SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Junior middleweight Fernando Vargas has been sentenced to 90 days in county jail for his role in a 1999 assault case.

He must serve at least 60 days of his jail time, beginning no later than Jan. 6 before he is eligible for parole.

San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Thomas Adams also on Friday ordered Vargas, 23, to serve three years probation and 100 hours of community service.

"I thought the sentence was a little bit unfair," said Vargas, who had no prior felony record. "I guess the judge had his reasons for doing what he did."

Rolando Arellano, Vargas' manager, said he will pursue alternate sentencing because "it would be too much of a liability putting someone as well known as Fernando in jail."

He hopes the boxer will be allowed to spend the time training at his Big Bear headquarters while wearing an electronic monitor.

Vargas pleaded no contest to one felony charge of conspiracy to commit assault in May after he and four co-defendants reached a deal with the district attorney's office. Prosecutors dropped two other assault counts.

The other defendants -- Vargas' cousin, Ernesto Vargas, 28; Freddie Flores, 23; Carlos Lopez, 29; and Vincent Arenas, 22 -- pleaded guilty and received 30-day sentences.

"The judge accurately recognized that Mr. Vargas was in a position to influence the others," said Hilary Dozer, a senior deputy in the Santa Barbara District Attorney's office.

In July 1999, the boxer was visiting a woman in Summerland when he scuffled with her former boyfriend, Anthony Arria. The case against Vargas, however, involved another man, Doug Rossi, who tried to break up the fight.

Vargas then telephoned the co-defendants and they arrived armed with clubs and sticks. They broke down Rossi's bedroom door and roughed Rossi up while Vargas watched, prosecutors said.

The boxer, however, continues to maintain his innocence.

"If it had gone to a jury trial, it would have been clear there is no evidence against me," he said. "This wouldn't have happened if I wasn't Fernando Vargas."

Vargas (22-1, 20 KOs), who won his title by beating Jose "Shibata" Flores on Sept. 22, had been planning a fund-raising fight night in Oxnard in December. He hoped the event would be followed by a title defense against a major opponent, perhaps Oscar De La Hoya, next spring.

Arellano says Vargas may still go ahead with the fund-raiser, then surrender himself to the police, still getting out in time for a spring fight.