Mayorga apologizes to Vargas after fight

It’s probably going too far to say Ricardo Mayorga had some sense pounded into him Friday night. Especially given the way Fernando Vargas punched him throughout most of their 12-round bout at Staples Center.

But regardless of the reason, it’s not going too far to say Mayorga was a different man after outlasting Vargas to win a majority decision. The same guy who was trash-talking his opponent for four months leading up to the bout, insulting everything from his heritage to his family, wound up begging forgiveness from the vanquished Vargas at the post-fight news conference.

“I want to apologize for disrespecting his mother and his sainted wife,” Mayorga said, at one point bowing, then genuflecting in Vargas’ direction. “It’s just that’s how I get myself mentally prepared [to fight].”

Vargas, wearing sunglasses to hide a left eye battered by Mayorga’s attack, stood and wrapped the eccentric Nicaraguan in an embrace. With the verbal and physical sparring over, both boxers seemed eager to move on -- though in dramatically different directions.

For Vargas, Friday’s bout -- his third consecutive loss -- will be his last. Or so he has promised.

“I don’t care if they offer me $100 million. I don’t need money,” the Oxnard boxer said in the days leading up to the fight. “I’m 29 years of age. I’ve done very well for myself, and I’ll never have to work again. I’m tired of this. I’ve been doing this since I was 10.”

As for Mayorga, 34, about the only thing he’s sure about is he’s not retiring. But as for where, when and who he’ll fight next, that remains to be seen. He’s also not sure what weight he’d fight at, first saying he’d like to box again at 154, then saying he’d prefer to return to the welterweight division, where he won his first of three world titles.

“These guys . . .” he said, motioning to Vargas, “hit too hard.”

Mayorga’s interpreter had the fighter saying possible opponents include World Boxing Council welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (37-0, 24 knockouts) and World Boxing Assn. champion Miguel Cotto (31-0, 25 KOs). However, that may be news to Mayorga since the fighter, speaking in Spanish, mentioned neither man by name.

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kevin.baxter@latimes.com