Vargas, Rivera Want to Prove They’re Not the Type to Quit

EL PASO —  The road back for Fernando Vargas begins tonight.

But his opponent, Wilfredo Rivera, intends to be more than just a speed bump.

The two will meet in tonight’s 10-round main event, a nontitle bout, at the Don Haskins Center on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso.

Vargas is attempting to come back from the severe beating he endured last December at the hands of Felix Trinidad, who knocked Vargas down five times, finally stopping him in the 12th round to capture Vargas’ International Boxing Federation 154-pound title.

How much, if anything, has the 23-year-old Vargas lost?

That’s what Vargas’ camp wants to find out through Rivera. Rivera, of course, wants a lot more.

“I think it’s the right thing for him if he wants to win back his title,” Rivera said, “but I think it’s the wrong thing because he thinks I’m an easy guy to fight and that’s a mistake. I think it’s wrong for him to fight so quickly against a fighter like me.

“If I was in his shoes, I wouldn’t fight for six months.”

If Rivera’s wife, Denise, had her way, Rivera, who turned 32 Friday, wouldn’t be fighting at all.

Rivera spent eight years in the ring before he finally got a title shot. He’s had three in all and none was easy. Rivera twice fought Pernell Whitaker, both times in 1996, and lost each time by decision. Rivera’s other shot came in 1997 against Oscar De La Hoya, who stopped Rivera in the eighth round.

But Rivera wasn’t willing to stop fighting, or dreaming.

Two years later, he got another chance against a world-class fighter, signing to meet Shane Mosley, who was jumping up two weight divisions to take on Rivera at 147.

Rivera was excited.

Denise, who was pregnant, was scared. She made her husband promise he would retire if he lost.

Sure enough, Rivera lost. But he didn’t lose his hope of ultimate glory because of the way he fought. Mosley, considered one of the two best fighters in the world along with Trinidad, struggled into the 10th round before knocking out Rivera.

“I pay attention to my wife,” Rivera said, “but I also negotiate with her. I told her, I want to keep on fighting to win a title so I can show people I can do it.”

Rivera got a reprieve from his retirement as long as he agreed to quit when he lost, but, in the last 20 months, all he has done with his extended career is to fight, and beat, a couple of guys named Gerald Coleman and Rob Bleakley.

Tonight, Rivera (32-4-1, 20 knockouts) steps back into the big time against Vargas (20-1, 18), who has vowed to regain the form he abandoned early against Trinidad when he got knocked down twice in the first round.

Gone was the slow, methodical fighter who stalked his opponent, cleverly but cautiously, and possessed a good sense of timing and a feel for the right moment to strike.

Instead, Vargas became desperate after the first knockdown, survival the only thought on his mind.

“I’ll be aggressive [against Rivera] when I want,” Vargas said, “but I’ll be a lot wiser like I was before Trinidad. I’ll take my time. I am going to be explosive, but, at the same time, I’m going to be intelligent.”

Vargas has no doubt he won’t flinch nor relive the nightmare of last December the first time Rivera starts flicking punches at him.

“I definitely know how I’m going to react,” Vargas said. “I’ve sparred. I’ve gotten hit and I’ve responded great.”

The fighters had agreed to a weight of 156. Vargas made it on the nose at Friday’s weigh-in, but Rivera was one ounce over. It took him 45 minutes to lose that.

Tonight he figures to lose a lot more when Vargas begins applying the pressure.

That would mean still more pressure after the final bell from Denise.

Be assured, she hasn’t forgotten that promise.

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In tonight’s semi-main event, North American Boxing Federation lightweight champion Juan Lazcano (26-2-1, 19) will defend against two-time champion John-John Molina (52-6, 33). Also on the card, North American Boxing Assn. junior-middleweight champion Jose “Shibata” Flores (41-8, 23) goes up against Rene Herrera (25-12, 17).