Is Vargas going down the same path as Gatti?

In March of 2001, Arturo "Thunder" Gatti was thoroughly smashed by Oscar De La Hoya. Following that one-sided massacre, most boxing experts wrote of Gatti forever as a competitive entity, relegated to the role of entertaining club fighter. After a 10 month lay-off following the De La Hoya debacle, Gatti reemerged with new trainer James "Buddy" McGirt and looked rejuvenated as he employed a more technical style in dismantling Terron Millett in 4 rounds. Following a sensational trilogy with Micky Ward, he picked up the vacated WBC 140 Lb. title against Gianluca Branco and successfully defended it twice against limited opposition. But this past June, he faced off against undefeated 2 division titlist Floyd Mayweather Jr., and after 6 rounds of one-sided action, Buddy McGirt threw in the towel. That fight left many wondering if Gatti was ever really rejuvenated, or if he was simply expertly matched. Fernando Vargas was once considered boxing's next great prodigy. Out of the 1996 Olympics, he won his first title in 1998 after forcing Yory Boy Campas to quit on his stool following the 7th round. He successfully defended the 154 Lb. title 5 times before signing to face Puerto Rico's Felix Trinidad in December of 2000 in a unification bout. After being floored twice in the opening round, "El Feroz" showed his guts and determination in surviving the early storm, dropping "Tito" in the 4th, and controlling the fight for several rounds until "Tito's" power overwhelmed Vargas in the 12th round. After picking up a vacant title belt, he signed for another unification megafight, this one against American idol and bitter rival Oscar De La Hoya. After remaining competitive for most of the fight, De La Hoya's superior technique and durability was simply too much for Vargas as he was stopped in the 11th round. After months of inactivity due to a back injury and positive steroids test, Vargas came back against Raymond Joval, and employed a more technical and calculating boxing style, attempting to be more defensive and not leave himself open as much as he had in the past. But after seeing the failed experiment that Gatti attempted, is Vargas heading down the same path? Have the 2 brutal losses to Trinidad and De La Hoya taken too great a toll on Vargas? Is Vargas simply one step up in competition from being exposed as finished?

Comments (6)

yo asian sensation im going into journalism to... im becoming a sports writer... but i gotta disagree. gatti only did something in the first against DLH. the DLH vargas fight was close until the 9th. and the tito fight was the same vargas had his chances, and did a lot in those fights as well in the first against DLH his hand touched the canvas, n i would've ruled that a KD. he KD tito as well

20y ago

oj21

I honestly don't think he is headed in the same direction as Gatti. I say this because early in his carreer Vargas wasn't only a puncher/brawler he also possesed good boxing skills. Also he is much younger than Gatti is, so making the transition from brawler to boxer shouldn't that hard. Now, I am not saying that just because he made the switch he should go out and face top opposition. I just think that his transition will be a lot smoother than Gatti's

20y ago

Mr_Ryan

Great comparison, brawler fights became damaged good so they turned to defensive oriented fighting styles. And I'm only 18. I'm a journalism major at Hudson County Community College.

20y ago

BLOODSHED

Great comparison, brawler fights became damaged good so they turned to defensive oriented fighting styles.

20y ago

bert988

yep he is definitely going for the money only..

20y ago

hectari

Yes he is going the same way! it is not about pleasing his fans it is about his future and retirement fund, vargas is fighting witha disability and I know he is a warrior but he is taking painkillers and he knows it to deal with the pain of that swollen disk in his back, if anyone has ever had a back problem they know it is the most painful feeling for an athelte because if you notice vargas stays away from the clinch often now and moves more to prevent anyone putting their weight on his back. He is fighting on a limb now, and if he has to be a warrior again its for big money. Gatti was dissappointing he couldnt even touch floyd and JLC was able to nail floyd and put pressure on him Gatti try to out box a boxer and got beat.

20y ago