It was announced on Tuesday morning that Israel Vazquez had passed away at the age of 46 after a battle with cancer. The unfortunate new was revealed by WBC president, Mauricio Sulaiman. Tributes came pouring in from the boxing world as news spread.
And for good reason. Vazquez isn't a fighter that will be defined by his record (44-5, 32 KOs) or the world titles he captured (IBF and WBC junior featherweight belts), which are impressive. But his true impact is the memories he gave us.
For most, it's his three fight set with Rafael Marquez. (Yeah, their fourth chapter is the 'Rocky V' of this series -- it simply will not be acknowledged) While there have been many great rivalries in the sport (Ali-Frazier, Bowe-Holyfield, Gatti-Ward, Barrera-Morales and Canelo-Golovkin among many others), there has never been one with the sustained action and violence as Vazquez-Marquez. Two of which I was fortunate to have been at.
Their first meeting came in March of 2007 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. In what was a pitched battle, Vazquez bowed out with a broken nose after round 7. Marquez would win the WBC 122-pound title from Vazquez, who then had to answer questions about his fighting spirit (which is ridiculous in hindsight).
The rematch took place five months later in Hidalgo, Texas, and it was quite frankly a bloody war, that saw Vazquez over-power Marquez in six pulsating rounds. It was later awarded 'Fight of the Year' honors by Ring Magazine.
But this would pale in comparison to what took place in the rubber match.
On the night of March 1, 2008 these two Mexican warriors simply put on one of the most memorable battles in recent boxing history. For 12 rounds these two battled tooth-and-nail with neither man ever truly gaining a decided advantage, but it was Marquez who did have the slight lead going into the final stanza. Sensing that he needed something dramatic, Vazquez emptied the bucket in a frenetic 12th. In the final seconds Marquez finally succumbed to the onslaught as he was knocked down in the waning seconds. It was the difference in what was a razor thin split decision won by Vazquez. (James Jen Kin had the fight scored 113-112 for Vazquez)
Vazquez vs. Marquez III: Round 12 | SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING 30th Anniversary
In my view, it was not just the most dramatic final round I have ever witnessed from ringside, but among the very best fights I ever covered from press row. For a good 20 minutes, the sell-out crowd at the Home Depot Center (which included Sly Stallone and Jack Nicholson) didn't leave. There was a palpable buzz in the air. All of us there in awe of what we had just witnessed. Nights like this are rare nowadays, but for old guys like Doug Fischer and I, we'll always feel fortunate to have at least been able to cover this stuff.
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Several years later Tim Bradley, before he faced Jesse Vargas, dubbed this tennis stadium (which has gone through several name changes) in Carson 'the War Grounds'. But it was on this night that this facility truly became a boxing hub. A modern day Olympic Auditorium, if you will.
It's long been this scribe's opinion that a statue of those two commemorating that fight should be put in front of that venue (now known as the Dignity Health Sports Park).
Neither, Vazquez or Marquez were ever quite the same after these encounters. That's the unfortunate thing about these types of fights, you might get paid well, but there is always a price to pay in terms of your health and physical prime. There is that perpetual argument that takes place on social media on the market value of boxers, and which ones are over/under paid. There's no doubting that these two were certainly not compensated enough for those 25 rounds they engaged in.
This rivalry wasn't the only one that Vazquez participated in (Oscar Larios) or the only highly entertaining comeback he pulled off (Jhonny Gonzalez). There simply isn't enough appreciation for guys like Vazquez. They aren't flashy, or given the spotlight by the media, or have dates carved out for them by the networks for whatever reason. Unfortunately they are taken for granted but they are the heart beat of this sport. The blue collar worker who just quietly goes about his business with dignity.
Vazquez was as friendly outside the ring as he was fierce inside of it. Which is why he was a popular figure with fans. He was polite and courteous as any individual as you'll ever come across. You wont find anyone in the business that had a bad word to say about him.
He's gone now, but Vazquez certainly should never be forgotten.
