Big Time Boxing Returns to RGV as Vargas Brothers Headline Bert Ogden Arena

Big-time boxing returns to the Rio Grande Valley this Saturday at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, as undefeated prospect "El Feroz" Fernando Vargas Jr., son of the legendary former world champion and brother Amado Vargas, will headline the card. Plus, former WBC Super Bantamweight world champion and top-ranked Featherweight Brandon Figueroa will be the night's special guest.

In the evening main event, Vargas Jr., 11-0 (11), will battle rugged Colombian veteran Luis Eduardo Florez in a six-round Jr. welterweight affair. Also on the card is highly touted and undefeated featherweight prospect Nathan Rodriguez, 11-0 (7), who will battle Jonas Castillo of Nicaragua in a six-round scrap.

Two other highly touted Texas natives will also be featured on the card. Rio Grande Valley native Xavier Bocanegra, 2-0 (1), a hard-hitting KO artist from Donna, will face off with Julian Yanez, a Rio Grande Native-based fighter. Bocanegra trains with legendary trainer Ronnie Shields in Houston and looks to bounce back from a hand injury that has kept him sidelined for over a year. Also,14X national champion and undefeated bantamweight Jesus "Panterita" Martinez of Del Rio returns to the ring 4-0-1 (2) and takes on Kenneth Jamerson.

In addition to Saturday's thrilling fights, there is a full, fan-friendly fight week that includes a "Team Vargas" Media workout and meet and greet with the Vargas boys on Thursday at the Moon Rock in Harlingen. On Friday, the official weigh-in will be held at the Los Lagos Golf Course in Edinburg at 12 p.m.

Six Shooters: Six Young Texas Fighers who Could Emerge in 2023

1. Fabian Diaz Edinburg 3-0 (1) There's nothing not to like about Diaz, the best young fighter in the RGV is absolutely electric. He strikes so much similarity to a young Teofimo Lopez, a Teofimo Lopez who "still had it"! Everything Diaz throws is hard and violent. He's a seek-and-destroy fighter with superb skills and is always on the hunt. It's not a matter of if it's a matter of when for Diaz. The "Unknown Warrior" made his pro debut in July in San Antonio on a PBC and ran his record to 3-0 (1). He scored his latest win, a first-round KO earlier this month on a Marines Promotions Card. Look for the youngster to be back in the ring on another PBC Card early in 2023

2. Juan Garcia Carrizo Springs 1-0 (1) If you have never heard of Carrizo Springs you're about to the south Texas town in Dimmit County is about 80 miles northwest of Laredo and has a population of about 5,000. Garcia is about to put the small south Texas town on the boxing map. A pure boxer-puncher with excellent fundamentals and one-punch power got off to an explosive start to his career. He made his pro debut on a P4P card in San Antonio and scored a first-round knockout. Unfortunately, The least experienced fighter on the list should be 3-0 but had two victories removed by the Texas Commission, so the only knock on the kid is that he might want to be a little more careful of who he hangs around.

3." Panterita" Jesus Martinez Del Rio 3-0 (1) The Future Of Boxing! The Phenom. The youngest fighter on the list. The 13x US National Champ and International Champ is as complete a fighter as a 17-year-old can be, and under the tutelage of Robert Garcia, the sky is truly the limit. An extraordinary athlete with terrific speed, one-punch power, a high ring IQ, plus all the accolades to back it up. Panterita caught the eye of former world champs Joe Calzaghe and Darren Baker and was the first fighter signed by their Management company ISG. Panterita has already fought on Matchroom Cards and has been streamed on DAZN.

4. Daniel Cortez San Antonio 3-0 (1) the 20-year-old is already being touted as San Antonio's next great one. Cortez trains alongside fellow Alamo City natives and world champions Bam Rodriguez and Josh Franco, he served as one of Franco's chief sparring partners in his lead-up to the unification bout with Ioka. Cortez is a raw talent with unlimited upside, who after a brief but successful amateur career turned pro. He caught the eye of trainer Robert Garcia and has gotten off to an exceptional start in his professional career. He has a style that is made for pro success more than the amateurs and can band on the inside and his elite-level power but has the ability to use his height and reach and box from the outside. A gifted offensive fighter who can box at all three distances.

5. Javy Fernández San Antonio 12-0 (6) Guaranteed action! Fernandez is a pressure fighter, a raw power puncher, who had a way too wide-base. Fernendez was discovered by trainer Rick Nunez of the South Park Boxing Academy and Nunez has his man on the verge of being a breakout star. Fernandez is no longer just a relentless come-forward swarmer. He has learned how to cut the ring off, force his opponents to exchange, and can wear them down. He also snappy jab he uses to get on the inside and much-improved footwork. When on the inside Fernandez is deadly and relentless.

6. Sammy Castaneda Mercedes 9-0-1 (7)- Of all the Fighters on the list we know that Castaneda has the heart. He has that dog in him! The 9-0-1 prospect took a major step up and took on the biggest fight of his career as big-time boxing returned to the RGV as he battled Julio Sanchez in a lackluster fight that he still appeared to win but had to settle for a draw in. Castaneda didn't want to move on and forget it happened and his status as an A-side prospect to avoid a rematch. He was obsessed with the rematch, got his rematch, and delivered. He got up off the canvas and erased a three-point deficit on the scorecard after a second-round knockdown, shook it off, and dominated Sanchez for the remainder of the fight to pick up the MD victory.

Jesus "Panterita" Martinez signs with Joe Calazaghe and Darren Barker

Former World Champions Joe Calzaghe and Darren Barker are again throwing their hats into the boxing ring with the announcement of the launch of their management group, International Sports Group (ISG). The pair wasted no time making a major splash in the Lone Star State, signing 14x amateur US National champion, and former International amateur champion, Jesus "Panterita" Martinez of Del Rio, Texas. Martinez compiled an outstanding amateur record of 137-9 and won every conceivable amateur tournament in the US and just recently went viral when he scored a vicious knockout in the opening rounds of the USA Boxing national championships in Shreveport, Louisiana, last month. Martinez had considered staying in the amateur ranks but this opportunity was just too good to pass up. Martinez said of Joe Calzaghe " I looked up to him and I still look up to him. He was one of my favorites. I use to always watch the greats, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, and Joe Calzaghe were one of them. It's amazing to be signed by him and Darren Barker" 

An exciting opportunity for the kid from Del Rio, who has incredibly lofty goals. "I think by like 21, 22 I want to have my first world title and then over the years gain my other world titles... I want to be a five or six-division world champion. I wanna make history and I don't want to be one of the best, but the best to ever do it." He additionally dreams of bringing home the first world champion from Del Rio, a boxing-crazed border community Panterita describes what being a world champion from Del Rio would mean " It would just mean the world to me, to win a world title and they announce me being from Del Rio would mean the world to me. That's my birthplace, I grew up here in Del Rio. It would mean everything to me"

Martinez has been equally credited for his incredible punching power as well as his tireless work ethic. He said of his incredible one-punch power that it "doesn't really surprise me, I see it every day in the gym.. what does surprise me is the way it happens" he also explains where his incredible work ethic and drive comes from saying it's his "Passion for the sport. I come from a boxing family, my uncles my dad, my grandpa my cousins everyone boxed. Our dream always was to become a world champion. I want to make everyone proud" he says but "I also want to achieve my dream and be the best who has ever done it" He want on to add that being targeted and being the favorite in so many tournaments serves as extra motivation, saying  "Even though I had God-given talent I know there are kids who have my head as their target they are training to beat me and I slip and stop training head or I get distracted they're gonna be right on my head. So I cant slip up I have to be focused"

It looks like April will be the month Martinez makes his pro-debut but as of now, nothing is written in stone for his pro debut. The 17-year-old explained "right now April is looking good. Mid-April or end of April, but fingers crossed that pulls through. It's looking good. By April I should be 1-0" Whenever he does make his pro debut he is under the tutelage of the right people and his career is on the right path to meeting his lofty goals. When asked how cool it is to be signed with two ring legends, Martinez explained "It's surreal being signed to two-notch fighters...I got to talk to them and they're amazing, lovely people. I trust them I know they are going to guide me to a good career. They've been through it all."