Don King from Don King Productions and Kathy Duva from Main Events formally announced the showdown between two-time world champion “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas and three-time world champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga in the Chick Hearn Press Room at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles today.

The room was packed with media, and all went well until the trash-talking Mayorga approached the podium and Vargas immediately removed his sunglasses. Vargas initially maintained his composure while Mayorga repeatedly referred to him as “fatty” as well as other terms not normally deemed acceptable in public company.

Vargas grabbed his crotch and gestured to Mayorga and said, “Here’s your fatty.”

The breaking point came when Mayorga said he was going to do Vargas’s family a favor by retiring him and not allow his family to suffer every time he steps in the ring.

Vargas and members of his camp stood up and went after Mayorga, and a melee ensued. Order was restored when Mayorga left the press conference and Vargas was allowed to address the media.

RICARDO MAYORGA: “I’m very dedicated and focused. Believe it or not, I want everyone to know in this moment even if nobody believes me I have already been training for two months. I have the same hunger and strength I had when I won my first world title. Take a look at my two first world title fights—that’s the Mayorga you’re going to see on Sept. 8.

I’m going to finish you [Vargas] but you’re finished already.

“I’m going to give Vargas the chance to cash his last pension check. I would like to say publicly that ‘fatty’ over here [Vargas] has always feared me. When I was crowned junior middleweight world champion most recently against Michele Piccirillo, Vargas tried to have the World Boxing Council strip me of the title so it could be handed to him.

“I conceded to take this fight at 162 pounds because fatty couldn’t lose any more weight. After this fight I’m going back to 147. I want Mayweather, Mosley, all of them.

“I will do Vargas a favor by retiring him in this fight so his family doesn’t have to suffer every time he steps in the ring. I’m going to do your wife a favor and not let her cry anymore after I disfigure you. [while translator is repeating Mayorga’s comments in English press conference fight begins after Mayorga slaps Vargas, and Vargas lands two blows before order can be restored.]”

FERNANDO VARGAS: “This will be my last fight for one reason only. It’s for pride. I can’t leave my career after a loss.

“I called [longtime trainer and mentor] Eduardo Garcia and asked him if we would train me for one last fight. He said with a chuckle, ‘You still want to fight?’ I said told him just one more, Garcia. It’s for pride.

“Mayorga can disrespect me all he wants but not my queens [his mother, wife and daughter]. He says he’s been training for this fight for two months. I’ve been training since January. I’m already down to 183.

“We should have sold tickets to this press conference. We had a little fireworks here today. There will definitely be fireworks in the ring at Staples Center on September 8.”