UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) - Fernando Vargas always has been a hungry fighter.

With the help of his personal nutrition and health specialist, Vargas insists he has finally overcome the appetite that caused him to put on weight between fights in the past.

Before he began training for one bout, he was up to 193 pounds. He struggled mightily to lose almost 40 pounds and make weight.

"I couldn't believe it. I said to myself, 'I'll never do that again,"' Vargas said Tuesday. "Now I can pat myself on the back because I'm happy I didn't mess up."

Vargas, who takes pride in his Mexican-American heritage, laughed and said he made the ultimate sacrifice to keep the weight off.

"During the holidays, it was hard. The tamales, not one. Not the tortillas, nothing. That's the reason I look the way I do right now, because I had nothing, nothing," he said emphatically.

"After the fight, I'm going to have my own Christmas. I'm going to have a family friend cook the tamales, and my grandma is going to cook up the bunelos."

Bunelos are a pastry covered with sugar and cinnamon.

"I have a sweet tooth, an ugly one," Vargas said.

The 5-foot-10 Vargas, who said he weighs 166 now, will meet Shane Mosley on Feb. 25 in Las Vegas in a junior middleweight bout, with the limit of 154 pounds.

Vargas, whose only two defeats in 28 fights were to Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad, said he eats four to six small meals a day now and credits his nutrition specialist, Robert Ferguson, with helping to keep him trim and healthy.

Vargas, 28, also has been training hard, running long distances and sparring a lot.

"I feel great, strong and in shape," he said.

His life outside the ring is in good order now, too. He and his mother, Alicia, had been estranged for seven years, but recently reconnected, and she joined him at Universal Studios to promote the fight.

"My life is good now," said Vargas, who hugged his mother.

Vargas, who has 22 knockouts, was suspended for nine months and fined $100,000 when he tested positive for steroid use after the 2002 loss to De la Hoya. Vargas said he did not knowingly use any banned substance and fired his strength coach and nutritionist.

The 34-year-old Mosley, who has a 41-4 record and one no-contest, has stopped 35 of his opponents, with his list of wins including two over De La Hoya.

Like Vargas, Mosley said he's been training hard and is ready to go.

"I can't wait to get into the ring," he said. "We'll see who's the best fighter in California."

Mosley, a former three-time champion, is from Pomona. Vargas, who formerly held two titles, is from Oxnard.