Fernando Vargas Jr. Arrested for DUI After Universal Studios Crash

The Vargas name is back under the harsh glare of the spotlight – and not for anything that happened in a ring.

On Thursday night, Fernando Vargas Jr., son of former world champion Fernando Vargas, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after a three-car collision in a Universal Studios parking structure.

The crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m., according to a report cited by NBC 4. The California Highway Patrol said no one was injured in the incident, but officers took the 27-year-old into custody at the scene on suspicion of DUI.

In a news release, the CHP confirmed that the case will be presented to county prosecutors for consideration of formal charges. As of now, there is no conviction, and it will be up to prosecutors to decide how far this case goes.

Details around the collision remain murky. A short video, reportedly filmed before the crash, surfaced on social media soon after. In it, Vargas Jr. appears shirtless next to an unidentified woman. The clip offers no clear insight into what led to the collision, but it added another layer of scrutiny to an already uncomfortable situation.

For Vargas Jr., this is not the first time his name has been dragged away from boxing and into controversy.

Earlier in 2026, footage emerged from a Las Vegas hotel lobby showing him in a heated altercation with his younger brother, fellow boxer Amado Vargas. The incident, captured on camera and widely shared, sparked speculation about personal issues within the family, even as the Vargas name continued to carry weight in combat sports circles.

Vargas Jr. turned professional in 2020, stepping into a world his father once ruled. He picked up attention and expectations along the way, especially when he faced rising prospect Callum Walsh on the undercard of the Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez event. That night did not go his way: Walsh outpointed him over the distance, winning their light middleweight bout by unanimous decision.

Instead of fading, Vargas Jr. pivoted. He moved into bare-knuckle boxing and resurfaced in London on July 25, where he stopped Allen Gary Jhon with a second-round knockout at BKB 57. It was the kind of violent, emphatic finish that hinted at a new chapter, a different path to relevance.

Now, that momentum has stalled again, replaced by police statements, legal questions, and another off-the-ring storyline attached to a famous surname.

His father, Fernando Vargas, built his reputation with world titles, high-profile wars, and a fierce, unapologetic style that made him one of the most recognizable fighters of his era. The name still carries that history. The son, though, finds himself fighting a different kind of battle — one that will play out in courtrooms and headlines before he gets the chance to write anything new under the lights.