How good could Fernando Vargas have been had he not been fed to the wolves so young?

[Eff Pandas]

Main Events had no choice by cashing out because he was acting like Adrien Broner outside of the ring. He was the verge of getting his ass locked up and sent away to prison at a very young age just hanging out with street gangs in the barrios. He was a street thug.

Idr all this that clearly, but he for sure had some bad habits outside the ring that got mentioned in the initial comments so yea I could easily see ME going for broke with him as they did to get some value from him out of the gate.

Its very likely with his habits hed have burned out quick anyway if hed have been groomed more, but then wed have gotten to know less about what he was capable of doing so maybe we dont even talk about Fernando today like we do if ME had been more methodical in how they moved him.

[Ray*]

Gosh, i cannot even imagine what that would be like. If he was built up properly, made to fight bum - half bums like Wilder and then step up around 45 - 0 fights! He would probably more crossover star especially to the latino fans. And if he wins any big fight then gosh through the roof star.

[Eff Pandas]

He and David Reid were not ready for Trinidad yet.

David had his eye issue that insured he wasnt going to be around long. He was go for broke as a pro from day 1. His whole career was only 4.5yrs & 19 fights & done by 28. Won a belt in 12 fights & 2yrs into his career. It was now or never for David more than it was for Fernando.

[Eff Pandas]

He was also one of those fighters who peaked young. This is why I worry for guys like Tank Davis. I feel like he is peaking now, but it is being squandered. Once you reach top level, you are then running on borrowed time especially if you are an aggressive fighter. You need to make the most of it. Vargas did just that and gave us some great fights.

Yea Id love to disagree with this as a Tank fan, but Ive seen too many lil guys be done before they hit 30. And idk how Tank doesnt become one of them when hes living or dying on his KO ability. Tank needs to be having more meaningful fights to secure his place better in boxing.

One of the issues with some of these Al guys is they seem too into the money & less into reaching the heights they can reach. Tank kinda seems like that kinda guy. And while I get it if I was in his shoes, as a fan it makes me disinterested more & more in what these kinda guys.

[2Shotz]

Within a year he fought Winky, Quartey and Trinidad. Then Oscar and Mosely 2x. That’s a wrecking crew.

[boliodogs]

This guy was washed up by the time he was 25 years old. What was it that ruined him? The steroids? Alcohol abuse? Partying? Ballooning up in weight? The De La Hoya fight?

I don't think he was thrown to the wolves. He was a world champion with wins over excellent fighters Ike Quartey and Winky Wright. Treinidad asked for a fight and he said yes. What was he supposed to say? I am not ready for you yet. Come back in a few years and maybe I'll fight you then. if you are a world champion you are supposed to be the best at that weight and ready to fight all worthy challengers at that weight. Vargas was a good champion who accepted Trinidad's challenge and lost after fighting well and bravely. He also fought well and bravely against Oscar and lost. He just was not as good as Trinidad and Oscar. He was a boxer who peaked early and would still have lost if he had fought Tito and Oscar later in his career.

[LZBoxing]

I don't think he was thrown to the wolves. He was a world champion with wins over excellent fighters Ike Quartey and Winky Wright. Treinidad asked for a fight and he said yes. What was he supposed to say? I am not ready for you yet. Come back in a few years and maybe I'll fight you then. if you are a world champion you are supposed to be the best at that weight and ready to fight all worthy challengers at that weight. Vargas was a good champion who accepted Trinidad's challenge and lost after fighting well and bravely. He also fought well and bravely against Oscar and lost. He just was not as good as Trinidad and Oscar. He was a boxer who peaked early and would still have lost if he had fought Tito and Oscar later in his career.

I agree 100%

I used to be in the camp of people who thought he was thrown in too early. The truth is he was damn good and he was the champ. He was a champ who was willing to fight the best and that included other champs. Sometimes you win those fights and other times you don't. He always gave his best and didn't cherry pick his way to the top or evade any real competition.

[2Shotz]

By the current metric of many fighters, it’s a career trajectory of feast on journeymen until it becomes unavoidable to fight legit competition. In that, yes, Vargas was a great champion. He went for the blood and guts. Gave it all. Reminds me of Gatti. But as a shrewd businessman/athlete, no, he was an abysmal failure, who wasn’t handled/managed properly. He should have interwoven his shopworn battles with manageable opposition. And the Winky decision in ‘99 could have gone either way. Winky was trouble back then.

[PunchMeIDareYou]

Yea Id love to disagree with this as a Tank fan, but Ive seen too many lil guys be done before they hit 30. And idk how Tank doesnt become one of them when hes living or dying on his KO ability. Tank needs to be having more meaningful fights to secure his place better in boxing.

One of the issues with some of these Al guys is they seem too into the money & less into reaching the heights they can reach. Tank kinda seems like that kinda guy. And while I get it if I was in his shoes, as a fan it makes me disinterested more & more in what these kinda guys.

Good points but he paid a physical price for it as he's punch drunk now days.