EDINBURG — “Feroz” Fernando Vargas Sr.’s boxing career began by walking three miles just to get to and from a boxing gym to train growing up.
He went on to become the youngest boxer to win the U.S. Junior Championships at 16 and a three-time world champion as a professional, and he is now a member of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
| Former light weight champion Fernando Vargas Sr. speaks at a press conference for an upcoming son’s bouts at Bert Ogden Arena on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
Now, Vargas’ sons — Fernando Vargas Jr., Amado Fernando Vargas and Emiliano Fernando Vargas — have embarked on professional boxing careers of their own and are turning the Vargas name into a boxing dynasty.
| Former light weight champion Fernando Vargas Sr., left and his sons Fernando Vargas Jr., center, and Amado Vargas attend a press conference for his son’s upcoming bouts at Bert Ogden Arena on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
“When you didn’t have a father and you’re growing up doing things with your kids that you wished you did with your dad, like joking around with your sons, clowning, messing around, it’s a blessing for me to be able to guide them and to be, like, ‘Look, son, I lived this,’” Vargas Sr. said. “I was 12 years old when I started boxing. No one helped me. It took me an hour to walk one way, one hour to walk another way back home. Nobody helped me. There’s nothing in this boxing game that I didn’t already live. I tell my kids, ‘This is going to go as far as you want it to go. This is going to go as far as your discipline takes you.’”
Here is “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas pic.twitter.com/ydjiHtWKE6
— Rey Silva of Pro Sports RGV (@SoTxAthletix) June 29, 2023
On Aug. 26 at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Vargas Jr. and Amado Vargas, both undefeated as professional boxers, will headline a fight card featuring nine bouts as they follow in their father’s footsteps. Opponents are to be determined for both Vargas brothers.
“The love over here is tremendous,” Vargas Jr. said during a news conference Thursday at Bert Ogden Arena. “Yes, we’re undefeated, but at the end of the day, we’re not scared to lose this 0. At the end of the day, my dad put it on the line every single time, and we plan on showing that with every fight. We understand that we’re barely starting off, but we’re willing to earn our stripes.”
| Profressional Boxer Fernando Vargas Jr. speaks at a press conference for an upcoming bout at Bert Ogden Arena on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
The 26-year-old Vargas Jr. (11-0, 11 KOs) is fresh off a third-round stoppage of Andre Byrd on June 24, which kept his perfect record intact and extended his knockout streak. His main event fight Aug. 26 at Bert Ogden Arena will be his fifth fight of 2023.
The 22-year-old Amado Vargas stands 8-0 as a pro boxer with three wins coming by way of knockout. He picked up a unanimous decision victory over Bernardo Manzano on May 13 to improve to 8-0.
“I started to really take boxing serious when I was 16, beat the top people in the United States, became ranked in the country and thought I could really do this,” he said. “It’s not just the last name. I became No. 6 in the country at 114 pounds and had 42 fights as an amateur. We’re now professional, 8-0 with three knockouts, and now we’re going to be fighting at Bert Ogden Arena and I’ll be 9-0.”
| Professional boxer Amado Vargas speaks at a press conference for an upcoming bout at Bert Ogden Arena on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez |[email protected]) Joel Martinez |
Tickets are available for purchase at the Bert Ogden Arena box office or at BertOgdenArena.com.