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08/21/2005 Archived Entry: "Vargas defeats Castillejo!"
Vargas defeats Castillejo!
By Ben Torres at Ringside
Vargas (left) stalks Castillejo (Josh Walls photo)
ROSEMONT, IL, August 20, 2005 - Under the lights of HBO’s Boxing After Dark it was a battle of two former junior middleweight champions. Former two time world champion, "Ferocious" Fernando Vargas (25-2, 22 KOs) displayed his new more defensive minded style in winning a ten round decision over Javier Castillejo Saturday night at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
Vargas started the first three rounds strong and worked behind a strong jab and some good counter right hand stunning Castillejo (58-5, 39 KOs) in the opening stanza before dropping him in round three. Javier, himself a former two time 154 champion, appeared to be physically larger than Vargas and probably added extra weight after the weigh in. This weight saved him from being KO’d in the third.However, after the third Castillejo began to find his rhythm and double jab his way back into the fight. While scoring good body shots Vargas appeared to grow suddenly weak and lay on the ropes and try to gather himself. Something appeared very wrong.
In round five it appeared to this writer that Castillejo also sensed something was amiss with Vargas and pressed the action even more by pumping his jab harder into Vargas’s bloodied mouth.
Although he was being hit cleanly Vargas showed that even with his new style, he was still the old Ferocious Fernando we all know by standing in the pocket and countering effectively with good body shots.
Castillejo dominated the sixth as Vargas seemed to try and employ the Jersey Joe Walcott/ Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather defensive technique of the shoulder tuck and roll. Vargas made Castillejo miss many shots although the native from Spain was the aggressor throughout the round.Showing the fighting heart that made him the fan favorite that he is, Vargas picked up the pace in rounds seven and eight and boxed smartly by countering effectively off his lateral movement. However during these rounds the warrior from Oxnard appeared to be in a lot of pain as he winced at times whenever he landed solid shots.
The ninth round saw both fighters display championship heart as they engaged in some good exchanges. Castillejo landed some good lead right hands as the round opened but the Aztec Warrior fired back with combinations to the body and to the head. Vargas employed good defensive skills as well making the Spanish native miss then countering effectively with the right hand over Castillejo’s jab.The last round saw a more mature Vargas jab and move smartly. Vargas never launched an all-out assault in the last round but won handily by scores of 97-92, 97-92, 98-91.
After the fight Larry Merchant immediately asked Vargas did he hurt his jaw during the fight, to which Vargas confirmed that Castillejo may have broken his jaw with a left hook early in the fight. Which again high lights Vargas’ tremendous heart and courage.
Although he outfought the boxer from Spain, Vargas rated his performance an “F” and said he felt weak and slow during the entire bout.
It appears that Vargas has taken a page out of Marco Antonio Barrera’s book of reinventing himself into an effective boxer. It may be a move in the right direction since Vargas as always had world class boxing skills. Somewhere along the way his Ferocious tendencies and the roar of the crowd made him abandon these skills and seek a more exciting and crowd pleasing style.
As Buddy McGirt told Arturo Gatti when he became his trainer, “Do you want to go to the hospital after the fight or go play golf after the fight?” It appears that that Vargas, like Gatti, wants to go play golf.
Fernando Vargas celebrates his victory (Josh Walls photo)
Famed announcer Michael Buffer (right) shares a lighter moment with a referee (Josh Walls photo)
Josh Walls (left) and Ben Torres (Juan C. Ayllon photo)
