The decision has drawn criticism from fans on social media, who argue that the slot should have gone to a more established competitor as the card is being sold on DAZN pay-per-view. Various reactions pointed to Vargas’ recent outing against Austin Quintana, where he faced an opponent at 140 pounds against an opponent not considered top-level.
The frustration of fans usually boils down to the pay-per-view tax. When Jaron Ennis and Xander Zayas were announced for a unified title fight at 154, it was met with great excitement. But when fans see a developing prospect, Emiliano, in the main support slot of a $70+ opportunity, the marinating of prospects can feel out of place.
Vargas (17-0, 14 KOs), a 21-year-old son of former champion Fernando Vargas, has been positioned as a fast-rising name by Top Rank. The co-feature placement signals continued to support the company despite questions about the level of opposition on its record.
Mills (22-1, 9 KOs), who fights out of New York, represents a step up on paper but is not widely considered a breakthrough-level opponent.
Matching him with Mills, who is tough and has a local New York following but isn’t a threat in the rankings, reinforces the idea that Top Rank is just looking for a safe way to get Emiliano a “win” on a big stage without risking the investment.
The addition of light heavyweight contender Ben Whittaker against Richard Rivera is probably a tougher pill for fans to swallow.
Rivera essentially comes off the couch. A 17-month layoff for a 35-year-old fighter against a young, athletic silver medalist like Whittaker is pretty much the definition of a gimmee.
Whittaker is known for his showboating and “Matrix” style, which works great for viral clips, but putting him in a lopsided fight on a PPV card feels like paying for a highlight reel rather than a competitive sporting event.
