Vargas Slims Down for Mosley Bout



By RYAN NAKASHIMA, Associated Press Writer Wed Feb 15, 10:11 PM ET

LAS VEGAS - Fernando Vargas is on such a strict diet, he has to interrupt interviews to eat his energy bar.


"As a matter of fact, I have to have my snack right now," the Oxnard, Calif., boxer told reporters Wednesday as he discussed his Feb. 25 junior middleweight bout with Shane Mosley.

"This is a 230-calorie snack you know," said Vargas (27-2, 23 KOs), lifting his shirt to show off six-pack abs. "See? I've worked hard."

The hefty 28-year-old had to drop 39 pounds to reach the 154-pound limit, and he's still 3 pounds over.

The two-time world champion said he's been training in Ojai, Calif., and focusing on the fight with Mosley at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino that could be a step toward another title match for the winner.

"I have one person on my mind and that's Shane Mosley," he said.

Mosley (41-4, 35 KOs), a three-time world champion and a natural welterweight these days, is trying to find success at 154 pounds. It's his first junior middleweight fight since losing twice to Winky Wright in 2004.

The 34-year-old Mosley, from Pomona, Calif., began his professional career at 135 pounds in 1994.

"I'm going to be where I'm going to be at," Mosley said.

Mosley who won twice at 148 pounds last year, said he weighed 150 during training in Big Bear, Calif. "I think my hitting power is stronger when I'm lighter and faster."

The two fighters have been fantasy-billed for years by fans.

Both have fought former champ Oscar De La Hoya (37-4) — Mosley won twice and Vargas lost decisively — but the pair have never fought each other.

They are part of an odd circle of top fighters, promoters said. Mosley beat De La Hoya in 2003 and 2000, De La Hoya beat Vargas in 2002, Vargas beat Wright in 1999 and Wright beat Mosley twice in 2004.

"They all fought each other except for Vargas and Mosley," said Golden Boy Promotions publicist Debbie Caplan-Paz, who represents Mosley.

Mosley is the slight 3-2 favorite by Las Vegas bookmakers.

Promoters are banking on the Vargas draw in the Hispanic community to sell some of the 10,000 seats at Mandalay Bay, and hope more than 300,000 people will pay $45 to tune in from home.

Vargas is due to pocket $4.7 million plus a share of the HBO Pay-Per-View proceeds.

Mosley is guaranteed a $3 million purse plus a healthy chunk of the TV gate. Both fighters have been big-name draws on lucrative pay-per-view matches.

Mosley said he's proved his ability to win titles and suggested the payoff prompted him to accept the fight over other opponents.

"If they give me the option for a fight for $5 (million) or $6 million that people want to see, versus a title ... maybe early in my career I'd say let's go get the title and then go get the guy," he said. "Now I'm going to take the fight and the title will come second."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060216/ap_on_sp_bo_ne/box_vargas_mosley;_ylt=AmT0LQYyIrTcG6.lJgM1fcg7z7Q F;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

Eh? I wish they had some video's of the shape both fighters are in.

How about that 100,000 dollar bet between them?

^More info is needed, haven't heard that?

Mosley, Vargas Meet in 'Crossroads' Bout



By KEN PETERS, AP Sports Writer Fri Feb 24, 7:58 PM ET

LAS VEGAS - Shane Mosley seemed on his way to a storied career after he beat Oscar De La Hoya in their two fights. Fernando Vargas was a rising star when he knocked out Yory Boy Campas to become the youngest junior middleweight champion ever.

The careers of Mosley and Vargas have been dimmed by losses in recent years, and the former champions finally will meet for the first time in a bout that will be a crossroads affair for both.

The winner of the junior middleweight fight Saturday night will revive his career. The loser probably will be relegated to lesser cards.

"This fight is very special to me because I want to bring back the old style," Mosley said. "I think Fernando has a lot to prove. He has to focus on the task at hand and that is Sugar Shane Mosley beating his face."

Vargas, who won his first belt five days after he turned 21, said he also expects to be back in form, and even better.

"You are going to see the old Fernando, a lot sharper and with a lot of new moves on my offense," he said. "You are going to see a lot of intensity from round one.

"I will definitely look forward to bigger and better things."

The 28-year-old Vargas will take a 26-2 record with 22 knockouts into the fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The 34-year-old Mosley is 41-4 with 35 knockouts.

De La Hoya, staging the fight through his Golden Boy Promotions, predicted that Mosley will stop Vargas, and that whoever loses will end up fighting Friday nights on TV rather than in the limelight.

De La Hoya stopped Vargas in the 11th round on Sept. 14, 2002, in their only meeting. Afterward, Vargas tested positive for steroid use and was suspended for nine months and fined $100,000. He said he had not knowingly used any banned substances, and fired his strength coach and nutritionist.

Vargas' only other loss was to Felix Trinidad, who knocked him down five times and stopped him in the 12th round of a bout in 2000.

Vargas has been mostly unimpressive against lesser opponents since the two defeats. He has had trouble making weight, and had to go the distance in wins over Javier Castillejo and Raymond Joval in his last two fights.

"For the Castillejo fight, I came down from 194 (to 154). For this fight, I was in the low 180s, and I am stronger than ever," Vargas said. "I have been training like never before. I am going to take it up to another level."

Vargas came in a half-pound under the 154 limit at Friday's weigh-in. Mosley weighed 152 pounds.

Mosley has lost four of his last eight bouts, beaten twice by both Winky Wright and Vernon Forrest. Mosley had one no-contest in that span, and decisioned Jose Luis Cruz, David Estrada and De La Hoya.

A natural welterweight (147 pounds), Mosley expects Vargas to be particularly aggressive early in the fight.

"But that is a disadvantage because he has not been known to attack for 12 rounds," Mosley said. "I think that my strength, along with my speed and quickness and my left jab, is going to be a great tool because I use that very well."

De La Hoya, having fought both, believes Mosley will outlast Vargas.

"The first few rounds, Vargas is going to come out strong, and try to bully him around, and he'll be surprised that Mosley holds his ground. People will be very surprised how strong Mosley is," De La Hoya said.

"I think Mosley is going to stop him in the late rounds."

Specifically?

"The 11th," De La Hoya said.

Vargas, from Oxnard, Calif., is slated to earn $4.7 million, plus a share of pay-per-view. Mosley, from Pomona, Calif., will get $3 million and part of the TV money.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060225/ap_on_sp_bo_ne/box_vargas_mosley;_ylt=AuYgTYroRtcnWzeIngQmKfw7z7Q F;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

Wonder if Tito will be in his corner....

He came down from 190 to 154???