From the Vault 03.11.09: De La Hoya vs. Vargas

Posted by Jonathan Yaghoubi on 03.11.2009

A look back at the exciting junior middleweight showdown between Fernando Vargas and Oscar De La Hoya in what was built as a grudge match for Los Angeles bragging rights.



In this edition of From the Vault, we take a look back at has to be Oscar De La Hoya's most satisfying victory to date. After many of taunting from Vargas, Oscar finally took the fight at 154 pounds. Many thought it was a big step for Oscar as they could not think Oscar can match power with Vargas. This was a true blood feud and one of the more entertaining fights in terms of intensity, story, and action. It had it all. Jim Lampley's closing call of the knockout is classic as you truly captures the moment for De La Hoya.



September 14th, 2002
Your Hosts are Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and George Foreman

Round 1 - Both fighters start out rusty as neither have fought for over a year. Oscar gets busy with some combo shots. He lands a few left jabs and left body shot in the first minute of fight. Vargas waits it out as Oscar has pressed all the action. The crowd starts to chant for Vargas but Oscar has dominated. With just under a minute left in the round, Vargas lands a left hook that sends Oscar back to the ropes and almost gets knocked down. Vargas takes advantage of the situation and continues to throw the power left hooks to steal Round 1. Oscar suffers a big cheek bruise from the left hook. Vargas wins the round!

10-9 Vargas

Round 2 - Oscar starts the round by going to the body. Oscar is starting to outbox Vargas by taking him to the middle of the ring. He is using plenty of left jabs and with a mix of power shots. At this point of the round, Oscar is using his boxing skill to outpoint Vargas with left jab after left jab. Vargas pushes Oscar back to the ropes for a bit that made Oscar look uncomfortable but Vargas is unable to take advantage. Oscar comes back with a dominating round but knows he can't be backed up to the ropes.

19-19 Even

Round 3 - Vargas lands a few hard rights to start the round. Both fighters stand toe to toe as each land 1-2 combos. DLH comes through with some nice jabs and body shot combos. Vargas responds back with some powerful right hands that hurts DLH. DLH is stunned against the ropes. Vargas has dominated Oscar against the ropes so far. Oscar survives a possible knockdown but can't win the round.

29-28 Vargas

Round 4 - DLH starts fast with the left jab. Oscar shows signs of life again back in the middle of the ring with some nice body shots and that great left jab o0f his. Oscar has totally dominated the round catching Vargas at will with the jab. OScar has opened a swelling under Vargas's right eye. Oscar wins the round easy. We got ourselves a war!!!

39-39 Even

Round 5 - Vargas dominates the first minute of the round as he makes good adjustments in the middle of the ring to outbox Oscar. Oscar hurts him with some good combo shots. Both guys are trading power punches now. Vargas gets Oscar to the corner with some over hand rights. But Oscar uses his slickness to move out of the corner and back to the middle of the ring. However, Oscar continues to take a pounding with some vicious one two shots from Vargas. The over hand right has been Vargas's best punch of the fight. Jim Lampley from the PPV broadcast says of Oscar's pounding "Oscar has taken more punishment in five rounds of this fight then any other fight of his career."

48-47 Vargas

Round 6 - Blood starts to pour out of Oscar's nose. The blood doesn't phase him as he starts to move well around the ring mixing up the left jab with some body shots. Vargas looks confused as Oscar now has a bounce to his step. Oscar has opened up a cut under Vargas's left eye. Oscar takes the round easy.

57-57 Even

Round 7 - Both guys stand in the middle of the ring as we now have a true battle. Oscar lands a big left hook and is starting to land power shots at will. Oscar is moving around the ring as he seems to be toying with Vargas with his boxing skills. Oscar has his best round of the fight as he dominates the action.

67-66 De La Hoya

Round 8 - Oscar lands some big rights to start the round. He fakes a left and comes through with a right. The cut under Vargas's eye is starting to look worse. Oscar is really starting to use his right hand with authority. Vargas looks to have no answer to Oscar's powerful rights and looses his second straight round with authority.

77-75 De La Hoya

Round 9 - Vargas starts to make a comeback as he finally gets in close and uses his power advantage over Oscar. Vargas throws some combo shots that land effectively on Oscar. Vargas is throwing more punches than Oscar as he is outworking him. Vargas's power backs up Oscar to the ropes a few times. A great round for Vargas as he wins it on pure determination.

86-85 De La Hoya

Round 10 - The championship round baby! Anyone's fight right now. Vargas looks to continue the momentum from the last round as he presses the action. He tries to trap Oscar back to the ropes with a powerful right punch. Vargas seems to be in control of the round as he is throwing more punches than Oscar. All was well for Vargas until five seconds left in the round when Oscar lands a big left hook that stuns Vargas. The bell saves Vargas as he was seconds from the knock down. Vargas is badly hurt while Oscar steals the round with one punch.

96-94 De La Hoya

Round 11 - Vargas still looks hurt from the last round. However, Oscar has not put the pressure on Vargas in the first minute of the round. Instead Oscar stays patient and lands a left hook followed by another one that knocks Vargas down to the ground. Vargas jumps from the canvas. Referee lets Vargas continue but to no avail as Oscar continues to punish Vargas with repeated blows that leave referee Jeo Cortez no choice but to stop the fight. Oscar has his most satisfying win of his career while Vargas looks badder and beaten.

Jim Lampley almost breaks down into tears on the joy and satisfaction Oscar has of defeating Vargas so badly at the end. Vargas taunted Oscar to death and went very far in a lot of the press conferences leading to the fight. So in the end, you can say for sure that Vargas got what he deserved. In terms of rating, the best performance I've ever seen from Oscar De La Hoya. This fight was no Vazquez-Marquez but one of the most exciting fights I have ever seen. You certainly felt the hatred in the air between both fighters. Hats off to Oscar for a thrilling victory over his long time antagonist, Fernando Vargas. It seemed that Vargas would learn a valuable lesson this week about humility. He fought a good fight, showed heart, and gave one of the best fighters in the division a serious run for his money. Had he not talked so much smack before the fight, he might have felt better about showing some good sportsmanship at the end. In his arrogance and lack of good council he is what he is. Unfortunately for Vargas, his career has only gotten worse from this fight as he has basically lost every big fight since. The fight was excellent but not quite great. I give it a 4 and a quarter gloves rating.