Fernando Vargas to return on April 16th vs Henry Buchanan

After a three-year hiatus, former world champion Fernando Vargas will return to the boxing ring in 2011.

Vargas, 33, announced Friday he'll face super middleweight Henry Buchanan on April 16 at Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. It will be his first fight since suffering a majority decision loss to Ricardo Mayorga in November 2007.

"I have one thing to say: I'm back," Vargas told ESPN.com. "I took three years off and I'm still young. I'm excited about fighting again and I know I can win another world title."

Vargas has hinted at a comeback before, but says it became a real goal eight months ago when he moved out of his long-time home in Southern California to Las Vegas to train under Floyd Mayweather Sr.

In those eight months, Vargas has slowly prepared himself for a comeback, dropping from well over 200 pounds to his current-weight of 187.

"It's unofficial, but my wife says I got on the scale and it said 270," Vargas said. "I don't believe her, but I was definitely up there. I started seeing pictures of myself and said, 'Man. Where's my chin? My pants don't fit anymore. What the hell happened?'"

In addition to his work with Mayweather, Vargas got his weight down with the help of Los Angeles-based nutritionist Drew Prinz. The former champ had a reputation for struggling to keep his weight down in-between fights.

According to Vargas, problems with managing his weight were actually a major factor in his decision to leave the sport. Although he fought the majority of his career at 154 pounds, he said that getting there each time took a huge toll on his body.

"I was tired of these guys never fighting me unless it was at 154," Vargas said. "Oscar [De La Hoya], Shane [Mosley] -- none of them would fight me if it wasn't at 154. I was always crunching down my body and not eating."

That shouldn't be a problem for Vargas this time around, as he's serving as his own promoter and will only book fights at 168 pounds.

In his first fight back, Vargas (26-5, 22 KO) will look to stop Buchanan (20-2, 13 KO) sometime early -- a move he believes would be significant since current WBA title holder Andre Ward was unable to finish Buchanan in a 2009 fight.

"I think it's a good fight for him," Mayweather said. "Andre Ward went the distance with him, so we'll see what Vargas can do with him. I'm pretty sure Vargas has got more power than Andre Ward, so if he can get [Buchanan] out and Ward couldn't, I think it's something that would give him boost."

That fight might still be a good three months away, but that hasn't stopped Vargas from contemplating what his next challenge could be.

Just this week, mixed martial artist and Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz mentioned he'd like a professional boxing match and named Vargas as a potential opponent. Diaz is scheduled to defend his belt this weekend in San Jose.

Diaz's comments did not go unnoticed.

"Right now, I'm thinking about [Buchanan]," Vargas said. "But listen, there's another guy that's been opening his mouth that's in MMA -- and that's Nick Diaz.

"He's been calling me out saying he wants to fight me. I'm like, 'Who is this guy? You're not an elite mixed martial artist. You're not even in the UFC.' That's definitely a fight that interests me. He got my attention."

Vargas claimed his first title when he captured the IBF light middleweight belt with a win over Luis Ramon Campas in December 1998, five days after his 21st birthday.

He defended the belt until 2000, when he suffered a brutal twelfth-round TKO loss to Felix Trinidad. He left the sport on a three-fight losing streak, including back-to-back stoppage losses to Shane Mosely in 2006.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=6069822

WHY? WHY? WHY?

Are they trying to get a fight with Mayorga again?

Soonermark890 wrote:WHY? WHY? WHY?

Are they trying to get a fight with Mayorga again?

another rumor was to get Chavez Jr. in the ring for a big payday.

captainanddew wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:WHY? WHY? WHY?

Are they trying to get a fight with Mayorga again?

another rumor was to get Chavez Jr. in the ring for a big payday.

I hope he beats the shit out of Nick Diaz. I hate that guy.

I heard Vargas was bankrupt.

Can't believe he's only 33, if he'd actually taken care of his body a comeback might not be that ridiculous.

It seems like his career was fleeting, yet he was in big fights.

flapanther2001 wrote:It seems like his career was fleeting, yet he was in big fights.

He was moved too fast. Tito put a big time beating on him. Definitely took something out of him at a very early age.

It would be funny if Vargas redeemed himself buy giving Nick Diaz a nice welcome to boxing, we could settle the score with MMA after the embarrassing Couture vs Toney debacle.

I say good luck to him. It would be nice to see him come back and win some significant fights however unlikely that may be. I hope he does well.

Wouldn't we all shit a brick if Vargas came back & whupped Bute or one of the Super 6 heroes.

flapanther2001 wrote:Wouldn't we all shit a brick if Vargas came back & whupped Bute or one of the Super 6 heroes.

It would say a lot about the state of boxing if that were to happen.

flapanther2001 wrote:Wouldn't we all shit a brick if Vargas came back & whupped Bute or one of the Super 6 heroes.

Vargas beats Ward, Palin wins in 2012, the four horseman appear on the horizon.

Ali wrote:

flapanther2001 wrote:Wouldn't we all shit a brick if Vargas came back & whupped Bute or one of the Super 6 heroes.

Vargas beats Ward, Palin wins in 2012, the four horseman appear on the horizon.

I swear if Palin wins I am moving next door to you. Any good teaching jobs out there?

Ali wrote:

flapanther2001 wrote:Wouldn't we all shit a brick if Vargas came back & whupped Bute or one of the Super 6 heroes.

Vargas beats Ward, Palin wins in 2012, the four horseman appear on the horizon.

All signs of the apocalypse!!!

Soonermark890 wrote:

Ali wrote:

flapanther2001 wrote:Wouldn't we all shit a brick if Vargas came back & whupped Bute or one of the Super 6 heroes.

Vargas beats Ward, Palin wins in 2012, the four horseman appear on the horizon.

I swear if Palin wins I am moving next door to you. Any good teaching jobs out there?

I am registered as an independent. I'm 33 and during my 15 years of voting I have voted for Republicans much more often than I have voted for Democrats. I have already warned the better half that if Palin wins, Canada may be in our future.

captainanddew wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:

Ali wrote:

flapanther2001 wrote:Wouldn't we all shit a brick if Vargas came back & whupped Bute or one of the Super 6 heroes.

Vargas beats Ward, Palin wins in 2012, the four horseman appear on the horizon.

I swear if Palin wins I am moving next door to you. Any good teaching jobs out there?

I am registered as an independent. I'm 33 and during my 15 years of voting I have voted for Republicans much more often than I have voted for Democrats. I have already warned the better half that if Palin wins, Canada may be in our future.

I dont understand why anyone would like her.

A President doesn't have to be a genius but if they gave her an IQ test I believe she would score below average.

captainanddew wrote:A President doesn't have to be a genius but if they gave her an IQ test I believe she would score below average.

Really she has zero business in politics.

Soonermark890 wrote:

captainanddew wrote:A President doesn't have to be a genius but if they gave her an IQ test I believe she would score below average.

Really she has zero business in politics.

She has zero business in national politics. I am from Franklin, Virginia. It is about the same size as Wasilla, Alaska (town she was mayor of). The mayor of Franklin has about a 1 in 500 shot at being elected governor of Virginia. In Alaska where there is a decided lack of political talent, a mayor of any of the 10 biggest cities could become governor.

Mamma grizzly is heading to the White House in 2012.