ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Both Fernando Vargas and Oscar De La Hoya are expected to arrive in Big Bear Lake this weekend to prepare for their long-awaited showdown on Sept. 14.

Vargas appeared on Johnny Ortiz' L.A.-based ESPN radio show "Ring Talk" last Friday at Downtown Disney as hundreds of fans waited for autographs. This reporter was also there as a guest of Ortiz.

"I love my fans," said Vargas, dressed in hip tailored-made clothes. "I would do anything for my fans."

Vargas, the WBA junior middleweight title-holder, has wanted a fight with De La Hoya since he became a professional in 1996. He previously held the IBF title but lost it against Felix Trinidad in one of the best fights of 2000.

"I know I fought a stupid fight," said Vargas, who was born and raised in Oxnard. "I don't know what happened. I trained to fight a certain way and then I stepped in the ring and I didn't fight that way."

A sizzling Trinidad left hook sent Vargas to the canvas twice in the first round. But the gutty Mexican-American fighter got up and proceeded to drop the Puerto Rican slugger with a left hook of his own.

"When you're a real warrior, you get up," Vargas said.

For two hours Vargas took phone calls at the talk radio show as fans motioned to him through the windows for autographs. Always courteous, Vargas posed for photos, signed his name on everything from paper to clothing and shook hands.

Rolando Arrellano, Vargas' manager, said a $4-million dollar deal had been signed with a local beer company. So win or lose, Vargas will still be a commodity in boxing.

"People said I was too young to fight Yori Boy Campas, he'd won 70 fights and so on, but I did fight him and I won," Vargas said. "People are always telling me I can't do this and I can't do that and I keep proving them wrong."

Recently, Francisco "Panchito" Bojado, a promising young fighter, was asked to join Vargas in Oxnard to train. For a while Bojado, who lost his last fight, woke up each morning to run five miles and do some light training. Then he abruptly stopped running or training.

"We might ask him to come up to Big Bear with us," Arrellano said.

"No, he's not coming up with us," Vargas said emphatically. "We're not going to baby him. When I was young, nobody had to tell me to go run."

Vargas pulls no punches and always says what is on his mind.

Heavyweights

WBO title-holder Wladimir Klitschko's knockout victory over Ray Mercer may not have sent shivers up Lennox Lewis' spine, but it did signal that the Ukraine fighter has talent and physical tools that could lead to the heavyweight championship.

Later this month, WBA heavyweight title-holder John "Quiet Man" Ruiz defends his title against Canada's Kirk Johnson on July 27, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Also appearing on that card will be IBF bantamweight king Tim Austin defending his belt against Mexico's Adan Vargas.

Near the elevator of the House of Blues Foundation, I overheard a conversation between Mandalay Bay's Tony Alamo and HBO's Kerry Davis. The winner of the Ruiz-Johnson match will get a future match with Lewis said the HBO executive. "We're not spending millions for nothing," he said.

During the press conference, promoter Don King took potshots at Mike Tyson for his sensitive behavior after losing to Lewis. "I could take the ass-whipping, but not the gentle wiping of blood (by Tyson). Coming from the joint, you knew the next move," King said laughing.

But it looks like Tyson will get another shot at Lewis as negotiations are underway, confirmed Tyson's manager Shelly Finkel.

Julio Diaz returns

Coachella, California's Julio Diaz will return on July 30 to fight the ESPN2 Fight Night main event. Diaz (24-2, 18 K0s) is coming off a knockout loss to Juan Valenzuela who fights next week. Diaz will face another hard-hitting Mexican in Carlos Ramirez (19-5, 14 K0s). Also on that card will be Kelly Pavlik, a tall and lean middleweight who has won all 13 of his fights by knockout.

Morales and Ayala

Former WBC featherweight title-holder Erik Morales will be fighting The Ring magazine's junior featherweight champion Paulie Ayala, said Ricardo Jimenez, spokesman for Top Rank. Both fighters are under contract with Top Rank which is based in Las Vegas. Ayala said "I don't care who I fight as long as it's a big payday." No date has been determined.