Jessie Vargas: The Difference Training with Dewey Cooper Has Made, Showing the Boxing Universe Why He’s Serious and Why Timothy Bradley Should be Ashamed If He Doesn’t Make the Rematch

Exclusive Interview by Jesse “New School” Wright

Photo courtesy of Dewey Cooper

“Why doesn’t the media get on that? Timothy Bradley told me to fight Sadam Ali. I fought Sadam Ali. I knocked him out. I won the title because Timothy Bradley didn’t want to fight Sadam Ali. I did it, and I hope he’s man enough to give me a rematch. If not, he should be ashamed to be a man. He should be if he can’t give me my rematch now.” —Jessie Vargas

This past Saturday night on HBO After Dark at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. was the true introduction of Jessie Vargas to the world. Although he already fought in front of roughly 850,000 households against Timothy Bradley back in June, this most recent fight was a version that none of us had seen before. Under the tutelage of new trainer, yet long time friend Dewey Cooper, Vargas is reminded of why he got in to boxing in the first place: because it was fun. With a rediscovered passion as well as a newly gained skillset and mindset, we may be looking at a whole different fighter all together. It seems highly unlikely that Vargas will have issues with constant trainer changes; this one looks like it’s going to last the distance. There’s a new champion in the welterweight division now, and it seems as though he’s just getting started.

JW: I spoke to your trainer Dewey Cooper yesterday, and one thing he told me is that you’re a pretty emotional guy, and he helped you to meditate and moderate your emotions. How much did that help you in this fight, and how did that make you a better fighter?

You saw it Saturday night. It changed me for the better, and I showed that I’m a complete fighter now. That’s the best outcome a fighter can ask for.

JW: There was one round that Dewey told me you had a lapse toward the end of the round. It wasn’t shown on HBO, but in your corner after that round, he said that he gave you a talk that really calmed you down. What did he tell you after that round, and what did that do for you?

I think what Dewey means about me being an emotional fighter is that I like to get in to it, I like to exchange and if I get hit with one, I’ll come back with four like “Come on opponent, let’s get it going!” But he keeps me under control. He keeps me on the task at hand, and he keeps me on the game plan. I’m very happy with my team, and I’m very happy with their work. Our relationship as trainer and student is phenomenal.

JW: Dewey also pointed out that you’re having fun in camp. It’s laid back, and you’re having a good time boxing. Has it been like that in prior training camps, or is that something new for you?

You described it perfectly. That’s exactly how it is. We had a lot of fun in camp, but at the same time, it’s hard work. He reminds me that that’s the reason I started boxing. You have to remember he’s known me since I was eight years old. He reminds me why I’m there, why I started, and basically why I’m doing it. He reminds me why, and why I chose this as a career. I look back and go “yeah, you’re right,” because in that last week in training camp when it’s winding down and you’re like “dang man, I haven’t been able to see my friends, to leave my house for two months, eat some ice cream,” you get a little frustrated. But Dewey’s able to get to know me physically and mentally. He’s able to get to know my body and how it performs on a day to day basis through training camp, and also get to know me as the person that I am. He knows everything about me. There isn’t any other person, other than family, that would know me more than Dewey Cooper. I’m happy to have him by my side in battle.

JW: To switch gears a little bit, you went in there saying you’re going to knock him out. I won’t lie to anybody, when I heard that, I thought “okay he’s hyping the fight, but he hasn’t been able to do that in a few fights.” Then sure enough, you went in there, and dug deep down for that overhand right, the straight rights and the body punches, and you lit Ali up. To all the people that say “you’re born with power, it’s not taught,” tell me how you change that?

That is somewhat true: you’re either born with power or you’re not. Also, if you have the power and you don’t believe in it, you’re not going to possess it. If you have the power and you believe you can do so much with it, you’re going to increase it. So it improves having a trainer that knows how to increase it to the maximum with all of his training techniques, and he speaks with you, communicates with you, and points out the facts on how to get more power and technique.

Also, it helps to know how to gain more power, and how to point out when you’re punching hard and when you’re not. He points out what technique you’re doing properly and getting the most benefit possible out of your power. So I guess you’re right, because we were able to maximize the power with the technique we were able to correct. Not only that, it was several things, not just one. It was improving technique to get more power, knowing when and how I’m hurting my opponent so now I know what volume I’m bringing it up to. Because there’s different levels, and now I’m learning how to get the most power, and how to change it up from speed, to power, to just a natural punch. There’s just so much more to it. Dewey could explain it perfectly.

JW: He seems to have a really strong understanding of you.

He really does!

JW: In the last round of the Bradley fight, you landed that huge overhand right, but there were a lot of people who thought it was a lucky punch at best. There are also people saying that you’ve bounced around from trainer to trainer, and that you didn’t have it together. To all of the people that have had doubts about you, what would you tell them, and what would you tell them that this new Jessie does differently?

First of all, I’d like to point out that I’m a young fighter, and I have a long road ahead of me. I was still looking for my team, and looking for my coach: the person who could guide me in to victory for the rest of my career. I’m blessed that I was able to find him in Dewey Cooper. We make a great match and have great chemistry. Take nothing away from my past trainers and people I had in my corner, but I’m very happy with Dewey. He’s a great trainer, he knows his stuff, and he’s a student of the game.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but all I can say is that I’m here to give my best, to give it my all and I’ve never backed down from anyone. Even though I was down on the scorecards in the fight with Bradley, I was able to dig deep and to say “I don’t care if I’m down on the scorecards, I’m gonna look for the knockout.” Not everyone has the courage to go a twelve round fight, and say “I’m gonna keep looking for the victory,” and change up to a completely different style just to try and look for the victory.

Very few could really stay strong and dig deep. A lot could say that they’re losing anyway and quit, but I don’t. People should know that, and that should be respected, because even on a bad night, I was able to knockout Timothy Bradley. Because he knows I had him out. In the ring after the fight he told me that. He gave me my credit, and he knows it. But hey, everyone is entitled to have their own opinion.

JW: What was the emotion after winning that fight as a betting underdog, especially when people thought you were a stepping stone?

The feeling after the fight was… to be honest, I was just so happy that we were able to perform at the highest level and show fans that I am the better fighter. Because Sadam Ali was a very good fighter; I give him credit. I said it before the fight, he had good technical skills, he was able to outbox his opponents, he has lateral movement and head movement and he’s able to fight when he wants to.

He’s a good fighter, but I showed that I’m a better fighter. Everybody was talking about how fast he was, well I was faster. People talked about how strong he was, well I was stronger. People talk about how much ring generalship he has, well I have more ring generalship. So if you said all that about him, I can only imagine what they think about me now. I had full control over the fight. I’m blessed. I thank God for giving me the power, the speed and the mental focus, everything to come out victorious and to give my fans a great performance.

JW: I’m sure you’ve already been asked 100 times, but I have to ask it. Tim Bradley is fighting Pacman for a third time, and many people will argue that he’s getting that fight because with Teddy Atlas in his corner, he’s a better fighter now. Well you just came out and showed you’re probably a 30% better fighter since changing trainers.

I’m 100% better since adding my team and Dewey Cooper.

JW: Based on that same argument for Bradley getting a rematch with Pacquiao, shouldn’t you get a rematch with Bradley?

Definitely! Definitely! First of all, he should be a man of his word and give me my rematch. One, we have unfinished business. Two, is that I had him finished in that last round. Three is that he told me to fight Sadam Ali in from of the entire media. Why doesn’t the media get on that? Timothy Bradley told me to fight Sadam Ali. I fought Sadam Ali. I knocked him out. I won the title because Timothy Bradley didn’t want to fight Sadam Ali. I did it, and I hope he’s man enough to give me a rematch. If not, he should be ashamed to be a man. He should be if he can’t give me my rematch now.

(Interviewer’s note: After the interview, Vargas pointed out that Timothy Bradley told him he would give him a rematch if Vargas was able to beat Sadam Ali.)

JW: If it’s not Bradley, who would be the next opponent?

If it’s not him, it could be anyone. Whoever the fans want to see me with, that’s who I want to fight.

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