In as much as the fourth fight appears to be good for the business side of boxing, in the long run it might turn out adverse to the whole morality of the sport.
They have fought three times in fiercely contested and blood-spattered battles to the delight of the millions watching live and on television sets around the world. With his outstanding boxing proficiency, Rafael Marquez was able to truncate the first fight by breaking the nose of his equally ferocious and raging opponent Israel Vasquez, a fellow Mexican warrior. However, Marquez captured the victory the hard way; it was no easy as leisure boating on a scenic still water. In truth, at the time of Vazquez’s surrender they both had their faces blood-soaked and eyes and lips bloated as if they were run over by a truck. To both the loser and the victor it was a brutal fight and as a norm, people came to love it; violence after all-albeit legalized-is an embraced element of the true essence of the sport that purists call sweet science. Because of the Roman gladiator-like amusement that the two little fighters afforded, the fans went on a clamor for a rematch. Heeding to the call of their chosen profession-to provide fight spectators with a class of entertainment that they truly deserved-they did not refuse.
Hence for the second time, they were made to cross paths again on July 2007 and as anticipated, fans were treated with a ring war which was almost a facsimile of the first in the level of intensity, ferocity and violence. Their equally first-rate fighting skills and gallantry have disfigured their good-looking faces yet again, reminiscent of the horrible plight suffered by those innocent people who fall victims to the perennial bombings in central east. This time however, Vazquez, was getting the better of Marquez, prompting the referee to stop the fight in the 6th round, thus allowing the former to recapture his WBC Junior Featherweight Title he lost in the preceding encounter. But it was not an easy win as well for Vazquez as he himself was a sorry sight to behold at the time of the stoppage. His face was as spoiled as it was in the first, as if ripe and healthy tomatoes were glued on it. Indeed, it was a fight well-fought by both stars in the lower weight divisions but was as brutal and as damaging as the first collision. Marquez-Vazquez II is without doubt will linger forever in the memories of fight fans as one of the best rematches that ever happened in the history of boxing. It went on to claim the Ring Magazine’s fight of the year award for 2007.
On the strength and nature of the outcome of the previous two fights, a third encounter was a conventional and self-evident truth in the pugilistic world, thus setting up the stage for one of the greatest trilogies all across the boxing eras. Time stretched to the fight day on March 1, 2008, one could hardly notice any major change in their respective games; it was really their intention to fight once they hit the ring. Their fierce battle first saw Vazquez hitting the canvas in the fourth but recovered well, allowing him to continue the awfully tough melee which appeared so evenly fought, until Vazquez, as if putting down his last ace for victory, attacked his adversary with intent and surprising display of aggression. It paid off. Hit by a torrent of surprise bombs at the corner, Marquez appeared to loss consciousness and was on the verge of falling horizontal to the canvas had he not able to manage to grab the ropes. But to protect him from further debilitating punishments, the referee intervened and stopped the fight, making Vazquez won this epic trilogy which is if seen from the excitement and thrill it afforded the fans, it could safely equal if not surpass the memorable Morales-Barrera, Morales-Pacquiao, and to a larger claim, Ali-Frazier trilogies. So fine-looking the third fight it ended up winning the 2008 Ring Magazine’s fight of the year award, duplicating the much honored accolade received by the second the preceding year.
When the smoke of the three battles transpired, Marquez and Vazquez both took a year hiatus recuperating from the vicious injuries sustained. The year-long lay off primarily due to a detached retina forced Vazquez to relinquish his crown.
Now they are on their come back trail, but lo and behold, they are paired to fight again as reported by BoxingScene.com on May 22 at the Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Without question, boxing fans would always love to see them squaring off on the ring again, but the combatants have punished each other more than enough, threatening their respective careers and future well-being as their health was visibly imperiled as a bitter consequence of their intense fighting three times. And in as much as the fourth fight appears to be good for the business side of boxing, in the long run it might turn out adverse to the whole morality of the sport. This scenario as ground for disallowing the fourth fight to happen is I deem acceptable to the world boxing community – the fighters involved, to the fans and above all to the seemingly insatiable legion of managers and promoters who may at times think of themselves only than keeping guard for the well-being and personal dignity of their prize fighters who have families of their own to take care of when their fighting is over.
