Rey Vargas jumping to PBC in multi-fight deal

WBC junior featherweight titleholder Rey Vargas has signed a multi-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions, according to Mike Coppinger. The 29-year-old Mexican standout had previously been working with Golden Boy Promotions.

Vargas (34-0, 22 KO) is largely considered the top fighter in the 122-pound division, tall and rangy at the weight. He won the vacant WBC belt in 2017 by majority decision over Gavin McDonnell on the road in England, and has defended five times since then.

In 2019, Vargas made successful defenses against Franklin Manzanilla in February and Tomoki Kameda in July. There was talk of him possibly unifying with Top Rank’s Emanuel Navarrete, but it doesn’t seem to have gotten very serious, and at any rate, that’s now pretty well off the table, or at least one would think.

Possible bigger fights within PBC right now for Vargas would include Brandon Figueroa (20-0-1, 15 KO), a 23-year-old prospect who fought to a draw with Julio Ceja last time out, though Ceja did miss weight, it has to be said. There’s also Stephen Fulton (17-0, 8 KO), a 25-year-old fighter from Philadelphia who faces Arnold Khegai on PBC’s Jan. 25 card on Showtime.