Antonio Vargas

Bio

Antonio Vargas is the WBA bantamweight champion and a fighter who has earned his place at the top the proper way. The American is 19-1-1 with 11 knockouts and carries genuine amateur pedigree as a former Olympian, the kind of schooling that shows in his fundamentals, his balance, and his composure under fire.

Vargas captured the interim WBA title by stopping Winston Guerrero in the tenth round in Orlando in December 2024, before being elevated to full champion in 2025. That stoppage win showed there is more to his game than ring craft — when the openings appear, he can take a fight away from an opponent rather than simply outpoint them.

He is a confident, technically sound operator who fights with his head as much as his hands. At bantamweight he is a naturally sturdy, full-blooded 118-pounder, and that physicality could be his biggest weapon in his next assignment. His best work comes when he can dictate the terms and make opponents fight at his pace.

On June 13 he defends his title against pound-for-pound talent Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, live on DAZN. Bam is moving up in weight chasing a third-division crown, and Vargas has the size, the title, and the home crowd to make life very awkward. Spoil the script against a fighter of Rodriguez's calibre and Vargas announces himself as a force at 118.