Tweet
At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, junior middleweight David Reid was the only American boxer who won a Gold Medal. Fighting right below Reid in the welterweight division was Fernando Vargas. The 19 year old Vargas lost a controversial decision in the second round and didn't medal. However, Vargas was covered like a future champ when he turned pro. Not quite as much as Reid at first, but Vargas was the fighter thought by many insiders to have the better pro career.
While Reid was being rushed because of his droopy eye, Vargas was making steady progress as he steadily stepping up the level of the opposition he faced. Vargas, who was an aggressive boxer-puncher, loved to fight. More often than not his bouts were exciting and it didn't take long before he became a fan favorite. The problem Vargas had from a style vantage point was, he loved to trade and go toe-to-toe, which resulted in his first defeat versus Felix Trinidad. In his next big fight, Vargas didn't seek the knockout as much. In his fight against Oscar De La Hoya, instead of being overwhelmed by power punching, he was undone by the jab and lateral movement. [details]
While Reid was being rushed because of his droopy eye, Vargas was making steady progress as he steadily stepping up the level of the opposition he faced. Vargas, who was an aggressive boxer-puncher, loved to fight. More often than not his bouts were exciting and it didn't take long before he became a fan favorite. The problem Vargas had from a style vantage point was, he loved to trade and go toe-to-toe, which resulted in his first defeat versus Felix Trinidad. In his next big fight, Vargas didn't seek the knockout as much. In his fight against Oscar De La Hoya, instead of being overwhelmed by power punching, he was undone by the jab and lateral movement. [details]