Lets start a list of some fighters that management ruined there careers and keep them sidelines for too long and ruined there primes.
Vargas was nothing compared to the guy Tito fought a fight before him. David Reid had less fights and a major eye problem yet they threw him in with Tito after Reid had just got into double figures as far as professional fights go. The guy had got a gold medal at the Olympics (only US gold medal in 1996) and they cashed him in early because of his eye by making him fight Tito. At least Vargas managed a career after it. Its disgusting how people gain peoples trust and rush for the quick dollars after gaining the trust and friendship of someone.
Meldrick Taylor's management didn't do him any favors when they threw him in there with Terry Norris. Taylor was already showing some signs of decline, losing some of his punch resistance, being rather small and lacking power at WW. So they put him in there with Norris at 150?
Shane Mosley deserved to fight in a proper arena rather than a side theatre when he took on Vernon Forrest in 2001. After the first fight I think you do see a change in the way Shane fights, and it isn't for the better.
Actually, in David Reid's case...they were dammed if they did, and dammed if they didn't. His eye was going to keep him from cashing in long term, so they pushed him to get while the getting was still good and his stock was high. I mean, you could argue either side of it with Reid. Either force early retirement (do you know anyone who has successfully forced a fighter to retire against his will?) or make as much money as possible (for him, and sadly from him) in the short window of time they had. Vargas, I think was definitely poorly managed...he could still be fighting at a decent level if he'd been brought along properly. Shame.
Some people said Mike Rossman had poor management, though I'm not sure what the critics were referring to.
I think Vargas showed he had the skills to beat Tito but didint use his boxing skills. Yeah Tito took about five years off Vargas career with that left hook he landed in the first round
Gerry Cooney - rushed into a fight with Holmes before he was ready. Should have fought Mike Weaver for the WBA title first, that was a much more winable fight. Then he could have gotten in on with Holmes a year or two later and made more money.
I can see where you are coming from but the fact is after the Tito fight Reid was pretty much unable to compete properly and had to retire. had he not been thrown in with Tito at such an early age he could have had a much longer career making more money here and there, more than likely as a titlist. Instead he went in with Tito, everyone made money, Reid got a detached retina, had to retire, then had to make a comeback some years later because he needed money. The guy shouldn't have been thrown in with Tito so soon with that eye as far as I'm concerned. Just greed in the part of his managers. Though I fully understand where you are coming from.