When an upcoming match involves undefeated boxers, both known for their high KO percentages, anticipation among fans is often intense. The magnificent fight between Puerto Rican Felix “Tito” Trinidad and American, Mexican-rooted Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas was no exception: on the night of December 2, 2000, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, the atmosphere was electric. The paying spectators left thoroughly satisfied after witnessing an extraordinary war filled with thrills and twists from the first bell. Now, exactly 24 years after that spectacular unification bout for the WBA and IBF super welterweight titles, let’s relive it in today’s in-depth look.
Trinidad: From the “Fight of the Century” to a New Weight Class
A true idol in his homeland and immensely popular worldwide, Tito had reached the pinnacle of sports glory by handing the legendary Oscar De La Hoya his first career defeat. However, the so-called “Fight of the Century” left many dissatisfied due to De La Hoya’s excessively cautious and conservative strategy, coupled with Trinidad’s difficulties in cutting off the ring effectively. This made the fight more of a chess match than an explosive showdown. The decision itself sparked debate among those who favored De La Hoya’s superior accuracy and those who believed Trinidad’s aggressive pursuit deserved more recognition. Although Trinidad had won the fight of all fights, he still needed to prove himself and solidify his legendary status. With this in mind, as well as to say goodbye to the enormous sacrifices required to make the welterweight limit, he went on to claim the WBA title at 154 pounds and was set to face Vargas for the top spot in the new division.
Everything and Now: The Premature Glory of “El Feroz” Vargas
Competing in the Olympics at 19, world champion at 21, and essentially finished by 28—Fernando Vargas burned through the stages of his career and eventually burned out himself, but not before gifting fans several epic battles. Marked by an atypical style, somewhere between an attacker and a counter-puncher, the Californian was extremely difficult to figure out due to his ability to adapt mid-fight, dismantling his opponents’ confidence and forcing them to constantly adjust. Vargas’ most prestigious victories, before the life-altering match against Trinidad, came against extremely talented opponents like Ronald Wright and Ike Quartey, who were also the only ones to hear the final bell against him. Naturally cocky and confident, Vargas had no reservations about taking on a legend like Tito, even though many considered him too young and inexperienced for such a test. The IBF champion not only issued his challenge but also promised fireworks, assuring Trinidad that, unlike De La Hoya, he would step into the ring to fight with an open style.
A Match That Could Have Ended Quickly, but Didn’t…
It took only twenty seconds for Trinidad to leave his mark on the fight: a devastating left hook stunned Vargas, who had charged into the center of the ring as promised, causing him to stagger. Moments later, the Californian was down, and the crowd roared with excitement, believing a KO was imminent. Another knockdown, once again from a left hook, reinforced that belief but was soon proved wrong: Vargas got up, recovered, and came back strong starting in the third round.
While the first two rounds suggested an easy night for the pre-fight favorite, the next three rounds completely changed the dynamic. El Feroz, invigorated by surviving a storm, began to assert his extraordinary timing, staying in front of Trinidad, anticipating his moves, and capitalizing on his mistakes. This risky but effective strategy led him to knock down Trinidad in the fourth round and put him in such distress that he resorted to low blows twice, with the second one penalized by referee Jay Nady.
A masterpiece round from Vargas, the fifth, raised alarms for Trinidad. He realized that his opponent was superior in mid-range exchanges and chose to make it a physical battle: he began to charge forward, throwing punches as if there were no tomorrow, accepting the risks and exciting the crowd. It’s no surprise that Tito took control on the official scorecards from the sixth to the tenth round, a portion of the match rich with action, including a second point deduction for Trinidad in the seventh, a bit harsh, breathtaking exchanges in the ninth, and another, somewhat severe, penalty for Vargas in the tenth. But the common thread in all these rounds was Tito’s superior power, which made the difference.
Arriving at the championship rounds with his back against the wall and needing a dramatic finish to turn the fight around, Fernando Vargas didn’t settle for a respectable points loss and went all out. His excess courage would prove fatal: after an excellent eleventh round and landing two solid shots at the start of the twelfth, El Feroz fell victim to another textbook left hook, signaling the beginning of the end. Two more knockdowns soon followed, leading to a technical KO and allowing Trinidad and his corner to begin the celebrations.
For Tito, it was his last appearance at super welterweight: five months later, he would win a title at middleweight, a division where his fortunes would soon fade. Vargas, on the other hand, took less than a year to become a titleholder again and launch into another thrilling unification bout against another legend of that era: the great Oscar De La Hoya.