VAZQUEZ WINS TRILOGY BOUT WITH MARQUEZ
By Ron Brashear     Photo: Eric Van Dyke/InsideBoxing.com (View Photo Gallery)
Inside Boxing Writer/Columnist

Carson, California, (IB – March 1, 2008) – Israel Vazquez (43-4, 31 KOs) defeats Rafael Marquez (37-5, 33 KOs) by split decision victory in their highly anticipated rubber match and retained his WBC Super bantamweight title!

This bout was complete with non-stop action of both fighters being very effective in landing their punches. In the early rounds, it was Marquez who was taking the fight directly to Vazquez and was beating him to the punch with effective overhand rights and crisp jabs. In the 4th round, Marquez dropped Vazquez with a right hand to his head. Vazquez was able to make it out the round and had suffered a cut over his left eye.

By the 7th round, Vazquez seemed to be the stronger puncher and his right hands created swelling over Marquez’s left eye. This fight was very competitive with the momentum swinging back and forth to the delight of the many boxing fans on hand witnessing this level of excitement.

In round ten, after several prior warnings, referee Pat Russell deducted a point from Marquez for hitting Vazquez with a low blow (punch may have actually been right on the belt line); nevertheless, this fight was coming down to the final championship rounds to determine the victor. Vazquez came on really strong in the 12th and final round and scored a knock down late in the round and almost stopped Marquez. So the outcome was up in the air and the judges rendered the following scores.

Judge Max De Luca scored it 114-111 for Vazquez, James Jen Kin scored the fight 113-112 for Vazquez and Tom Kaczmarek scored the fight in favor of Marquez with a 114-111 edge.

After the fight, Vazquez stated, “I knew I had to finish strong, some of those shots stunned me, but it did not slow me down. I didn't see out of my right eye from the fourth round on.”

Marquez felt that he won the fight and said; “I boxed early and dominated throughout the entire fight.”

In regards to the point that was deducted from Marquez, which in a fight this close, ultimately impacted the outcome, Pat Russell offered; "I had warned him several times. Finally I had to take a point away,"

What was definitely clear and not up for the debate was the fact that this was one terrific action-packed fight between two dedicated competitors who put it all on the line in quest for victory!

I personally scored this fight 115-113 for Vazquez as well. Normally there isn’t a 4th bout between fighters but I am sure folks would not mind seeing a Vazquez vs. Marquez IV. It was that good!

You have just gone InsideBoxing.com

Ron Brashear can be contacted at brashear@insideboxing.com, ron@youthofhonor.org

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