In one of the greatest rivalries in the history of boxing, Rafael Marquez decisively stopped a bloodied Israel Vazquez at 1:33 in the third round.
Vazquez was cut over the left eye in round one. Marquez’ punches were very accurate and the blood was flowing heavily from Vazquez’ cut by the end of round two. A head butt cut Vazquez over the right eye in round three. Vazquez couldn’t see very well and Marquez took advantage of the situation and continued his vicious assault, knocking down Vazquez and then finishing things with a brutal follow up attack that prompted referee Raul Caiz Jr. to wave it off.
There won’t be a fifth fight. Frank Espinoza Sr., who has managed Vazquez throughout his career and helped take him to heights no one could have expected, said in the ring immediately afterward that Vazquez had fought for the last time. “That’s it,” Espinoza said. “His career is over. He’s not going to fight again.”
In a battle of unbeatens in a crowd-pleasing co-feature before 9,200 at STAPLES Center, Yonnhy Perez (20-0-1, 14 KOs) of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., via Cartagena, Colombia, retained his International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title with a 12-round majority draw with Abner Mares (20-0-1 13 KOs) of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif.
Perez barely kept his title in a non-stop action affair between old friends and new rivals that featured countless exchanges by the scores of 114-114 twice and 113-115. There were no knockouts, but Perez was rocked near the end of the 12th.
Undefeated junior welterweight Carlos Molina (Left) lands a left en route to a unanimous decision victory over Humberto Tapia.
Undefeated junior lightweight Ronny Rios (Right) throws a right en route to a unanimous decision victory over Guadalupe De Leon.
All Photos by Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos
Yes it really was a great fight. Marquez was so determined that night and was so accurate with his punching. Congratulations to R.Marquez.
Mares could have won if he gambled. Yes he have won a couple of rounds but it’s not enough. He should have put it all in the last two rounds to secure the win but he didn’t.
It was a great fight for 2.5 rounds. I wish this would have lasted longer.
Abner Mares gave the fight away during those two rounds that he got on his bike. I hope there’s a rematch.
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