. And a fight with Oscar is not a one-sided affair. De La Hoya is damaged goods and he’s so sucked into living the good life that it’s hard to imagine him even wanting to isolate himself in a training camp so far away from his lavish lifestyle. In fact, a rematch between the two is probably more evenly matched now than their first encounter. And that was one great fight.
The fight with Oscar will be made. It makes too much sense. It’s still a huge draw because both fighters have fan bases that are loyal enough to spend money to see them fight anyone with a pulse. When it happens, Fernando, despite all the wear and tear, will throw everything he has left against the “Golden Boy”.
This time, it may be enough. It’s all he wants. However damaged he may be, he will hold nothing back when Oscar is standing in front of him. That warrior that his fans adore, will reemerge one last time.