Former world champ Francisco Vargas is training for his comeback in Indio

Francisco Vargas came here to the Coachella Valley from Mexico City in early September to begin what he calls his boxing “comeback.”

Two years ago, Vargas was among the biggest names in boxing. A brawler who comes forward and engages with his opponents, he won the World Boxing Council’s super featherweight world title in a devastating back-and-forth clash with Japan’s Takashi Miura on Nov. 21, 2015 in Las Vegas. It was the consensus Fight of the Year.

Six months later, Vargas fought countryman Orlando Salido to a draw in another brutal clash, this time at StubHub Center in Carson. The fight was so intense and ferocious that it too was widely named the sport’s best fight for the year.

Vargas then headlined HBO’s Boxing After Dark at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio earlier this year, and was shockingly upset by fellow Mexican Miguel Berchelt. By the end of the 11th round stoppage, Vargas was bleeding intensely from his left eye, and his right eye was nearly swollen shut.

After three ruthless fights over an 18 month period that left him bloodied and bruised, Vargas returned to Mexico to focus on healing his body.

Ten months later, he will return to the ring on Dec. 9, against Britain’s Stephen Smith at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

“I had three very difficult fights,” Vargas said this week in Indio, where he is training with Joel Diaz at Indio Boys & Girls Club. “I had a long break and now I really have a desire to get back in the ring.”

Vargas (23-1-2, 17 knockouts) said he needed the long layoff after the physical toll the three fights took his body. He needed months just for the deep gash over his right eye to heal.

The down time was arduous for a boxer who fought twice in 2015, three times in 2014, and had never been off for more than six months since turning pro in 2010.

“It was difficult,” he said in Spanish. “I’m watching television, I’m watching fights, and you get the itch to be in there. I stopped training for a while, for my recuperation, and logically me being away from the ring, I just wanted to train, I wanted to fight.”

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Vargas, who will turn 33 on Christmas, has been training here for three months — longer than he’s trained for any professional fight. He needed to get back into shape after such a long layoff.

He’s training in Indio and with Diaz for the first time, because he said he needed to get away from everything comfortable in order to have a singular focus.

So, he left his three children in Mexico and came to Indio, where he has been staying in a rental apartment owned by Diaz.

“I’m here 100 percent concentrating,” Vargas said. “The only thing I do is 100 percent dedication to run, to train, to relax and eat. That’s all I do.”

With Diaz, Vargas is training differently than before. He said Diaz has helped him correct some of the errors and fill where he had holes in his training previously, and he’s emphasized s number of little things, such as different head movements, from his younger years that Vargas had forgotten.

“I feel really good with my new trainer,” Vargas said. “We work well together. The difference between before and now is that now I have a corner that is going to give me good instructions.”

Diaz said the goal is to get Vargas ready to challenge for another world championship sometime next year, perhaps against Berchelt, who still holds the WBC title he took from Vargas.

“He’s a very disciplined fighter. Very disciplined,” Diaz said. “He knows what he wants, he’s all about working and training hard. He listens very well, and still has a lot ahead of him.”

Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Vargas, floated the idea of a rematch with Salido. Diaz felt that rather than immediately throw Vargas back into another tough fight with Salido or Berchelt, they should ease Vargas back a little slower.

Part of that, Diaz said, is trying to conserve Vargas for another title run.

In Stephen Smith, he’ll get a 32-year-old British fighter and the WBC super featherweight champion. This fight will not be for the world title, and it will be Smith’s first fight in Las Vegas.

Vargas doesn’t believe he has anything to prove. He said he’s shown the world who he is in the ring, and he’s proven he can beat the best, and now intends to do it all over again.

His comeback is nearly complete.

“Right now, I think this fight is suitable for him,” Diaz said. “It’s a good fight for him to come back, and if all goes well maybe we get a title eliminator next.

“He’s ready to go, I’ll tell you that.”