Takashi Miura vs. Francisco Vargas: Winner, Recap and Reaction from Knockout

Francisco Vargas won the WBC super featherweight title Saturday night in Las Vegas with a ninth-round technical-knockout victory over Takashi Miura.

Referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight after Vargas knocked Miura down and then landed punch after punch while meeting little resistance. It was a stunning comeback from Vargas, considering he almost tasted defeat shortly after the opening bell.

Former welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi took issue with Meeks' decision:

While the timing of the stoppage was questionable, since Miura looked to be mounting something of a defense, the former champ had already absorbed a ton of punishment.

ESPN's Brian Campbell was impressed with each fighter's toughness:

The physical, thrilling nature of Vargas' win was the perfect tonic for the fans in Vegas after Guillermo Rigondeaux's uninspiring unanimous-decision victory over Drian Francisco. Boxing writer Graham Houston wondered whether the night's main event would be able to match the drama:

The excitement began in the first round after Vargas caught Miura flush in the face with a right-hand counter. It's any wonder how the champion remained on his feet. Once Miura started staggering, Vargas smelled blood in the water.

He threw 64 power shots in the opening round, landing 25, according to HBO Boxing.

SB Nation's Bad Left Hook thought a change in strategy was necessary for Miura to prolong the bout:

This piece of commentary from HBO's Jim Lampley sounded as though it came from one of the Rocky movies:

Miura began to find his footing in the second round, though, and got the better of Vargas in the third. A right-left combination sent Vargas to the mat in the fourth round. The sequence of blows also opened a sizable cut under Vargas' right eye.

From that point forward, Miura looked for any opportunity to inflict more pain on that area of Vargas' face, per RingTV.com's Douglass Fischer:

Although Vargas' eye swelled more and more with each proceeding round, Miura couldn't find that one punch that would put El Bandido out for good. In addition, Vargas maintained his aggressive streak, with each strike taking more and more out of Miura.

Eventually, it became too much for Miura, and his knockdown in the ninth was the beginning of the end.

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix argued that Vargas-Miura could be a major contender for fight of the year, and his assessment was right on the money. As much as a scientific, evenly matched bout can be entertaining, boxing is at its best when fighters throw caution to the wind and engage in an all-out slugfest.

Post-Fight Reaction

Vargas discussed his mindset during the fight, per Bryan Armen Graham of the Guardian:

"

I feel that my preparation paid off for this fight. I knew I had to be very aggressive, and I showed that in the first round so he knew that I would not be bullied. When I was knocked down in the fourth round, I felt even more motivated to win this fight. I made sure to fight the way I wanted, how I wanted and my style and now I'm the champion of the world!

"

"This is a dream come true for me, something I have been fighting for my whole life," Vargas added, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "I knew Takashi was going to be a tough opponent—that's why he is the champion—so I had to make sure I was prepared to face a fighter like him."

The WBC could immediately schedule a rematch between Vargas and Miura, and few fans would complain about having to watch the two clash again.

Should Vargas want a new challenge, he'll find no shortage of potential opponents. Given his aggressive style, any matchup he chooses should be guaranteed to deliver a fun spectacle.