GOLD RUSH DE LA HOYA KOS VARGAS IN THE 11TH.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Assistant Sports Editor 

LAS VEGAS - After all the nasty words they exchanged, all the bravado, all the hype, all that stood between Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas were their fists and skills. And that's where Vargas, although again brave, fell short.

De La Hoya finally claimed the defining victory that had eluded him in his 10-year career, ending a splendid fight with a spectacular knockout out 1:48 into the 11th round and sending Vargas to the hospital before a wild sellout crowd of 11,425 Saturday at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

And the fact his victim was his hated Los Angeles-area rival - Vargas of Oxnard has spent much of his life bad-mouthing De La Hoya - made this as gratifying as any day in De La Hoya's career.

``It feels great,'' said De La Hoya (35-2, with 28 knockouts). ``All the talk; I just got fed up. He got under my skin. I told everyone my fists would do the talking.''

De La Hoya, who unified the WBC and WBA junior middleweight titles, had to work hard in what was a close, intense fight that had fans chanting both fighters' names for most of 10 rounds.

As expected, Vargas (22-2, 20 KOs) was the stronger of the two. De La Hoya had difficulty keeping him at bay and at times found himself trapped and taking hard punches, against the ropes.

That's how Vargas made it a close fight: De La Hoya led 96-94 on the cards of Doug Tucker and Paul Smith and Vargas led 97-94 on the card of Patricia Jarman-Manning going into the 11th. The punch statistics were also close: De La Hoya landed 281 punches, Vargas 227.

However, in the end, the fight played out exactly as many expected: De La Hoya's unusual speed and boxing ability was the difference.

De La Hoya used his left jab incessantly to score points and keep Vargas off balance and followed with more and more power punches as the fight went on. That included a series of straight rights, a punch he promised to incorporate into his arsenal.

At the same time, he used his quickness and defensive skills to avoid most of Vargas' power punches. Although it was tough fight, De La Hoya's face was relatively unmarked.

``He never hurt me,'' De La Hoya said.

The fight began to turn in the middle rounds, with a cut under Vargas' right eye bleeding profusely and his strength apparently wearing thin. The beginning of the end was the 10th, when De La Hoya landed a left hook that sent Vargas reeling seconds before the end of the round.

``At first, I thought he might be too strong,'' De La Hoya said. ``When I rolled (my shoulders) and he kept missing I knew it would wear him down in the later rounds, though.

``In the sixth, seventh rounds I felt he was wearing down.''

In the 11th, De La Hoya, well aware Vargas was hurt, stalked his prey until another monstrous left hook snapped Vargas' head back and knocked him to his pants. He got up quickly but was badly hurt. De La Hoya seized the moment, wailing away on a helpless Vargas in the corner until referee Joe Cortez had seen enough.

Just like that, De La Hoya became the undisputed junior middleweight champion and won one of the hottest turf wars the sport has ever seen.

Afterward, De La Hoya was lifted to the shoulders of one of his cornermen, a wide, satisfying grin on his face, in a spontaneous celebration. Meanwhile, Vargas, his face and pride battered and his step unsteady, immediately left the ring and was helped to his dressing room by two members of his camp.

He said nothing to De La Hoya after the fight, perpetuating the ill will that has existed between the two for years.

``I thought he was going to shake my hand or something,'' De La Hoya said. ``He didn't. That's OK, no problem.''

Rolando Arellano, Vargas' co-manager, was gracious at the postfight news conference. He expressed satisfaction that his fighter held his own for most of the fight, that he was sharper than he has been since his knockout loss to Felix Trinidad two years ago, and he made no excuses.

``Unfortunately, this is the game of boxing,'' he said. ``We're not going anywhere. We'll take some time to heal and then determine who the next opponent will be.''

The biggest surprise De La Hoya brought to Las Vegas was his punching power. Consensus was he left his best punches in the lower weight divisions.

That he proved his doubters wrong also was gratifying and might serve as a warning to prospective opponents he's growing into the 154-pound division. He wants rematches with Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad, the only two fighters to beat him.

``I have a punch,'' he said. ``A lot of people are surprised by my speed and my power. I do pack a punch.''

Vargas, taken by ambulance to a local hospital immediately after the fight to have the cut stitched and for observation, couldn't dispute that contention.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Oscar De La Hoya, right, hammers Fernando Vargas against the ropes in the final seconds of their junior middleweight title fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press

(2) Oscar De La Hoya celebrates his victory that unified the WBC and WBA junior middleweight titles Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News