VARGAS BEATS HIS BUDDY FOR TITLE BELT HE KOS FORMER SPARRING PARTNER FLORES IN SEVENTH.

LAS VEGAS - Fernando Vargas experienced something new here Saturday: Compassion for his opponent, an emotion that doesn't normally make it to the boxing ring.

When the opening bell rang, Vargas was face to face with a dear friend - Jose ``Shibata'' Flores - who stood between him and his second world championship. It wasn't a pleasant feeling but Vargas had a job to do and he got it done.

The Oxnard resident knocked down Flores twice, the second time for good. Referee Joe Cortez counted Flores out at 2:59 of the seventh round in front of 4,700 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino to give Vargas the WBA junior middleweight championship that was vacated by Felix Trinidad. He had held the IBF title but lost it to Trinidad in December.

The judges had Vargas leading 59-54, 59-55 and 58-55. The Daily News had it 59-54.

Afterward, Vargas, who hired Flores as a sparring partner two years ago and then helped guide him up the rankings, admitted he lacked the passion of previous fights because of their friendship.

``I normally fight with controlled anger,'' he said. ``I didn't have that tonight. The bell rang (in the first round) and I told myself, `I can't believe I'm fighting this guy.' It was something strange. Little by little, though, I started to apply pressure.

``I'm just glad it's over with.''

Vargas (22-1, 20 knockouts) had tried as the fight approached to create animosity toward Flores, one of the most likeable fighters anywhere. He couldn't and the fight reflected it: It wasn't much more stirring than one of their many sparring sessions.

However, Vargas did take care of business. As coldly as a machine he applied more and more pressure as the fight progressed until Flores (42-9, 24 KOs) simply could take no more.

Vargas knocked Flores down with a short left hook to the chin in the second round but it did little damage and played no role in the outcome. Instead, it was the punishing body punches he accumulated over the next five rounds that made a limited but tough fighter give up in the end.

A right hand to the middle of Flores' stomach midway through the seventh hurt him badly and led directly to his demise. Vargas followed moments later with a barrage of punches to the body and head as Flores bobbed and weaved in a corner but finally decided enough was enough.

He made a conscious decision to sit down and stayed there until Cortez had reached the count of 10.

``Yes, some of the body shots really hurt me,'' Flores said through an interpreter. ``... I thought I would be the one to go to the body and he would headhunt. It turned out I was mistaken. I gave it all I had. I didn't get up because I'd taken enough punishment. I'm intelligent enough not to get hurt.''

The moment Cortez signaled the end of the fight, Vargas rushed to his friend and gave him an embrace that reflected his affection.

``Shibata is my friend and he'll always be my friend,'' said Vargas, who hugged his pal several more times at the postfight news conference. ``I'm gonna continue to do what I can to help him in his career.''

Vargas' victory doesn't erase the memories of his brutal knockout loss to Trinidad in December or a shaky victory over Wilfredo Rivera in May, in which he was hurt badly in the first round but rallied to win by knockout. He gave himself a grade of ``C'' for his performance Saturday, which seems to be about right.

He won easily but again seemed sluggish and it's important to remember that while Flores is a competent fighter, he's not supposed to be anywhere near Vargas' class.

However, it gave Vargas his second world title and keeps him in position for more high-profile, big-money fights.

He wants to fight WBC junior middleweight champ Oscar De La Hoya, with whom he seemed to have reached an agreement for a Dec. 8 fight before the deal fell through. If he can't get De La Hoya, he said he would like a rematch with Winky Wright, assuming Wright beats Robert Frazier for the vacant IBF junior middleweight title. Vargas defeated Wright by a close and controversial decision in 1999.

Like Flores, Wright is a southpaw.

``I'll be fighting a southpaw,'' Vargas said. ``I'll have to have Shibata back in Big Bear (training camp) with me.''

Said Flores: ``For sure.''

On the undercard, former world champion Robert Garcia (34-3, 25 KOs) of Oxnard defeated John Trigg (6-12-4, two KOs) of Atlanta when the referee stopped the scheduled six-round lightweight bout at the end of round four.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) This barrage of body shots in the seventh round helped Fernando Vargas, left, put Jose ``Shibata'' Flores away and claim the WBA junior middleweight title.

(2) Jose ``Shibata'' Flores is counted out by referee Joe Cortez in the seventh round Saturday.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News