U.S. to face Puerto Rico in boxing

RENO -- If there's one thing Devin Vargas likes as much as a good slugfest, it's to hear boxing fans make noise when he's in the ring.

The 22-year-old Vargas, of Toledo, Ohio, wasn't disappointed in either regard the last time he was in Reno, as he banged his way to the 2001 National Golden Gloves 201-pound championship over Charles Ellis at City Center Pavilion.

"I remember scoring a third-round knockdown (over Ellis)," Vargas said Wednesday from the Jimmy Olivas-Nevada Boxing Gym, where he was training with the other 10 boxers who represent Team USA in tonight's amateur boxing dual against Puerto Rico at the Eldorado Hotel Casino's Showroom. "Reno's fans were great. When I dropped him, everyone launched from their seats to the ground and just started screaming. I still have it on tape."

The victory in Reno was the second consecutive National Golden Gloves title for Vargas, who will represent the United States in the Athens Olympics in August. He picked up his first in 2000, in Detroit, Mich., where he also won the tournament's "Golden Boy" award for best boxer.

Vargas, who began boxing at 8 and has had more than 200 amateur fights, has an impressive resume: He won the national PAL tournament in 2001, and in 2003, captured the U.S. Championship, U.S. Challenge, and a bronze medal in the Pan-American Games.

This year was even better, as Vargas won the Olympic Trials in Tunica, Miss., the Olympic Box-offs in Cleveland, then won three fights to win the Americas' Olympic qualifier in Tijuana, Mexico, in March for the right to go to Greece.

"Devin's a very good boxer," said Joe Zanders, one of three USA assistant coaches and the head coach for tonight's dual. "He's well-schooled. He has a great amateur background. He's been in the Junior Olympics and has a lot of international experience. He's taken his lumps and now he's ready for the Olympic games."

Vargas is one of five Olympians on tonight's card. He will be joined by Vicente Escobedo, 132 pounds, of Woodland, Calif., Vanes Matirosyan, 152, of Glendale, Calif., who has been training with Virginia City's Bobby Lee, Andre Dirrell, 165, of Flint, Mich., and Andre Ward, 175, of Oakland.

There are also four Olympic Box-offs runner-ups, including Diego Hurtado, 106, of Sparks, Aaron Alafa, 112, of Visalia, Calif., Eric Hunter, 119, of Philadelphia, Pa., and super heavyweight Mike Wilson, of Central Point, Ore.

The rest of Team USA is comprised of USA Boxing's No. 6 141-pounder, Charles Hatley, of Kaufman, Texas, and Ray Lampkin III, 125, of Portland, Ore. Lampkin's father, Ray Lampkin Jr., fought Robert Duran for Duran's WBA lightweight championship on March 2, 1975. Duran stopped Lampkin in the 14th round.

"I'm honored to be with all of these guys," Vargas said of his teammates. "They're some of the best boxers in the world. I'm not one of the best boxers, I've just got a never-say-die attitude. I try to box like Vicente (Escobedo) and Andre (Ward). I watch them and try to mimic their boxing. But I'm an action fighter. I love banging. The coaches are trying to stop me."

Zanders smiled when he heard what Vargas said.

"Yes, he likes to bang," Zanders said. "We're trying to get him out of that mentality. I think he'll do fine. He's coming along good. He's a hard worker. I don't have to worry about his attitude or focus. He'll give a great effort."

And Vargas has a little extra motivation to do well. Vargas said he and his 27-year-old brother, Dallas, are always trying to one-up each other for family bragging rights. Dallas is 12-1, with seven knockouts, as a professional, and competes in the super middleweight division.

"Dallas yells at me, tries to get me in shape," Devin said. "He recently won a belt - some Ohio title or something. We argue about who's belt is better. He bought a ticket to come see me in Athens. We used to spar, but one would hit the other hard and our dad would have to jump in and break us up."

Although he's bigger than his older bother, Devin isn't too cocky.

"He's hit me the hardest I've ever been hit," Devin said of Dallas. "He hits like a mule. The guy he beat for the Ohio belt was 9-0, with nine knockouts. He said he'd knock my brother out. Well, he didn't. Still, I'm more nervous for his fights than mine. I don't like to see him get hit."

Devin also has the backing of his hometown.

"A lot of people in Toledo got together and had a fund-raiser and said, 'We want to see the family get there (to Athens)," said Devin, who also got to throw out the first ball for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens and was in the Toledo Memorial Day Parade. "We've had tons of support."

Vargas also has an 18-month-old son, Bishop, who Vargas said has been shadow boxing for six months.

"I've missed half his life already because I'm away boxing three and four weeks at a time," Vargas said. "He's my new drive, ever since I saw him born. That's what I'm training for."

Vargas said Reno will be a great change from Tijuana.

"It means a lot (to box in Reno)," Vargas said. "A lot of the fans there booed us. They hate the U.S. They don't understand we're just athletes representing our country. They threw water at us. It's going to be good coming in here. Hopefully the fans will come to see us fight. People from Reno love to see a fight, Hopefully we'll give them a treat."

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the first fight begins at 7. Tickets are available for $50 and can be purchased at the door, by calling (800) 648-5700 or (775) 786-5700, or online at www.eldoradoreno.com.

TEAM USA VS. PUERTO RICO

106 pounds: Diego Hurtado, Sparks vs. Cesar Seda

112: Aaron Alafa, Visalia, Calif. vs. Joseph Serrano

119: Eric Hunter, Philadelpia, Pa. vs. Juan M. Lopez

125: Ray Lampkin III, Portland, Ore. vs. Carlos Velazquez

132: Vicente Escobedo, Woodland, Calif. vs. Alexander de Jesus

141: Charles Hatley, vs. Kenny Galarza

152: Vanes Martirosyan, Glendale, Calif. vs. Emmanuelle Gonzalez

165: Andre Dirrell, Flint, Mich. vs. Miguel Almonte

178: Andre Ward, Oakland, vs. Santos Marquez

201: Devin Vargas, Toledo, Ohio vs. Vicente Miranda

201+: Mike Wilson, Central Point, Ore. vs. Victor Bisbal