By Jared Lopez
Fernando “Feroz” Vargas was a warrior in the ring. He gave us some of the best fights in the last 20 years. He fought such greats in his boxing career like Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya, “Winky” Wright, and Shane Mosley. Say what you want about Vargas, but there wasn’t an ounce of quit in him and he will always be the youngest 3-time Jr. Middleweight Champion.
I caught up with “Feroz” and asked him about a few topics relevant in the boxing world and in his current life.
Regarding the topic of quitting in the aftermath of Ortiz-Lopez:
“There was this one time in a championship fight that I had to lose 12 pounds the week of the weigh-in for “Winky” Wright. I always made weight. I’m proud of the fact that I always made weight the first time on the scales. It was a struggle though. I’d have to drink Nyquil to be able to catch some sleep due to severe hunger pain. “
He stated, “There were rounds where I threw over 100 punches round after round and won. I also fought Javier Castillego with a broken jaw. It’s all about mind control and having the desired to finish.” He goes on to say that he always thought to himself, “Motherf*cker! You’re going to have to kill me to take what I fought for all my life.”
About his current lifestyle:
He stated, “I’m back to being in shape. I run daily and hit the pads occasionally with his my queen (his wife).” He has also become a man of God and likes to help others. “I attend The Victory Outreach of Las Vegas and basically just enjoy that Vegas life,” said Vargas.
On His Future Plans:
Fernando went on to say that he is working on opening up a gym in Las Vegas. “With the new gym in Vegas, we hope to attract people of all ages, but the main focus will be the children. There are also big plans in the near future for my promotional company. V.E.P. and 2013 will be a big year for the us, Just watch,” stated Vargas.
