ISRAEL VAZQUEZ WINS TRILOGY WITH RAFAEL MARQUEZ
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 02 Mar 2008
Carson, CA -- On a cold dreary night at the Home Depot Center in this city before a packed arena and on ShowtimeTV, Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez met for the third time to determine who really is ?quien el mas macho.? Amongst the witnesses to the event were Silvester ?Rocky? Stallone, Jack Nicholson, Marco Antonio Barrera, Eric Morales, Julio Cesar Chavez and actor, Mario Lopez.
The first time the two Mexican gladiators tangled, March 3, 2007, also here at the Home Depot Center, Marquez was then the IBF bantamweight champion. He went up one weight division to challenge Vazquez for the WBC Super bantamweight title. Marquez won on the 7th round when Vazquez gave up the fight because of a broken nose. The problem with Vazquez? nose started late in the first round initiated by a big left counter punch by Marquez. Marquez on the other hand, survived a third round KD from a Vazquez left hook.
Then on the re-matched held at the Dodge Arena at Hildalgo, Texas, August 4, 2007, Vazquez avenged his defeat via a 6th round TKO victory. The fight, aptly described as ?an old time fight? was highlighted by vicious exchanges from both fighters resulting in a very bloody fight. Marquez was cut below the right eye and Vasquez was bleeding tremendously from both sides of the eyes, particularly on the right side.
In the 5th round of that fight, during a vicious exchange on ring center, Vazquez went down. However in a great call by referee, Guadalupe Garcia, the KD was ruled a slip. TV replays later confirmed that Garcia was correct in ruling a ?no KD.?
On the 6th round, Marquez went down for an 8-count from a booming right hook from Vazquez. Soon after the count Vazquez sensing a victory, increased his work load and chased Marquez all over the ring with power combinations. Although Marquez fought back gamely, the end was inevitable. Before the round ended, Garcia stepped in to stop the fight.
Thus Vazquez, regained his WBC Super bantamweight title.
That victory even up the score. Thus the fight tonight became necessary to once and for all, determine who is the better man.
Vazquez won via a very close split decision. Two judges scored 114-111 and 113-112 for Vazquez and the third judge had it 114-111 for Marquez. With his victory tonight, albeit a bit controversial, Vazquez affirmed his superiority over Marquez.
In the fourth round, Vazquez went down after a torrid exchanged in the middle of the ring and received an 8-count. He however recovered cleanly and even brought the fight to Marquez until the round ended.
From then on the fight went on a see-saw with each fighter taking his share of punches and dishing out some. The fight was fast and furious and its ferocity was reflected on the damage of each fighter?s face.
In the 10th round the referee, after previous warnings earlier in the fight, deducted a point from Marquez for an alleged low blow. That action ultimately had a huge bearing on the final result of the fight.
In the 12th round, Vazquez sensing that the fight might be too close to his liking increased his work load and chased Marquez who at this point and time appeared to have run out of gas. He cornered Marquez and after several unanswered combinations, he sent Marquez to the ropes and had him hanging for dear life. At this point the referee stepped in and gave Marquez an standing eight count, saying later after the fight that he thought Marquez would have been down had he not been held by the ropes.
At the press conference after the fight, Gary Shaw announced that he will file a protest with WBC to address the action of the referee. Shaw and Team Marquez believe that they were cheated of a victory or at least, a draw. Shaw said that there was no low blow to warrant a point deduction and there was no need for the standing eight count towards the last seconds of the final round. Both actions had a huge bearing on the final result of the fight.
Marquez indicated at the press con that although he was hit several times and was hanging on the ropes, he has full control of his faculties. He further added that he would have preferred to have been knocked-out instead of losing the fight through the referee?s poor judgment.
Vazquez, for his part, stated that he is open for a fourth fight if that is what the people want and if it can be arranged.
Marquez fought his heart out but whatever he brought to the ring tonight was not as much as he did on their first fight in this same venue. He run out of gas on the 12tth round. For that reason, he failed to take back the WBC super bantamweight belt he lost to Vazquez in Texas last year.
The fight lived up to all its expectations. It was a trilogy worth that of Ali and Frazier, or perhaps that of Pacquiao and Morales. Without any doubt, it will be one of the candidates for fight of the year.
Top photo: In a 12th round action, Rafael Marquez (R) has his back against the ropes after a torrid offensive by defending WBC superbantam champ Israel Vazquez as referee Pat Russell intently watches the proceedings.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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