Rafael Marquez must have felt 'on top of the world' going into this bout. He hadn't lost since 2000, and in his last fight, he had successfully moved up a weight to defeat Israel Vazquez. Finally, he was beginning to step out of the shadow of brother Juan Manuel, and many had him on their 'Pound For Pound' lists.
On the other hand, Israel Vazquez was a man with a lot to prove. He had quit on his stool in his last bout (against Marquez) due to a nose break, and his trainer Freddie Roach had left him. However, while some fans and his ex-trainer may not have believed in him, he proved he had all the hunger and talent to succeed at the top level with a stunning performance in Hidalgo.
Marquez vs. Vazquez Round-by-Round
The first had positives and negatives for both fighters. Marquez looked the faster of the two, landing with the jab frequently, and occasionally following up with straight right hands; perfect for landing on the vulnerable nose of his foe.
However, he had to eat some good left hooks from Vazquez, who started quicker than he did in their first encounter. In the second, as Showtime commentator Al Bernstein pointed out, 'so many good punches [were] being thrown, it [was] hard to keep track of them. In ths technical battle, Marquez' jab was once again crisper and sharper, but Vazquez' left hook was causing more damage, and even wobbled Marquez at the end. Rounds like this are near impossible for judges to score.
The third was incredible, with both fighters being pretty much out on their feet during it at some point. Right at the beginning, Vazquez landed a huge hook, which caused the legs of Marquez to turn to jelly. Unbelievably though, Marquez didn't fold; he just kept firing back, and by the end of the round, Vazquez looked to be in dire straits after eating some phenomenal punches off his fellow countryman.
By the end of the fourth, both of these warriors were extremely bloody as the relentless pace had continued. Despite this round being very close, and both doing good work at some point, Marquez may have taken this one. This was because at the end of the round, he blasted Vazquez with a sickening overhand right that would have KOed most fighters. Just staying on his feet showed the immense heart of Vazquez here.
Vazquez ended up on the floor in round five, seemingly as a result of a left straight, although referee Jose Guadalupe Garcia ruled no knockdown. From the televisual angle, this looked to be a dubious decision. In fairness to Vazquez though, he jumped up as soon as he hit the canvas, and won the round with a better workrate.
There was no doubt that Rafael Marquez was knocked down in the sixth session. A left hook sent him sprawling to the canvas, and even when he got up, his legs had betrayed him. Vazquez never let him have a moment's rest, and after just 1:16 of the session, the referee intervened to stop Marquez taking any more punishment.
Implications Of Marquez vs. Vazquez 2
This was a super-sweet victory for Vazquez. Before the fight, many had questioned whether he had top level heart after he quit on his stool in his first bout with Marquez. After this, there could be no doubt that he was a warrior. Picking up the WBC Super Bantamweight Title was not a bad prize either.
The Mexicans were to fight each other again in March 2008, and this would decide their trilogy. To read how that one went, click here.
How To Watch Marquez vs. Vazquez 2
Marquez vs. Vazquez 2 was this week's 'Classic Fight of the Week'. Please visit my profile page for details on how to watch this, or any of the fights previously covered in this column.
