Francisco Vargas vs. Miguel Berchelt Promises to Be Pure Action

HBO kicks off its 2017 boxing slate Saturday night when it presents the fans with a dynamite doubleheader almost guaranteed to produce high-octane action.

Francisco Vargas—who has been a combatant in each of the last two Fight of the Year award winners—defends his WBC Super Featherweight Championship in the main event against once-beaten power puncher Miguel Berchelt.

In the co-feature, former world champion and safety-last fighter Takashi Miura faces Mickey Roman in a bout where each man will be looking to propel himself back into the title hunt.

You should probably set your DVRs because one or both will probably be in the conversation 11 months from now when we’re all settling down for the holidays and debating our 2017 boxing awards.

Berchelt is mainly known for the pop on his punches, but he feels his boxing skill should help him to keep distance and set up his power rather than just walking in and slugging it out with the champion.

“The first round is normally a study round, but Vargas doesn’t tend to do that,” Berchelt said, per Ben Jacobs of BoxingScene. “From that first bell he goes for you, but I have the boxing skill, the distance and timing to box more.”

“I also have my punching power, which has never let me down. I’m young, hungry and I have everything in my locker to win.”

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Vargas certainly doesn’t do feeling-out rounds.

It’s just not in his makeup, and it’s probably not a smart bet to expect it’ll change here.

El Bandido is a straight-up warrior.

There’s not a whole lot to his technique that goes beyond move forward, throw punches and try to hit your opponent just a little bit more and just a little bit harder than you get hit in return.

It’s led him to an undefeated record in 25 professional bouts and a reputation as one of the sport’s can’t-miss attractions.

Vargas isn’t going to change, and he has no problem letting you know it.

“Boxing fans know what to expect every time I step in to the ring—and that is a war,” Vargas said in a news released issued by Golden Boy Promotions in December, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times.

“I am aware of my opponent’s knockout power, but he’s never faced a true world champion, and I am confident I will come out on top.”

Vargas has been out of the ring since June.

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He needed the time to rest, recover and mend the wounds taken in the bloodsport that was his majority draw against Orlando Salido. Those are the kind of fights that take years off a career, but they satisfy the carnal instincts of many fans.

That’s why they keep coming back.

The big question in this fight will be whether Berchelt has the boxing chops to draw Vargas into exchanges when it benefits him while avoiding the type of all-out firefight that clearly favors the champion.

Berchelt has fought outside of his native Mexico once. Most of his opposition has been lower level, which doesn’t tell us a whole lot about how he’ll be able to handle what’s a pretty clear step up in class.

He likes to box and move a bit, but he sometimes gets a bit wild when he darts in with his combinations. That could prove fatal against a bomber like Vargas, even more so given he was stopped by unknown Luis Eduardo Florez in the opening round of his lone defeat.

But Berchelt feels that getting the disappointment of his first loss out of way in such a devastating manner actually gives him the ability to be more loose and approach his fights without fear.

He feels this will give him the edge in his first chance at a world title.

“The worst thing that can happen to you in boxing is to get knocked out in the first round, and I experienced it,” Berchelt said, per Jacobs. “There’s always a fear for some fighters that you’ll lose your undefeated record, so I don’t think I can go through any worse than that.”

“That defeat taught me a lot in terms of my preparation and how to respect all my opponents. This is boxing after all, and anything can happen.”