Rey Vargas believes that boxers must stand out from the crowd to build their brand.
That might explain why the 32-year-old Mexican will play in the third weight division of his past four matches when he takes on O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant 130-pound WBC belt on Wednesday. Seven at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime).
Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) wants to push his limits, which he believes will take him to the next level in his career.
“My ideal weight is 126,” Vargas told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “Yes… I fought once at the age of 122, twice at the age of 126 and now at 130. Although it is unusual, my goal is to achieve extraordinary things, to push the boundaries that are not there. Others dare not pass. I want to leave my mark as someone who has achieved unique things.
“And who knows? Maybe after 130, I’ll switch to lightweight (135).”
It should be noted that there was a two-year gap between his last game at 122 and his first at 126, partly due to a broken leg in training.
He naturally got bigger when he returned to boxing when he was almost 31 years oldst birthday. And he certainly looks comfortable with his new weight, near shutdown likely Leonard Baez within 10 in November 2021.
That earned him a spot in the then-WBC belt Mark Magsayo, who beat longtime champion Gary Russell Jr. to win the belt in his previous match.
Vargas relied on his superior skill set and experience to far beyond Magsayo, though he was briefly knocked out in the ninth round. The two referees gave Vargas a 115-112 win, eight fourth rounds. The third man somehow scored in a 114-113 one-way teamfight for Magsayo.
However, Vargas, who won the grand slam in the second division, made a strong statement.
“It was a really important win for my career,” he said. “Becoming a two-division champion is something I don’t take for granted. I must also acknowledge Mark Magsayo. He’s the kind of high-quality opponent to take my career to the next level.”
Of course, a win over Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) would give Vargas the world championship in another tournament.
Will he stay at 130 if he wins? Would he really consider lifting to 135 in search of a belt in the fourth weight class? Or will he go back to what he admits is the weight that works best for him, 126?
He will make a decision based on how he feels during Saturday’s fight and after discussing options with his team.
“It’s really about seeing what the landscape is like,” he said. “If God willing, I can win the title at 130th, I can drop to 126th. I can be in super featherweight. I can go up to lightweight which is honestly too big for me in terms of weight.
“I don’t take anything off the table. It’s about really setting new goals and stacking success on top of success.”
