By Miguel Rivera
World Boxing Council super bantamweight champion Rey Vargas has launched a spirited challenge to world champion Leo Santa Cruz, to offer boxing fans one of the best fights of 2019, since two Mexicans going to war in the ring is a guaranteed spectacle.
"Previously we looked for this fight and he said no because I was not world champion, now I am and there is no reason to refuse this, I think he has no exits, that fight has to happen, what better time than at this moment," said Vargas.
He adds, "I'm going for the position, not for the person. At the time [I called him out] he was the super bantamweight world champion, and now I'm going for the featherweight title, which in this case is super championship. As a person there is a lot of respect, but in the ring I believe that he has no way out, he has no escape to refuse this fight. We are going to face him, if he doesn't say no, and we are going to give the fans a beautiful fight."
Vargas (33-0 and 22 KO's) returns from his successful fourth defense of the green and gold belt after fighting opponents such as Ronny Rios, Azat Hovhanisyan, Oscar Negrete and Franklin Manzanilla.
"Leo is a technician and he also knows how to fight you, and as my compatriot (Juan Manuel) Márquez said when we are fighting we dance to him. I think it would be a very good fight, we are both Mexicans and we both have that fire to stop and exchange punches and it would be a fight of strategies inside the ring. We both have power, we both have endurance and we both know to go twelve rounds."
Santa Cruz (36-1-1 and 19 KO's) is the current featherweight world champion of the World Boxing Association and has recently beaten opponents like Carl Frampton; Chris Avalos, Abner Mares and Rafael Rivera.
Rey, who is represented by Promociones del Pueblo and Golden Boy Promotions, and Santa Cruz is guided by Premier Boxing Champions.