Josue Vargas gets some teeth knocked out, but a long Tuesday ends with a win

Josue Vargas had a trying Tuesday in many ways.

The 22-year-old junior welterweight prospect got word in the afternoon that his father and trainer, Elario Vargas, was going to be banned from ringside for his Tuesday night, after Elario had violated Top Rank’s “bubble” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The elder Vargas had left his room the night before, going to the casino floor without a mask on, saying he’d had a headache. An absent-minded mistake, but one that meant Josue would be without his corner man.

Interviewed on the ESPN broadcast a bit before his fight, Josue was very emotional about his dad not being able to go out there with him, but manager Raul Rivas proved a solid replacement, and Vargas (17-1, 9 KO) routed Salvador Briceno over 10 rounds to win a clear, one-sided decision.

Post-fight, he was speaking with interviewer Bernardo Osuna again. He had Rivas at his side, and his mouthpiece was still in. Osuna convinced him to take it out, and Vargas revealed what you can see up top: he got some front teeth knocked out in the fight.

“My teeth got knocked out. I’ve got veneers, it wasn’t real teeth,” Vargas said, showing off his wounds post-fight. “But I fought through that, and with a cut and a headbutt. I’m a warrior. That’s what I’m in the sport for.”

All in all, it was probably a long day for the young southpaw, born in Puerto Rico and now fighting out of the Bronx, but he leaves with a W and another step forward in his young career.