Vargas had a stellar amateur career prior to turning professional. Vargas was the National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion in 2000 and 2001.[1] In 2003 he stopped Mike Marrone but was stopped inside the distance by eventual winner Charles Ellis. He became US champion in 2003. In international fights he lost twice to Kertson Manswell in 2003 but beat him in 2004 to qualify for the Olympics.
This section needs expansion with: information on fights between 2004 and 2009. You can help by adding to it. (March 2017)
Vargas turned professional in 2004. He sustained his first defeat by a ranked opponent, Kevin Johnson (boxer), in a May 15, 2009 bout. It became clear early in the fight that Vargas was in over his head, being dropped in the 3rd—giving Johnson a massive lead—and again in the 5th round. Bloody and bruised during the latter, Vargas looked like a beaten man, and it was evident that the end was near. The end came with a flurry of combinations unleashed by Johnson early in the 6th round, thus scoring Johnson a TKO; had the fight been left to continue, it would have resulted in knock out. Mercy came when Vargas's corner saw the writing on the wall and, with a toss of a white towel, ended this mismatch, sparing Vargas further injury.
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