Samuel Vargas knows all about facing boxing’s hot prospects. In 2015, Vargas was in the opposite corner to Errol Spence as the talented Texan was in the middle of his journey from 2012 Olympian to one of the sport’s most dominant fighters.
Almost six years to the day he took on Spence, Vargas tackles another fighter on the up in Britain’s Conor Benn, a fight being screened in multiple DAZN regions, and it’s a contest he approaches with huge confidence.
“I was 24 once, I was young once upon a time and when I look at myself then and now, I just laugh. I just think I bring too much into the ring for him,” boasted Vargas at the fight’s final press conference.
“It’s kind of sad we don’t have fans in the venue, I was looking forward to having a lot of fans there because it would’ve been a great energy, you need that. The fans in London have a lot of love and support which I’m thankful for.”
As well as earning a slightly unfair tag within the sport as a gatekeeper for emerging talents aiming to breakthrough onto the world scene, Vargas is also known for playing his part in a number of entertaining battles.
His 2018 rollercoaster tussle with Amir Khan saw both fighters hit the deck and endure several nervy moments before Khan was declared the victor on the scorecards. Vargas is expecting another hard encounter when the first bell rings at London’s Copper Box Arena.
“This is a fan friendly fight, he fights, I fight my ass off. I fight for my family, for everything I have, for the desire to win and become better at life and boxing, there’s so many motives I have to fight for.”