As Top Rank continues to look for a new television/platform deal, they have been farming out various fighters in recent months. This Saturday from Arena Coliseo in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Rafael Espinoza defends his WBO featherweight title versus Arnold Khegai. It's a decent fight, but also on this card is lightweight Emiliano Fernando Vargas, who is matched up with Jonathan Montrel.
Vargas is perhaps the crown jewel of all the Top Rank prospects. He's telegenic to a point that he could be on the cover of not just Ring Magazine but GQ. He has the bloodlines (check his middle and last name) with an exciting hard-hitting style. Vargas, the youngest of the three fighting sons from 'El Feroz' comes straight from central casting.
At 21 years old, Vargas' career is a far cry from that of his father, who now trains him. At his age, the elder Vargas was already a world champion, and soon was facing the likes of Winky Wright, Ike Quartey and Felix Trinidad. It was a career that wasn't just on the fast track, but on the autobhan -- without a seat belt. Of course, some would say that while it was a fast and thrilling ride, it was all too short.
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Fernando Sr. insisted on this. And now he has insisted that the career of Emiliano will be handled in much different fashion. Father knows best. Fernando Sr. has made it clear that the mistakes he made will not be passed down to his sons.
"Discipline is the biggest thing," said his son, of what has been imparted to him the most. "My father was a young kid with a lot of money, and nobody was going to tell him anything when he was on top of the world. Whether he was out partying, whether he was out drinking -- nobody was going to tell him anything. I have a father that I obviously respect, it doesn't matter how old I am, he'll slap me upside the head, it doesn't matter how much money I make."
He continued, "I'm very grateful for all the lessons in his career. I can use them for me. My father tells me all the time: 'There are three types of people. People who learn from others mistakes. People who learn from their mistakes. And people who never learn, at all. So I'd like to be the first two."
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When you ask 'Emi' where he thinks he currently stands in his career, he told SNAC.com, "I stand on the verge of fighting for a world title. I believe that every fight this year have been highlight reel knockouts. They've put people in there that we're supposed to take me the distance and God had other plans."
As did his fast and heavy hands. There is truth to what Vargas states, he has scored a series of eye-opening stoppages. Now whether the likes of Giovanni Gonzalez (KO2), Juan Leon (KO2) and Alexander Espinoza (KO1) have prepared him for the elite at 140 can be debated. Hey, Brad Goodman and Bruce Trampler know what they are going, lets not kid ourselves here.
Still, he has absolutely emphatically passed the 'eye test'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnJaPsbTLMo
"I just know the work I've been putting in has been showing through," said Vargas (15-0, 13 KOs). "Like my dad says, 'every fight is different, every style is different. So you're going to have to pull different things out of your tool bag.' I believe the same thing, that fans are going to see my whole arsenal this next fight, as well, with Jonathan Montrel, who has been in there with Delonte 'Tiger' Johnson, went the distance with him.
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''Obviously, I feel like I'm going to be able to show a lot more and show everyone what type of fighter I am."
If you ask him, he's probably three or four fights away from fighting for a major belt. He added with a chuckle, "If it were up to me, it would be this one."
Currently the 140-pound champions are Teofimo Lopez, Richardson Hitchins, Subriel Matias and Gary Antuanne Russell. That's a formidable quartet of champions, no real soft spot among them. But still, Vargas states, "I'm very eager, obviously, I know what I could do and I just feel that the fans haven't seen it. I know every crop has its due date. God has already has it written."
OK, but Bob Arum will also have his say in the matter, too. There is no way Top Rank will rush the process. Simply put, Vargas is too valuable of a commodity. While his father pressed the issue with Main Events and his management to make the aforementioned bouts, Emiliano is much more willing to allow the adults in his life to guide him.
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His maturity is another thing that stands out about him. Emiliano is a well-mannered, respectful individual. He's polished without coming off as manufactured or phony. He just comes off as a nice young man -- who has a lethal left hook.
"I know what I want, I know what it takes to become become great because I've seen it with my father, the good, the bad and the ugly, everything that he had in his career," said Vargas, who credits his behavior to being the youngest of three brothers. "I have a road map in front of me. The only thing I have to do is do it. So I dedicate my life to this sport and you get what you put in. So that's why every ounce of my being is poured into being the best fighter I can be."
But make no doubt about it, he does have some of his father's precociousness with his own sensibilities. "I want to go 100 miles-per-hour -- but take my time," said Emiliano.
WATCH
Here's some info on how to watch this card from Mexico on Saturday night:
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