Israel Vasquez vs Rafael Marquez III: The Results

It was another good night for boxing tonight at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, as WBC Super bantamweight Champ Israel Vazquez and challenger Rafael Marquez concluded their exciting trilogy with a 12 round split decision in favor of Vazquez. Personally, I thought it should have been a unanimous decision for Vazquez. It was also a star studded night with several celebrities in attendance. Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone, Marco Antonio Barrera, Mario Lopez and many other sports stars were on hand but it was Julio Cesar Chavez (Sr.) that drew the biggest applause from the fans.

When the fight started Marquez was chomping at the bit, anxious to get the fight started. During the introductions Vazquez was inexplicably and undeservedly booed by the majority of fans. Once the round started Marquez was working the left hook both to the body and to the head, though Vazquez was landing the right hand on Marquez chin. Marquez appeared to land the harder punches. I thought Marquez won the round but it could have gone either way.

It seemed to go back and forth until the fourth round when Vazquez was dropped by a flurry of punches from the heavier handed Marquez. He tried to remain upright but his legs just wouldn’t hold him up. Vazquez gamely got up, and recaptured the round. It was still anyone’s fight but Vazquez began to take control. Vazquez was outworking Marquez, but Marquez was landing the harder shots. As I saw the fight, Vazquez seemed to win every round from the fifth on up, with Marquez possibly stealing a few with some solid punching at the end of the rounds, which might account for the split decision. There were at least three low blows landed by Marquez that appeared to me to be accidental, still referee Pat Russell was justified in deducting a point from him in round 10. Several times during the fight Marquez buckled Vazquez with the left hook but again, it was almost always at the end of the rounds.

It would have been easy for Vazquez to assume he had the fight wrapped up and coast to a victory in the twelfth round. Instead he chose to put an exclamation point on the fight, and the trilogy, by going for a knockout and dropping Marquez late in the round. It was a great round. By the fights end the crowd that had earlier booed Vazquez was now cheering him on, and booing Marquez for holding. Vazquez won a hard fought split decision. The Scores were 113-112, 114-111 Vazquez, 114-111 Marquez.

With IBF featherweight Champ Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero winning his fight last night in Lemoore, California, by stopping Jason Litzau in the eighth round and Jhonny Gonzalez needing only two rounds to stop Jovanny Urbina last night in Chihuahua, Mexico, there are several potential fights looming on the horizon. The smaller guys don’t always make the big money, but they always earn their money, plus they give the fans their moneys worth.