Reid and Vargas on Collision Course
Dateline: 07/19/99David Reid and Fernando Vargas moved one step closer to a possible junior middleweight unification bout some time next year with wins over solid opponents. That, however, is where the similarity between the performances of these two rising stars begins and ends.
Vargas (17-0, 17 KOs) needed 11 rounds to knockout former champion Raul Marquez (30-2, 20 KOs) but demonstrated a good chin and late power in the longest fight of his professional career to date. Vargas, who fights with a great deal of emotion, maintained his composure despite some bad blood between the two before the fight and being on the receiving end of a few low blows during the bout. All-in-all an impressive performance for the 21-year-old IBF champ.
Reid (13-0, 7 KOs), on the other hand, looked amateurish and easy to hit against awkward Australian Kevin Kelly (24-6-3, 11 KOs). The judges awarded Reid a unanimous decision (116-111, 116-111 and 115-112), but the fight could have been scored in Kelly’s favor. Put it this way, if Kelly was the champ and/or the fight was held in Australia, Reid would no longer have an unbeaten record. Reid was knocked down by a left hook late in the fifth and - despite corrective surgery - once again became easy to hit with right hands once his droopy left eyelid began to close. At 25, Reid is a talented fighter with lots of upside potential, but he must demonstrate improved boxing skills and more maturity (he appeared to dismiss his corner’s advice on numerous occasions) if he hopes to rise to superstar status.
Next up for Reid is a scheduled Aug. 28 defense of his WBA title against former champ Keith Mullings. Vargas’ next opponent has not been announced, though he’s not shy to share his desire for a bout with Oscar De La Hoya (not going to happen any time soon). Hopefully both Reid and Vargas will remain on course for a head-to-head meeting in 2000. Both fighters can be hit, but at this point Vargas appears to have the better chin and would have to be considered a slight favorite.
David Tua Rings Gary's Bell
In the only other fight of note this past weekend, heavyweight David Tua (34-1, 29 KOs) needed just 79 seconds to destroy an overmatched Gary Bell (21-3, 14 KOs). Tua came in heavier than usual at 237, but the fight didn’t last long enough to discover if the weight might create any problems. Seconds into the fight, a clash of heads opened a nasty cut over Bell's left eye. After a brief pause in the action so that a doctor could examine the cut, Tua resumed the process of pummeling Bell into submission - hitting him with 17 straight punches - before the referee jumped in to stop the mismatch. Tua is deservedly considered among the top young heavyweights in the world today, but needs to take on better quality opponents if he hopes for any public support for a title shot.
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