Brotherly love, you can’t beat it.
Since childhood the loving Marquez brothers, Rafael and Juan Manuel of Mexico City, have had a bond that persists through their current run as elite fighters. They’re real sweethearts, those guys.
So why does everyone fear them?
Just look at all the combined knockouts the brothers have accumulated in their careers.
Rafael defends his IBF bantamweight title against Silence Mabuza, while Juan Manuel seeks to reacquire a featherweight world title in a bout against Thailand’s Terdsak Jandaeng at Stateline, Nev., on Saturday. The fights will be televised on Showtime.
When the Marquez brothers perform, you get to see two extremely scientific boxers. Perhaps it’s their Mayan blood. It was the Mayans who came up with the concept of zero. Before that, Europeans were wondering why their calculations were always off.
Now the Marquez brothers hand zeros to their opponents with some wicked lefts and rights.
Big brother Juan grabbed his first world title by defeating Manuel Medina for the vacant IBF title in 2003. Later that year he took the WBA title from Derrick Gainer with a lopsided win. For years he grabbed headlines in Los Angeles, where he often fought at the Great Western Forum.
Later, little brother Rafael (35-3, 31 KOs) joined the party with his astonishing wins over accomplished Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson. Not since Johnson’s first loss in Ireland in 1990 had the lightning-quick Washington, D. C., fighter lost a bout. But in 2001 and 2002 he lost twice to Rafael. It put the Mexico City fighter on the danger list.
In 2003, Rafael was finally given a world title match against the dangerous and undefeated Tim “Poison” Austin of Cincinnati. Rafael was the underdog. But with precision boxing, and slick counter-punching, Rafael found an opening in Austin’s southpaw defense after getting hurt and handed him his first loss with a perfect left hand. Rafael was finally a world champion like his big brother.
“We’re a proud family,” said Rafael, 31.
His brother Juan Manuel, a southpaw, helped him prepare strategically.
“We don’t spar a lot,” Rafael said. “He’s too big.”
Now little Marquez faces Mabuza (19-1, 15 KOs) of South Africa in a rematch. Their first encounter ended in a fourth-round technical knockout last November. Rafael dropped him in the first round and bloodied him later.
“I don’t know why he asked for a rematch.” Rafael said. “Maybe he thought he won the fight.”
Juan Manuel (44-3-1, 33 KOs) recently lost his world title after his manager, Nacho Beristain, opted to ignore Top Rank’s offer to fight Manny Pacquiao in a rematch for a rather generous sum. Beristain wanted more money. That may not have been a wise choice.
Instead, Beristain accepted a fight against Chris John in Indonesia. Juan Manuel lost his title on decision. Many people who reviewed the tape thought Juan Manuel should have won the bout.
“I come to the fight to prove I am still Juan Manuel Marquez,” said the older Marquez, 32, who has not fought since losing the title.
Facing Marquez will be Jandaeng, a rough fighter whose only loss came to undefeated Joan Guzman, of the Dominican Republic, a year ago. He lost by decision.
“Guzman was a strong fighter,” said Jandaeng (24-1, 15 KOs), a southpaw like Marquez. “I got a lot of experience from it.”
The fight will be held outdoors at the Montbleu Resort Casino and Spa and promoted by Gary Shaw Productions.
“I believe the Marquez brothers are going to light it up,” Shaw said.
