Fernando Vargas Jr. is one of boxing’s rising names, carrying both a powerful punch and a hefty legacy. In this article we’ll dig into his background as the son of a legendary boxer, his current record, weight class, recent and next fights, and what his future might hold.
Early Life & Legacy: Being The Son
Fernando Vargas Jr.—often referred to by his nickname “El Feroz”—is the son of former two-time light middleweight world champion Fernando “Ferocious” Vargas Sr. The senior Vargas was a dominant force in boxing during the late 1990s and early 2000s, known for his ferocious style, toughness, and memorable battles with the likes of Winky Wright, Oscar De La Hoya, and Trinidad. His legacy looms large—big gloves to fill, big expectations.
From his father, Vargas Jr. inherits not only genetics and name recognition, but also a deep involvement in boxing from early on. His amateur beginnings were modest, but his father’s coaching and experience have played a major role in shaping both his technique and his mindset. In interviews, Vargas Jr. has acknowledged the pressure of comparison to his father—and even to his brother Emiliano—yet he speaks of carving his own path.
Being “the son of” gives advantages—access, mentorship, visibility—but also expectations. Vargas Jr has repeatedly said he does not simply want to be known as Fernando Vargas the younger, but as someone who earns respect on his own merits.
Physical Attributes & Style
Understanding a boxer requires knowing his tools—his height, reach, stance, weight class, strengths and weaknesses.
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Height: about 5 ft 11 in (≈ 180 cm).
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Reach: roughly 72 in (≈ 183 cm).
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Stance: Southpaw. This gives him tactical advantages in certain matchups—being a left-handed fighter forces orthodox opponents to adjust stance and distancing more than they’d prefer.
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Weight class: Primarily super welterweight (also known as junior middleweight), with his fights generally around 154 lb. This is a competitive division with strong depth—and any mis-step here could be costly, but so could the reward for success.
Professional Record & Performance
Here’s where the numbers tell the story.
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Professional debut: December 2020. Box.Live
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Current record: 17 wins, 1 loss, 0 draws.
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Knock-outs: 15 of those 17 wins by KO/TKO. That gives him approximately 88% KO ratio.
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Only loss so far: his most recent fight (as of September 2025) was a unanimous decision loss to Callum Walsh. He was never stopped.
His fights tend to be relatively short in duration; many ended early via stoppage. This indicates (a) punching power, (b) inclination toward offense early, (c) perhaps lesser experience in later rounds—but as he steps up in competition, endurance and tactics get tested more.
Recent Fights & Next Fight
Recent Fight: vs. Gonzalo Gaston Coria
On May 17, 2025, Vargas Jr fought Gonzalo Gaston Coria in Long Beach, California, winning by knockout in the 4th round.
Before that, other wins came via early stoppages: against Juan Carlos Cordones (TKO round 1), Brad Solomon (KO round 4), Wilfrido Buelvas (KO round 2), etc.
These recent performances signaled that he is building momentum, refining his power punch combinations, and showing that he’s capable of finishing fights early.
Next Fight: vs. Callum Walsh
Vargas Jr’s next high-profile fight (that in fact has already taken place as of mid-September 2025) was scheduled for September 13, 2025 at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, against undefeated prospect Callum Walsh. This bout served as the co-main event on the Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford card.
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Walsh came in with a record of 14-0, 11 KOs. Vargas Jr was 17-0, 15 KOs. Thus both fighters came in undefeated and with high KO percentages.
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Weigh-in for this matchup: Vargas Jr was about 153 lbs, Walsh slightly heavier (~153.5) in that fight.
Outcome
The result: Callum Walsh outpointed Vargas Jr by unanimous decision, with judges’ scores such as 100-90, 99-91, 99-91. Vargas Jr suffered his first professional loss in that fight, but was not knocked out.
What Does the Loss Mean?
Any loss, especially the first, in a boxer’s career is a pivotal moment. For Vargas Jr, several lessons and implications emerge:
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Experience vs Power: While his KO ratio is high, going the distance against a polished fighter like Walsh exposed areas—such as consistency in volume, defense, pacing, and adapting mid-fight.
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Mental & Tactical Growth: Losses can be character builders. How Vargas Jr responds—training adjustments, fight IQ, conditioning—will matter in whether he reaches higher levels or stagnates.
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Ranking & Opportunities: A defeat drops him in ranking momentum, but given his pedigree, marketability, and earlier successes, one well-managed rebound could put him back in contention for major fights. It depends on promoters, matchmaking, and his performance next.
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Public Perception: He clearly wants to step out of his father’s shadow. A loss complicates the narrative—but every fighter has losses. What counts is what you build afterward. Fans often respect fighters who show heart and learn.
Strengths, Weaknesses & What to Watch
Strengths
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Power: With ~88% KO rate before the Walsh fight, Vargas Jr clearly possesses power. Opponents need to respect his ability to end fights early.
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Southpaw stance: As mentioned, gives him an edge when facing orthodox opponents unaccustomed to that mirror image style.
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Legacy & Coaching: Having his father as trainer/mentor gives him access to insights, experience, and expectations that many young fighters don’t have.
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Momentum: Prior to the Walsh fight, he had built an undefeated record with several dominant wins. That builds confidence.
Weaknesses / Areas for Improvement
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Conditioning / Endurance over 10+ rounds: His fight vs Walsh showed that when opponents can neutralize early power and extend rounds, weaknesses emerge.
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Defense & Technique under pressure: When pressured, or when fights go later, more technical and defensive boxing becomes crucial.
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Adaptability during fight: Adjustments mid-fight (when opponent changes or counters) seem to be a growth area.
Weight Class Landscape: Super Welterweight / Junior Middleweight
Super welterweight (154 lbs) is a competitive division with a blend of speed, power, technical skill. Some observations relevant to Vargas Jr.:
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Many fighters in this class are fast, with good footwork, and strong conditioning.
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Fight opportunities are plentiful but so is competition—top contenders have world titles and big names.
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For Vargas Jr to move toward world title contention, wins over ranked opponents, perhaps stepping up against fighters with proven endurance and technical sophistication, will be necessary.
Vargas Jr has fought consistently in this class. The weight seems appropriate given his size (height, reach) and power. Whether he moves weight classes in future will depend on whether he outgrows the weight, or if his team views opportunities elsewhere. No indication yet that he is moving divisions.
Future Outlook
Where does Vargas Jr go from here? Given what we know, several paths are plausible:
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Bounce Back Fight(s): After his loss to Walsh, likely next steps involve matchups that can rebuild confidence and sharpen skills—maybe a ranked contender who isn’t undefeated or a past contender with experience.
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Increase technical work: As competition gets tougher, raw power is often not enough. Working on defense, pacing, stamina, and cutting angles will elevate him.
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Higher-profile bouts or eliminators: Once he racks up a few quality wins, he might be in line for title eliminators or regional titles that could lead to world title shots.
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Brand & Marketability: Being the son of Fernando Vargas Sr gives story value. Capitalizing on that via media, promotions, and public recognition can help secure bigger fights, regardless of what’s in the ring.
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Psychological resilience: How he handles criticism, how he trains after setbacks, how he adjusts. Mental strength is often the difference between good fighters and great fighters.
Why Vargas Jr’s Story Resonates
From a fan interest perspective, several topics make Vargas Jr especially compelling:
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Legacy boxing lineage: People search often for “sons of famous boxers,” “Fernando Vargas family.” His relationship with his father and brothers is part of what draws attention.
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Undefeated record / first loss: Stories about unbeaten runs, when they end, the implications—that tends to spike interest.
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Next fight details (date, opponent, venue) are always high interest. His co-main fight on a major card (Canelo vs Crawford) further boosts visibility.
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Weight class & comparisons: Fans often compare fighters in super welterweight; knowing where he stands in rankings, who he might fight next, adds to click interest.
Conclusion
Fernando Vargas Jr is a fighter with a powerful pedigree, strong physical tools, and an impressive knockout record. The first loss in his professional career—though painful—is not fatal. What it does is highlight areas for growth: endurance, adaptability, fight IQ.
As of September 2025:
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Record: 17-1 (15 KOs)
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Weight class: Super welterweight / junior middleweight (~154 lbs)
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Last major fight: Loss to Callum Walsh (UD) on September 13, 2025
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Strengths: Power, southpaw stance, legacy & support, early pressure
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Challenges ahead: Taking rounds, technical defense, stamina, adjusting under pressure
For boxing fans, the question now is: Can Vargas Jr transform this setback into a stepping stone? Will he refine his style, secure high-quality wins, and emerge not just as Fernando Vargas Jr., son of… but as Fernando Vargas Jr., champion in his own right?
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