Vargas taking one last fight, FOR PRIDE!

GL: What can you tell us about your upcoming fight with Ricardo Mayorga? "I'm doing this for one reason and one reason only. It ain't for money, I got that in the bank. It ain't for belts, I got them in my crib, I'm doing this for one reason only, for pride. That will be the name of the fight, For Pride. Eduardo Garcia will work my corner, he's the man that tought me everything. I learned a lot with Danny Smith too, and Danny Smith is my friend and we continue to be friends with each other. I want to fight one more time and this will be my last fight, and like I said I'm doing for pride and not anything else. My pride wouldn't let me leave like that, a lot of people might say to themselves, he made a lot of money, he's become a two time junior middleweight champion of the world, but not me, I don't want to leave on that note."

GL: Everyone who has followed you throughout your career knows that you're a proud warrior in the ring. I was at the Mosley rematch and you didn't seem to be there mentally. I was hearing rumors that you would have preferred to postpone the fight because of the wedding you had coming up and I heard you wanted to break camp. Now that the rematch with Mosley is behind you, can you tell us what happened going into that fight because you almost seemed like a shell of yourself?

Fernando Vargas: "That wasnt' me. In the first fight they saw what I was able to do with one eye only. I was pressuring Mosley and I was on him and I think if I would've had the last two rounds I think I would've beaten him because things were doing my way. The second time around, Shane Mosley is a great fighter so I'm not going to take away from his victory. Getting down to 154 pounds is f**king horrible for me. I can't do that no more and I won't do it again. I don't care if they pay me $20M, I can do it, I'd kill myself. You have to understand I went to the Olympics at 147 pounds and I was 18. After two fights I went to 154 and I've been there for ten years. Now I'm doing one last fight For Pride.

"Mayorga was saying that I'm scared of him when I was in Chicago, but I'm the one who told Shelly to go get him. My fans are fanatical and my fans are loyal, they appreciate me and I appreciate them. Watch if we don't almost sell out Staples. I was the first fighter to sell out the Olympic Auditorium when I fought Fitz Vanderpool. If we don't sell it out it's going to be close. On January 2, I'm cleaning everything up, my diet, everything. It's time for me to take care of business one last time and that's it, I leave on that note.'

GL: What's your weight at right now and will it be a struggle for you to make middleweight?

Fernando Vargas: "Let's not talk about my weight right now. (laughs)

GL: Will it be a struggle to make middleweight?

FV: "Nah and it's going to be 162 give or take a pound. I have six months to get ready for this fight, with me running and working with Garcia. People don't know this, but I've been working with Garcia and I've been sparring twice a week. I told him I wanted him to train me this one last time and we're going to do it."

GL: If things go your way against Mayorga will it be difficult to keep your word of one last fight?

FV: "I promised my mom and I promised my family. They don't want me to fight no more, I told him I have to do this For Pride, I can't go out like that. I'm not doing this for money, I've got that in the bank collecting interest, positive cash flow is coming in and I don't need to fight no more, but I'm doing this For Pride. V.E.P, Vargas Entertainment Promotions, I'm the promoter of the fight."

GL: Main Events will not be involved?

FV: "Nope."

GL: Their bad year just got a little worse.

FV: "Yep, it got worse."

GL: Earlier you mentioned Mayorga said you were scared of him, I'm sure you're aware he's going to say everything under the sun...

FV: (cutting in) "He could say whatever he wants to say, I will say this, hey f**ker the same way you were talking all that shit about Oscar and then after the fight you go over there to suck his balls, that's the same thing you're going to do to me. He could say what he wants to say but you know what? I have pride. You dont' see me...I shook hands with Mosley because he's a nice guy, but you never see me after a fight if there was beef hugging the other guy. If there was beef I stay true to it, we're not buddies now that the fight is over. He was talking all that about  Oscar, but then after the fight he apologized for it and that's the same thing he's going to do for me."

GL: We've never really had the chance to chat like this, but I'll be honest with you I used to view those tactics as you having sour grapes, so it had nothing to do with that, it had to do with you staying true to the beef if there was one.

FV: "Exactly. This cat likes to do things just for promotion. I don't do things for promotion. People have said things like they wanted me to be on their team, but I would never do that, you know why? Because I have pride. Come June you guys will see not only a great fight, but also some entertainment before or after the fight with my artist Samuel Hernandez."

GL: Will Vargas Entertainment Promotions focus more on music or boxing?

FV: "It's going to be a boxing promotional company."

GL: So you're going to be doing your own thing with Vargas promotions look to sign fighters and turn your company into a force?

FV: "Absolutely."

GL: De La Hoya has Richard Schaefer running the show at Golden Boy, who will play that role for your company?

FV: "Joe Pecora."

GL: Can we get anymore details on what was going on headed in to the Mosley rematch?

FV: "Nah, it's better we leave it like that."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

FV: "I want to thank all of my fans for all their love. A lot of my fans have told me not to retire, I'm doing this last fight for you guys, but more for myself, For Pride. I'm doing this for a reason, I can't leave that and I'm going to give you a guys a great show come June at the Staples Center. Looking out for Nawshis cloting company. www.nawshis.com  Why Nawshis? Because it's sick."


Editors Note: Vargas manager Shelly Finkel has informed Boxingtalk.com that Main Events will be involved in Fernando's final fight, The floundering promotional outfit will co-promote with Vargas Entertainment Promotions.

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