The ESB British Forum Encyclopedia

Vic: :happy Thanks mate, that is brilliant stuff! Seriously mate, really, really good and the perfect summation of the great Eder Jofre's career for any posters looking to get acquainted with him. Love the picture of Jofre and Pele together: never seen that before! :good Don't listen to Vano, just trying to get a few views based on my reputation :tong

Lora; Duff was schnidy Cheers for putting that into context. That division was insanely perilous even for those quality 175lbers as you say, poor Sibbo' for getting caught up in it!

 

Oh, and Lora have you seen Schmidtke Vs Finnegan?

 

Great post Vic!

 

Knew Jofre needed an article, knew Vic would be the man, and it paid off

 

Thanks guys !

Flea, I just read your post about Payakaroon, great stuff....
And Thank you for calling me for this ! Cheers....

 

:good Thanks.
More on him to come, found out a lot more since then…….but that will be saved for the book

 

As promised. I might have gone a little bit overboard when describing him but ah well I couldn't help myself!

Rafael Marquez (Part 1)

Height: 5’5 1/2
Reach:68”
Style: Orthodox
Record: 40-7

This content is protected

Rafael Marquez, younger brother to fellow Mexican great Juan Manuel, is an orthodox fighter hailing from la Ciudad de México who has won world titles in 2 weight classes. Although often overshadowed by the achievements and higher profile of his sibling, it doesn’t detract from the marvellous career he has had himself. Whilst he will inevitably be remembered for his unbelievable trilogy of fights with another Mexican warrior, Israel Vasquez, it was his dominant reign as IBF bantamweight champion where the bulk of his greater wins came which really solidified his legacy as a lower weight legend.

However, Rafael, much like Juan Manuel, couldn’t have dreamt of the success he would go on to have after losing his first professional fight. In a ridiculous example of overmatching, Rafael took on Victor Rabanales, a World Champion only two years earlier, in a contest where he was unsurprisingly outgunned and stopped in the 8th. From there Marquez was to win his next twelve fights before being stopped again, this time by Mexican journeyman Francisco Mateos. A run of 8 consecutive wins via stoppage saw Marquez climb back up the rankings before he suffered another setback in a controversial bout with future world title challenger Genaro Garcia. After picking off his opponent to take the first, he was caught on the temple by a right hand in the 2nd which put him down. With the referee counting (in English), Marquez seemed not to hear him and rose to his feet just as the referee called 10. He was counted out and lost by 2nd round KO, though he seemed ok to continue.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0NXVU-Bf18[/ame]

After a few more stoppage victories, Marquez then took on his biggest challenge to date in the form of p4p rated Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson over 10 rounds. A slick southpaw, he had won world titles at both flyweight and super flyweight and though he was stepping up to bantamweight, he was expected to be a bit too skilled for the Mexican who was still considered more of a slugger than classy technician.

In a cautious opening half of the fight, Marquez more than held his own at range with Johnson and the fight was close heading into the final rounds. However, a point deduction in the 7th for a low blow plus a couple of strong rounds from Johnson left Marquez with it all to do. Yet a barnstorming final 2 rounds where he connected with flurries of power punches as well as 2 point deductions for Johnson for persistent holding saw Rafael take a shock SD win (after it had initially been announced as a Johnson win) and really grab some headlines.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzNOmwrmGSY[/ame]

The closeness of the decision, plus grievances from Johnson over the point deductions & the fact he had at first been given the decision, saw the two meet for a 2nd time four months later in what was also an IBF eliminator. This time Marquez boxed even more effectively and efficiently on the outside as he consistently countered the quicker hands of Johnson with accurate combinations. He was leading going into the 7th round where he underlined his dominance by putting Johnson down for the 1st time in his career with a classic straight right. “Too Sharp” lasted until the end of the round but after touching the canvas again in the 8th, referee Tony Weeks stepped in to call off the contest and give Marquez his most impressive win to date.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWXHMNSvEVk[/ame]

The reward for Marquez’s victory was a shot at unbeaten IBF champion Tim Austin. With a southpaw style not too dissimilar to Johnson, Marquez again had to overcome a slicker, faster opponent but in another shock win he managed to do so as his excellent hard combinations got to the champion from the middle rounds and saw him stop Austin in the 8th when he was rather harshly behind on all scorecards. After this fight, Marquez underlined his growing stature by dominating in 5 successful title defences in which he picked up another 3 KO’s along the way.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAEYjJ8AFXw[/ame]


With Marquez now established as the no.1 fighter in the bantamweight division, what proved to be his final two defences of his IBF belt came against the rangy South African switch hitter, Silence Mabuza. The undefeated challenger claimed to have never touched the canvas in nearly 500 fights both pro and amateur but was down in the 1st as a cause of a beautiful Marquez left hook. In a highly composed, brutal performance he landed with great accuracy on the game Mabuza over 4 rounds, eventually opening a nasty cut over the right eye of the South African with another slashing left hook. The doctor called the fight off and Rafael’s stock rose even further as the discipline and conciseness of the performance dispelled any notion that he was just a banger.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFmmUs9oonQ[/ame]

His technical brilliance was emphasized further in a rematch with Mabuza which came about when the South African won an eliminator to get a 2nd chance at Marquez. Though an explosive burst nearly saw him register a first round knockdown for the 2nd time vs Mabuza, the challenger adapted well and took a few of the middle rounds with better movement than he had displayed first time around. However, Marquez continued to patiently probe and work his way inside behind measured attacks and eventually broke Mabuza down, especially in the 8th & 9th rounds where he took sustained punishment. Another cut opened up and saw Mabuza’s corner pull him out at the end of the 9th. These two wins over a faster and awkward opponent in such impressive fashion gave notice to the technical and tactical skills possessed by Rafa as well as his obvious heart and determination.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjsjUf2bDhU[/ame]

All of these attributes (and more) would be needed in abundance as Marquez stepped up to superbantamweight in his next fight to take on WBC champion Israel Vasquez, in the first of what would prove to be 3 brilliant back-to-back fights. In a real pick ‘em fight, Marquez started well rocking Vasquez with a right hand at the end of round 1 before taking the 2nd too. However, he was put on the canvas in the 3rd from a trademark Vasquez left hook in what appeared to be a turning point. But Marquez regained his composure and started to dominate the fight from the outside behind a pinpoint jab. The action was ferocious and after Vasquez appeared to have his best round since the 3rd in the 7th, he sensationally quit on his stool as a result of a nasty injury to his nose to see Marquez become a 2 weight World Champion.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE_pj3Wbvx4[/ame]

The quality of the first encounter demanded a rematch and saw Marquez relinquish his title in his 1st defence. In another absolute classic, potentially beating the 1st fight for drama and action, Vasquez started much stronger and was able to close the distance more effectively on Rafa. With the fight being predominantly fought at close quarters, Marquez showed great heart and will as he answered many of Vasquez’s best attacks with great flurries of his own. However, he was being broken down by the naturally more comfortable inside fighter and was caught by a huge left hook early in the 6th which put him down. He hung on and tried to answer back but with his legs wobbling and Vasquez still landing, ref Guadlupe Garcia stepped in to stop the fight.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_[/ame]

With the whole boxing community gripped by the excitement of their rivalry, the rubber match as it was know did not disappoint in any way. The only fight of the trilogy to go 12 rounds, Marquez started well again in the third in control of the action and flooring Vasquez with a right in the 4th. However, in an epic round as he went in for the kill Israel fired back and nearly put Marquez down himself. The next few rounds were extremely close with magnificent back and forth action before Vasquez started to gain control in the last 3rd of the fight. Marquez lost a point in the 10th for low blows and took a count in a brutal last round where he was battered around the ring by the relentless Vasquez. The decision was split and went to the champion with the scorecards showing that had Marquez managed to stay on his feet in the final seconds he would have hung on for a draw. Either way, it was considered a fitting end to such a brilliant rivalry which was filled with tension and drama from the 1st to the 25th of the rounds they fought.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jA81BwCkc8[/ame]

However, in what would turn out to be a great shame, the two rivals signed for a 4th fight 2 years later. Both men had only had 1 fight since their last encounter, showing the brutality of their 3 wars, and in particular Vasquez didn’t look a shadow of the fighter he had been before. Rafa had stopped gatekeeper Jose Francisco Mendoza in the 3rd a year earlier and Marquez, being the fresher of the two, dominated from the offset, opening up 2 huge cuts over the eyes of Vasquez by the 3rd. With his vision massively impaired, Vasquez went down twice before the fight was stopped. It had proven to be an unnecessary and rather sad end to the great Mexican’s career and IMO, shouldn’t be take into account really when looking back at their great rivalry.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXtm7IMmGQM[/ame]

 

Rafael Marquez (Part 2)

The victory over Vasquez earned Marquez a shot at WBO Featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez. In another Puerto Rico vs. Mexico classic, Marquez remained competitive in the first half of the fight and had a great 4th round where a huge left hook got to the champion and put him on wobbly legs. However, despite following up with a number of other single power shots in the round, he wasn’t able to finish the job. From then on, Lopez used his greater strength and youth to dominate a tiring Marquez before the Mexican quit on his stool after the 8th round due to a right shoulder injury which was to sideline him for over half a year. In truth, Marquez looked too small for featherweight and didn’t seem to have the normal pop in his punches.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTfHEVfNARk[/ame]

His next title opportunity, and the last fight Rafa has had to date, was back at Superbantamweight vs the WBC champion and recognised divisional no.1 Tishioki Nishioka. Unfortunately, this performance highlighted the fact that Marquez’s best days are long gone as he was just unable to let his combinations go quick enough to really worry the champion. He lost soundly on points to an opponent who had a number of attributes that a prime Marquez would have relished taking on. A quick, southpaw boxer at range, in some ways similar to the Tim Austin Marquez had KO’d years earlier, had often been a style Marquez favoured but here his body just didn’t seem able to carry out what his mind was telling it to. It was still a valiant effort but was in truth perhaps an indication that it may be time to call an end to his marvellous career.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o1-vsqakIE&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLDDBFBB54EE81F934[/ame]

 

Nice work mate :good :good

Too Sharp was past his best when Rafa beat him, but those were still quality wins. Rafa is a real action hero! The third fight with Izzy is one of my alltime faves, f'n brutal!

 

I've always thought that too a bit about Johnson, with the prison business and all that. But then again he got that win over Montiel a year after the Marquez fights so both still very credible wins in my eyes. Especially the nature of the 2nd one.

100% agree on the 3rd fight, as my boxing knowledge is very limited from the start of the 2000's backwards, I'd say it was my favourite of all time. And however much I want to score it to Marquez, I always have Izzy slightly ahead by the end .

Got to say, rewatching them 3 fights has made me realise how much I love Vasquez too. 2 absolutely brilliant warriors who are a credit to the sport in my opinion. I'd like Rafa to hang them up now, or if he wants one more fight maybe someonel like Arce or Jhonny Gonzalez- the young guns just have a bit too much for him now

 

Gonzalez would be a good choice, I'd favour Rafa being the sterner of the two and in a shoot out you have the favour the tougher man.

 

Glossary Updated

 

:happy

Gotta' get round to updating Greb and re-doing Napoles with more thought :good

 

be class if u did pal

 

Yep....he deserves it :good

The footage is still there for you to watch though :yep