Don’t let the good looks fool you: ‘I’m a dog,’ says Emiliano Vargas

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It’s not every day that grizzled fight men approach you inside the boxing gym and ask, “How good looking is this kid? He looks like he’s going straight to a magazine cover shoot.’

The subject of that comment was young Emiliano Vargas, 20, who sweated through a media workout last week in Las Vegas for reporters who’d assembled near The Strip to cover Saturday’s Canelo Alvarez fight week.

A 140-pounder, Vargas (11-0, 9 KOs) impressively went through the rigors that included a smooth display of power-punching prowess by hitting mitts with his father.

In noticing who the father is, these first impressions that Vargas is a pretty boy quickly vanish. The father is Fernando Vargas, the tough hombre from Oxnard, Calif., who previously fought Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley.

Young Vargas laughed and shook his head no when asked if his movie-star looks mattered to him.

“Nah,” he answered in revealing his roots. “I’m a dog.”

Vargas returns to the ring Friday night in Glendale, Ariz., when he meets Larry Fryers (13-6-1, 5 KOs) in his second eight-round bout, positioned on the ESPN-televised undercard of recent super-middleweight title contender Jaime Munguia’s main-event return bout from his May 4 defeat to Alvarez.

“The whole world is going to see this – super grateful and super blessed for the opportunity,” Vargas told BoxingScene. “It’s going to be a show. This year, heading into 2025, is going to be a big breakout year. We’re stepping up the rounds, stepping up the opponents … Top Rank has made legends, noy just champions, and I’m young, hungry and I want the world.”

As Ryan Garcia has shown, looking the part matters.

Complementing that with lessons in grit taught by the stubborn father can take Vargas to amazing heights.

Fernando Vargas wasn’t in the mood to elaborate on his son’s talent during the workout, telling a reporter he needed to be somewhere. Maintaining the chippiness that was attached to his career, Vargas also rejected a follow-up request to do a telephone interview.

The elder Vargas can take or leave attention and fame.

What matters is he’s pounded the important principles the sport requires onto his gifted son.

“Just staying in the gym, staying focused, staying busy,” Emiliano Vargas said. “I feel I’m the most active fighter in the Top Rank stable and we’re looking to do two more fights after this one (this year), to finish the year with six fights. If we do five next year – 10 rounders – that’s 50 more rounds under my belt.

“I don’t get paid overtime, though, so we try to get them out of there as soon as we can.”

Vargas maintains a humble, curious demeanor about the sport. After posting a sixth-round knockout at his May 18 fight in San Diego, he exited the ring and went directly to Top Rank matchmaker Brad Goodman and others for a quick reflection over how he fared.

“The people whose opinion I care about are those around my circle,” Vargas said.

“Every time I step in the ring, I want to take the guy’s health away, knowing he’s trying to do the same thing. I know the way anyone I fight can make their name is to knock me out. I picture that, visualize that every night.

“It (2025) is going to be my breakout year. Fans are going to want to see me more and more after every fight.”