Nobody can say for sure where it comes from. Sometimes it is deep  within a man. It cannot be seen, or gauged, or in most cases, controlled. It is a phenomenon that propels a fighter to the heights of professional boxing, and dazzles electrified fans every time they see it. It is the one intangible that will always make that fighter dangerous, at any age, and with any opponent. What I am speaking of, is real punching power. Once a fighter can display the ability to himself and the world, to totally disable another professional fighter, he becomes a different kind of fighter.

     When Mike Tyson was making his way through the heavyweight division, he was gracious after every fight. He was soft spoken, he seemed well mannered, but there was always an underlying advantage that he had. To put it quite simply, he was a knockout puncher. He destroyed full grown men; in some fights, in seconds. That did a lot to the psyche of other fighters, but it also did a lot to his own. When that power is there, other skills that need developing get pushed aside, which leads us to Fernando Vargas.

     Time, and a few crushing losses can bring on amnesia for a lot of fight fans. In 1999, Vargas was coming up so fast and so powerfully, he was 17- 0 with 17 K0’s. He was a devastating puncher that brought so much fear into the ring, it seemed like his opposition was just standing around, waiting to get hit. The major problem with punchers is, they can knock you out from any position, whether they are squared up, moving backwards, or in a clinch. Having speed makes a puncher even better, but, a puncher with a great defense will win almost every time. Vargas, like most big punchers, relied heavily on his natural ability and power. Other skills that needed developing will not flower as quickly as something God given; it takes time, and Vargas was just a kid.

     When Vargas met Trinidad, and suffered his first loss, he met a man that, at the time, had both speed and power. Vargas was caught squared up many times during that fight. Big hitters know, that even squared up, they can put you down, but if they meet equal power, and a good defense, it usually is the end of the night (Tyson / Holyfield). Vargas was taken out by 3, really “great” boxer/punchers; 4, if you include Winky Wright. I thought Wright won that fight.

     Vargas is still very young and a very good fighter. He is a success story. Maybe the punch that was developed by his inner demons can mate with a defense that can be developed by the need for respect. He has done great things, and maybe he can reverse the curse of the puncher, before it is too late.