Undefeated Vargas eager to end knockout drought

It wasn't that long ago that Jessie Vargas was knocking people out every time he stepped inside the ring.

Vargas racked up four straight stoppages in 2010 fighting as a junior welterweight. But knockouts haven't been as easy to come by since the 23-year-old Las Vegan moved up to welterweight full time in February. He remains undefeated after wins over Lanardo Tyner, Steve Forbes and, most recently, Aaron Martinez on Sept. 13.

But Vargas (20-0, nine KOs) is looking to get back to being a knockout artist, and he has trained for tonight's 10-round bout against 26-year-old Vito Gasparyan at Texas Station with the intent of getting a KO.

"We're working on more power punches and being more precise," Vargas said of the game plan he and trainer Robert Alcazar have drawn up for Gasparyan (14-2-5, eight KOs). "We're going in with the intent of getting a knockout."

Vargas last knocked out an opponent in July 2011, when he stopped Walter Estrada in the second round of their junior welterweight bout in Primm. Vargas said that's too long to go without a KO.

"Definitely," Vargas said. "But the reality is I've fought some tough guys since then. (Josesito) Lopez was a tough fight. Tyner was tough. Stevie Forbes was a veteran guy who wouldn't go down. And Martinez wouldn't go down."

Vargas initially was scheduled to fight on the undercard of Saturday's Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight at the MGM Grand Garden. But when Diego Magdaleno pulled out of his fight with an injury to his left wrist and hand, Top Rank moved Vargas into Magdaleno's spot as the Texas Station headliner.

"I was looking forward to being part of the big card, but I'm excited about being in the main event," Vargas said. "It's on national TV (Azteca America), and fighting at Texas Station, my fans can afford to see me fight."

Tickets for tonight's card are $25. Had Vargas remained on the Pacquiao-Marquez undercard, it would have been tough for the majority of his fans to watch him fight. The cheapest seat was $150, and those were snapped up long before Vargas was put on the undercard.

"It was worth it," Vargas said of moving his fight up a day. "I feel bad that Diego got hurt and couldn't fight. But sometimes things happen for a reason, and I'm glad I have this opportunity."

The first bell is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.