REFRESHED VARGAS RETURNS TO RING.

Byline: ROBERT MORALES Boxing

Fernando Vargas could hang up his gloves today and not have a financial worry in the world.

He owns Total Communications by Fernando Vargas, and has been well advised financially by his co-manager, Rolando Arellano.

But Vargas, the former two-time junior middleweight champion from Oxnard, still has the desire to accomplish more in the ring.

It's why he has spent the past 15 months rehabilitating a bulging disc in his back.

Vargas (24-2, 22 KOs) will square off against Raymond Joval (33-3, 15 KOs) on Saturday in Corpus Christi, Texas, in a middleweight fight that will be televised by HBO.

It will be Vargas' first fight since stopping Tony Marshall in the seventh round in December 2003 in an outdoor arena in Tucson, Ariz. By the time the fight was over, temperatures had dipped to near-freezing, not the best elements for someone with a bad back.

Arellano believes fighting in that weather, where the boxers were being covered with blankets between rounds on Tucson's coldest night of that year, did aggravate an existing condition.

But Vargas, with the help of new fitness coach Robert Ferguson, has taken the bull by the horns and has worked his aching back into fighting condition.

``With the strength training I have been doing with my coach, all I can say is that it is stronger,'' Vargas said Friday via telephone from Corpus Christi. ``I do get pains here and there, but strengthening the core muscles around the back, it keeps it from flaring up too often.

``That is how I'm maintaining. That way I'm keeping those muscles strong.''

Vargas, who also battled and conquered a thyroid condition, said that not only is his back in better shape, so is he. As of Friday, with still eight days before Saturday's fight, Vargas already was down to 164 pounds, only four pounds over the middleweight limit.

``I am leaner than ever,'' said Vargas, whose only other fight at middleweight was against Marshall. ``Working with Robert Ferguson, he is really helping me with everything. He knows everything about food.

``Exercises are not overdone. Just enough to strengthen your muscles for boxing, and not stuff you won't use in boxing.''

Vargas was almost giddy. His enthusiasm came through over the phone, loud and clear. So did Arellano's.

``This is our best camp ever,'' Arellano said. ``He (Vargas) is strong. I see the igniting of a fire in him.''

There are reasons. Vargas has held the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association junior middleweight titles. But he wants very much to win a World Boxing Council title. To him, in many ways, it is the most prestigious belt a fighter can have.

``I set a goal of being world champion, and luckily God has blessed me and I was the youngest to do that in the junior middleweight division,'' said Vargas, 27, who was 21 years and five days old when he won the IBF championship by stopping Yory Boy Campas by seventh-round technical knockout on Dec. 12, 1998.

``And I've been two-time champion,'' Vargas said. ``But I am looking for one more belt and that is the WBC. The only belt you want is that green one. To me, that is the Mexican belt.''

The WBC is green in color and the organization is located in Mexico. Its current junior middleweight champion is Javier Castillejo, and since Vargas said he is moving back down to junior middleweight after Saturday's fight, that is who Vargas and Arellano said they are going after next.

There are two other reasons why Vargas is still fighting, despite the back pain that will probably never go away entirely. Their names are Felix Trinidad Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya. Both stopped Vargas - Trinidad in the 12th round, De La Hoya in the 11th - and Vargas wants them in rematches.

``I would love to, if it is possible,'' Vargas said. ``By me getting the WBC belt, I think that would entice either of them. Being that they already beat me, hopefully that will entice them more.''

--Site situation: The recently signed WBA heavyweight title fight between champion John Ruiz and James ``Lights Out'' Toney will take place April 30, but the site is still to be determined.

It had been reported last week in other publications that it would be held at Madison Square Garden in New York. But Toney's promoter, Dan Goossen, on Sunday said a deal with MSG was not done.

--Chavez and son: Julio Cesar Chavez and his son, Julio Jr., will take part in an autograph and picture-taking session from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at Staples Center's Star Plaza.

Chavez Sr., a living legend who still won't hang up the gloves, will take on Ivan Robinson of Philadelphia in a 10-round super lightweight special attraction on a May 28 card at Staples.

Chavez Jr. (17-0, 12 KOs) will fight a six-round lightweight bout against an opponent to be determined.

Chavez Sr., 42, is 106-5-2 with 88 knockouts. Robinson is 32-9-2 with 12 knockouts.

Also on that bill, Carlos Hernandez (41-4-1, 24 KOs) of West Covina via El Salvador will square off with Jesus Chavez (40-3, 28 KOs) of Austin, Texas, in a 12-round super featherweight fight. Both are former world champions. Rafael Marquez (33-3, 30 KOs) of Mexico City will take on Tijuana's Ricardo Vargas (37-10-3, 12 KOs) in a defense of his IBF bantamweight belt.

The event will be available on pay-per-view. Tickets begin at $25.

--Hopkins to fight at Staples: A longtime source told the Daily News that Bernard Hopkins will shoot for his 21st middleweight title defense in a fight against Jermain Taylor in July at Staples Center.

The deal reportedly was signed over the weekend.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Former junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas says he is as strong as ever coming into Saturday's fight.

Vince Bucci/Getty Images

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