Local boxing notebook: Fernando Vargas Jr. returns to ring Saturday night
The legacy continues.
Former two-time world junior middleweight titleholder Fernando Vargas made his mark in the sport. Now his three sons are creating their own journey in prizefighting.
Fernando Vargas Jr. will step back in the ring Saturday night, squaring off against Geronimo Sacco at the Derby Room on the premises of the Fairplex in Pomona. The six-round junior middleweight bout will be the main event of the MarvNations Promotions card.
Fernando Jr. is the oldest of Vargas’ three sons. Amado and Emiliano recently turned pro. A few weeks ago, Fernando and Amado signed promotional deals with MarvNations, while Emiliano signed a promotional deal with Bob Arum and longtime promotional company Top Rank.
Vargas Sr., who is a 1996 Channel Islands High School graduate, was hesitant at first to have his sons pick up boxing, but supported their decision after seeing firsthand their commitment and dedication to the sport.
“My boys have always been athletic,” Vargas Sr. told The Star. “Maybe they inherited it from me. I was always athletic. Sports were easy for me. ... I was in juvenile hall early in my life and then I saw the benefits of boxing. Nothing was going to stop me from training at the La Colonia Gym. Walking the three miles to the gym. Nothing. I became the youngest Olympian. The youngest (amateur) national champion. One of the youngest world champions.
“I’m excited for all my boys. Junior worked hard in preparation for this fight. He’s athletic, but picked up boxing well after playing football and basketball in high school. All three kids work extremely hard and I’m proud of them. All the hard work they’re doing now will pay dividends in the future.”
Vargas Jr. (7-0, 7 knockouts), who resides in Las Vegas, last fought on Nov. 26, 2022, in Carson (also on a MarvNations Promotions card), knocking out Alejandro Martinez in the second round. In his previous fight on May 14, 2022, Vargas knocked out Terrence Jarmon in the opening round. Jarmon entered the fight unbeaten.
The 26-year-old southpaw isn’t looking to live off his father’s name, but to create his own path toward contender status.
“I’m invested in this 100%,” said Vargas Jr. “I’m blessed to have my father training me and my younger brothers. I’m impressed with how many fights I’ve had and what I’ve accomplished.
“For me, it’s about discipline. If you don’t have discipline, you don’t have anything. The ring doesn’t hide secrets. I make sacrifices for the good of my career and future. My dad has shaped and molded me and my brothers to be the best. It’s a blessing to have him in my corner. I’ve sparred great champions and contenders, and have been able to learn and compete with them.”
Vargas Jr. has sparred former world titleholders Shawn Porter, Kell Brook and Yordenis Ugas, and contenders Luis Arias and Gabriel Rosado.
Sacco (10-6-1, 2 KOs), who resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has lost five of his last seven fights.
Gvozdyk returns
Former WBC world light heavyweight titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk will also fight Saturday night at the Derby Room in Pomona. It will mark his first time in the ring since losing the world title belt to Artur Beterbiev in a world unification fight in October 2019.
Gvozdyk (17-1, 14 KOs), who was born in the Ukraine and now lives and trains in Oxnard, is trained by Marcos Contreras.
The 35-year-old Ukraine-born fighter stepped away from the ring after the loss to Beterbiev, a fight he was winning on two of the judges’ scorecards. Many believed he had retired, but Contreras said that was never the case.
“He has always been in the gym,” Contreras told The Star. “Oleksandr looks strong. He looks like he never retired, supposedly what people were saying. He had very good sparring for this fight on Saturday.”
Contreras said Gvozdyk was utilized as a sparring partner for Ring Magazine super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and former WBO world light heavyweight titleholder Gilberto Ramirez, both for their recent fights against Dmitry Bivol. Gvozdyk trained for Saturday’s fight at Extreme Boxing Gym in Santa Paula.
Gvozdyk won the WBC world title in December 2018, knocking out longtime titleholder Adonis Stevenson of Canada in the 11th round in a fight he was losing on two judges’ scorecards. He made one successful defense of the WBC title four months later.
Miranda (58-21, 22 KOs), who resides in Adelia Maria, Argentina, last fought on Oct. 15, 20222, defeating Cesar Velez by unanimous decision. The 39-year-old has won two of his last three fights.
Weekend TV fight
Rey Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) of Otumba, Mexico, and Houston’s O’Shaquie Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) will fight for the vacant WBC world junior lightweight title on Saturday at The Alamodome in San Antonio. The fight will headline a three-bout Showtime telecast starting at 6 p.m.
Francisco A. Salazar covers boxing for The Star and also writes for Ring Magazine and Boxingscene. He can be reached on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Local boxing notebook: Fernando Vargas Jr. returns to ring Saturday
