Las Vegas ? Fernando Vargas went before Nevada boxing authorities Wednesday prepared to take his punishment for using steroids. He just didn’t expect so much of it.

Despite putting himself at the mercy of the Nevada Athletic Commission, Vargas was suspended for nine months and fined $100,000 for testing positive for steroids following his Sept. 14 knockout loss to Oscar De La Hoya.

Though the suspension was retroactive to the De La Hoya fight, it means Vargas cannot fight until June 15 and will miss a proposed April comeback.

Vargas spent two hours in front of the commission, telling them he would take responsibility for the positive test, but that he never knowingly used steroids while preparing to meet De La Hoya for the 154-pound titles.

“I live and die in that ring. I don’t want people to ever feel I needed something like this,” Vargas said.

Commissioners appeared to believe the steroid use was inadvertent, but still voted 4-1 to penalize Vargas and send a message that steroids won’t be tolerated. It was believed to be the first time a boxer has been suspended for steroid use, although Francois Botha was stripped of his IBF heavyweight title in 1995 for testing positive in Germany.