New Faces

By Anson Wainwright |

Above: (Left to right) Referee Harvey Dock, Fernando Vargas, Emiliano Vargas, Jorge Capetillo (son of the late Javier Capetillo) and Amado Vargas after Emiliano’s second-round knockout of Rafael Jasso in May 2023. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

EMILIANO VARGAS
Age: 19
Home country: Oxnard, California
Weight class: Lightweight
Height: 5-foot-9 (175 cm)
Amateur record: 120-10
Turned pro: 2022
Pro record: 8-0 (7 knockouts)
Trainer: Fernando Vargas
Manager: Jose De La Cruz and Egis Klimas
Promoter: Top Rank Inc.
Instagram: @emilianofvargas

Best night of pro career and why: Vargas says the standout moment of his fledgling professional career came when he scored a second-round stoppage on the undercard of Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez last August.

“I fought Jorge Luis Alvarado and I got to do it in front of the beautiful fans in Phoenix,” Vargas told The Ring. “Julio Cesar Chavez and a bunch of great Mexican champions were there. We had a conversation and it was eye-opening for them to not just know me as my dad’s son but also as a fighter.”

Vargas is the youngest son of two-time junior middleweight titleholder Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas.

“Just the performance, the way [Alvarado] was talking trash, it was a movie scene,” said Emiliano. “He knew nobody could save him. And everything was amazing, put on a show like I did.”

Worst night of pro career and why: “Every fight is like that. I’m a perfectionist,” he said. “I shouldn’t have got caught with this shot, shouldn’t have done this or shouldn’t have done that. That’s what we work on in training camp.”

The 19-year-old is always looking to improve, but there is one fight that stands out.

“Probably the only fight that went the distance [against Francisco Duque]. I was sick that week and it was just horrible. I powered through it. It was a last-minute replacement because two guys dropped out. I was ready to fight whoever, but I played it more safe. In a four-round bout when you don’t have that much time, it takes longer to feel somebody out and you have no idea who you’re fighting, and he was a southpaw.

“I didn’t have enough time to get him out of there. I want to get everybody out of there in a perfect world, but I know sometimes it’s going the distance. I think I was still sharp, but for me mentally, I could have put on a better performance.”

What’s Next: “El General” will kick off his 2024 campaign against Nelson Hampton (10-8, 6 KOs) in a six-rounder at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on March 29. He hopes it’s the start of a big year.

Vargas tags Alejandro Guardado en route to a third-round stoppage in September 2023. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

“Last year, we were the busiest fighter in the Top Rank stable,” said Vargas, who was in the ring six times in 2023. “I knew I wanted to get all the experience last year. This year, it’s all about getting ranked. I want to be in line to fight for a belt in early 2025. I know it’s right around the corner. I’m very ambitious and I know what I want. I just got to do what I did last year, stepping up the rounds, and that’s all she wrote and I’m world champion.”

Why he’s a prospect: Vargas was a talented amateur, winning seven national titles and representing his country overseas before turning professional at 18.

Since then, he has acquainted himself with several top fighters in and around his weight class.

“I’ve sparred with Shakur [Stevenson], Robeisy Ramirez, [George] Kambosos, Brandon Figueroa, Jorge Linares, Jamel Herring, and [I’m] going to be sparring Loma (Vasiliy Lomachenko) for the Kambosos fight,” he said. “I took all that experience and look forward to taking all that experience with Loma.

“For me, this is the best school, the school of whoop-ass. If I happen to get touched up, I get touched up. If I don’t, I learn and that’s a beautiful thing. That’s the competition. It brings out the best in me. I’ve been able to test myself, and I always knew I could compete on a high level. These people wanted me to spar, and it shows I belong at this level. It’s an eye-opening experience, and I take the good with the good and the bad with the bad. I roll with the punches, literally.”

Vargas feels his skills have been well-honed by his famous father.

“I think my biggest attribute is I’m very versatile; I’m able to adapt,” he said. “I can do the shoulder roll, I can box, I can punch, counterpunch, use my jab, turn southpaw, come forward and put on pressure.

“My dad taught me to be comfortable all around the board. The sparring has helped me so much to reach those new levels and test myself. That’s only a confidence-builder every time I step inside the ring. I’m looking forward to the rest of the world seeing that this year.”

One of those sparring partners, former IBF 130-pound titlist Herring, recognizes Vargas’ considerable upside.

“Real good kid, and level-headed,” said Herring. “His patience in the ring [is impressive], especially for a young fighter.

“At the time [we sparred], he was fresh in his career, but he’s better from the person I sparred.”

Why he’s a suspect: “At the highest level, everyone trains hard, so I think there has to be separation between who has skill and who doesn’t have skill,” said Vargas. “I’m trying to perfect my craft every time I’m in the boxing gym and every time I step in the ring.

“I watch my sparring and I don’t like how I did that – think maybe I should keep my left hand up more, maybe not go back in a straight line. Every day improving.”

Having a famous father is sometimes seen as a liability for a fighter, but Vargas isn’t too worried about that.

“At the end of the day, I didn’t ask to be my father’s son, but I wouldn’t be here in this portion of my career without my dad,” he admitted. “At the same time, my father never ran for me, my father never took the punches for me, he didn’t make weight for me. I’ve experienced everything that it is to be a fighter, just like every other fighter.

“I don’t have to come from the streets to have this fire inside me. I’m a competitor. I love to win. If you think you’re going to beat me, you’re not going to beat me. I’ve never had to look in the fridge and there’s nothing in there. My father did an amazing job of taking care of his family, but at the end of the day I’m a competitor – if you believe you can beat me, let’s see. I think that pride, competitiveness and work ethic transcends down, because my father isn’t going to endorse anything that isn’t quality.”

Herring believes the youngster is heading in the right direction and just needs a few tweaks here and there.

“I don’t have to come from the streets to have this fire inside me. I’m a competitor. I love to win.”

“As he gets into bigger fights, he may need more upper-body movement,” said Herring. “Other than that, his father has him on the right track.”

Storylines: Vargas was born in Oxnard, California, but moved with his family to Las Vegas when he was 10 years old.

His two older brothers are also professional and unbeaten: junior middleweight Fernando Jr. (13-0, 12 KOs) and featherweight Amado (10-0, 4 KOs).

The Vargas children grew up surrounded by boxing and all three followed their father into the sport.

“Boxing has brought me so close to my father; that’s something me and my brother share,” he said. “When things get a little tough, I call my brothers and have them run with me, have them diet with me. That’s the best part about it, having my family in this sport. Understanding what it is to be in my position, feel how I feel when I’m cutting weight. That’s my biggest blessing.

Emiliano Vargas gets the victory ride from father/trainer Fernando as brother Amado follows. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

“I bust my ass, three, four training sessions a day. My dad has to tell me to chill out. At the end of the day, I understand these people want to beat me, make a name off me. Everyone is gunning for me. I know I need to put in four or five times as much work. It sounds cliche. At the end of the day, at the highest level, everyone works hard. I’m not going to be a one-trick pony. If you do something religiously every day, you’re going to get better. Look at Canelo’s career; it’s such an inspiration.”

Indeed, the young boxer-puncher has big goals of his own.

“[The thought of having] a strap around my waist is addictive. It’s the only thing I think about,” he said. “I know myself that obsessiveness of wanting more – I’ll want the next belt, the next belt and the next division.

“I want to be the best. I want to be remembered. I want my kids to be proud like the way I am with my father. They’re reading down roll call in school and they’re like, ‘Vargas. Are you related to … ?’ And let them get off missing a few assignments.” (laughs)

He says he is very family-oriented and enjoys spending time with his brothers, girlfriend and pet chihuahua.