By Jake Donovan
A glimmer of hope was offered in the heavyweight division as Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson scored the most impressive win of his career. The undefeated American heavyweight overcame a slow start to score two knockdowns and eventually force a sixth round stoppage of previously unbeaten Devin Vargas at Harrah’s in Atlantic City.
The bout aired live as the main event of ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights telecast.
Johnson weighed a career-heavy 246 ½, though wore it well on his muscular 6’3” frame. Vargas, who took the fight one week’s notice for the injured Monte Barrett, was 225 ¾.
As is to be expected between two fighters with low knockout percentages, the jab was the weapon of choice for both fighters in the opening round. Vargas sought to take the fight to Johnson, who sat in the pocked and remained patient while picking off most of the incoming.
Action picked up in the second, mostly courtesy of Vargas, who continued to initiate most of the exchanges. Johnson served well in the counter punching role, though wasn’t quite as sharp defensively as was the case a round prior. Neither fighter used the jab as often as they did in the first round, instead going straight for the power game.
Vargas began the exact same way in the third, landing hooks and overhand rights upstairs while Johnson was too content to pull straight back to the ropes and ride out the storm. It took more than two minutes to eventually turn the tide, but Johnson did so in a big way.
Four consecutive left hooks had Vargas in big trouble. The right hand that followed didn’t exactly tickle, either. Several more left hooks and straight rights later, Vargas was forced to take a knee, beating the count but with blood drizzling from his nose as the round closed.
Momentum remained in Johnson’s favor in the fourth round, playing to the crowd as he wound up in bolo punch fashion before settling down and releasing jabs and right hands. Vargas bravely rallied back later in the round, but constantly pawed at his ears during lulls, lending to the suggestion that he suffered a busted eardrum from the prior round.
The jab resurfaced in the fifth, Vargas utilizing the weapon early in hopes of turning things around. Johnson remained reserved in the first half of the round, pawing at Vargas while allowing his foe to swing at air. The tactic proved to be wise; two left hooks late in the round sent an exhausted Vargas to the canvas for the second time in the fight.
Vargas once again beat the count, but conveniently lost his gum shield, buying a few more seconds. Johnson unloaded once action resumed, scoring repeatedly upstairs while Vargas was trapped in a corner.
A heated discussion took place in Vargas’ corner between rounds five and six, where his father and trainer asked if he wanted to stop the fight. Vargas responded that he couldn’t hear out of his right ear, but was sent out for one more round of combat.
It proved to be a futile effort.
Johnson resumed his newfound role of aggressor, looking to finish off Vargas early in the sixth. A right hand knocked out Vargas’ mouthpiece early in the round, but referee Earl Morton waited until a true lull came about before calling time. He then instructed Vargas’ corner that points would be deducted if the issue became a recurring theme.
Action resumed, but Johnson no longer prolonged the inevitable. Another flurry had Vargas on wobbly legs and trapped along the ropes before the white towel literally came flying into the ring, prompting an immediate stoppage.
The official time was 2:23 of the sixth round.
After scoring only six stoppages in his first 20 fights, Johnson has now made it an early night in each of his last three fights. The Asbury Park, NJ boxer improves to 22-0-1 (9KO) as he continues his goal of establishing himself as the American heavyweight to beat.
Vargas suffers his first pro defeat as he falls to 17-1 (7KO). His entrance into the pro ranks came late in 2004 after having served as the team captain of the 2004 US Olympic boxing squad. Despite his deep amateur background, he had been matched ridiculously soft. His handlers learn a lesson the hard way that an undefeated record is meaningless if your guy isn’t combat ready.
For the first time in his career, it’s a lesson Johnson seems to have truly absorbed. Fans have demanded more than he’s offered to date. He promised more and made good on his word.
Exactly the way we like our heavyweights.
UNDERCARD ACTION
Jorge Teron avenged the lone loss of his career, righting several wrongs in outlasting veteran spoiler Aldo Valtierra in the evening’s co-feature.
By his own admission, Teron took too long to get going in the first fight, falling behind and failing to catch up in time to escape defeat despite rallying strong in the later rounds. The 23-year old Bronx lightweight jumped out to a much quicker start in their rematch, disallowing Valtierra to get off his punches in the early rounds by effectively mixing boxing and infighting.
Missing was the ferocity that was on display in the first fight, which was a back-and-forth brawl throughout. In fact, everything about the fight was the exact opposite of their initial meet five months ago. Teron jumped out to an early lead, while it was Valtierra who battled back with a vengeance late in the fight.
All three judges picked the right guy in the end, though scores were all over the place (99-91, 97-93 and a surprisingly close 96-94). Teron returns to the win column for the first time since last August as he improves to 23-1-1 (15KO). Valtierra loses for the fourth time in his last six, falling to 25-11 (13KO).
The show was presented by Star Boxing.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and a voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Please feel free to contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.
