Israel Vasquez retained the WBC super bantamweight championship Saturday night, earning a split decision over Rafael Marquez in the rubber match of their trilogy BY GEORGE WILLIS
“Thank you” Rafael Marquez and “Thank you” Israel Vasquez for a trilogy to remember. Perhaps it was fitting the rubber match between the two Mexican warriors would go the distance, offering 12 final rounds of some of the best boxing seen in recent years.
Those who say it’s OK to fight not to get hit don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. You fight to win. You fight for honor.
Saturday night in Carson, Calif., Marquez and Vasquez met for the third time in 12 months with Marquez winning the first fight after Vasquez couldn’t continue past seven rounds because of an injured nose, and Vasquez earning revenge with a sixth round TKO last August.
After a 12-round display of pugilistic precision, dogged determination and fearless exchanges, Vasquez retained his WBC super bantamweight title with a razor thin split decision.
You couldn’t tell the winner from the loser. Both men showed signs of their personal World War III. Vasquez had cuts over both eyes though not as bad as in the second fight, and Marquez’s left eye was swollen to the size of a golf ball. No doubt their ribs and jaws ached as well though you couldn’t tell by the way Vasquez celebrated and Marquez railed at the decision.
Vasquez (43-4, 32 KOs) was down in the fourth, but Marquez (37-5, 33 KOs) gave that back by being deducted a point in the 10th round for repeated low blows. Vasquez essentially won the fight in the 12th where he dominated, scoring a late knock down when a wobbled Marquez was knocked against the ropes.
Still one judge saw Marquez winning 114-111, while another had it 114-111 for Vasquez. The deciding judge gave it to Vasquez, 113-112. Viewing on Showtime, the Post scored it 114-111 for Vasquez.
Marquez had nothing to be ashamed of. He dropped Vasquez for the first time in the trilogy with a straight right-hand in the fourth. And that round became the best of the year thus far when Vasquez got up, fired right back and hurt Marquez seconds later.
The two engaged in torrid action for the remainder of the fight with Vasquez landing hard right hands to end the seventh and eighth. Referee Pat Russell took a point away in the 10th from Marquez for a belt level low blow after being warned twice before earlier in the fight.
With swelling closing Marquez’s eye and Vasquez fighting through small cuts over his eyes, the two warriors entered the 12th with the crowd standing on its feet. Vasquez started by landing two hard right hands, putting Marquez on the defensive for the rest of the round.
Russell could have stopped the fight as Vasquez began to repeatedly land hard damaging punches. Amid a barrage of blows Marquez fell backward and grabbed the ropes to stay on his feet. Russell correctly ruled it a knock down just before the final bell.
Forget 24/7 and The Contender. Vasquez-Marquez is the best boxing on TV.
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