By James Blears

In the second fight between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, there was so much at stake, and now almost two months past, Vazquez’s eyebrows still look tender.

The considerable scar tissue above the right eye, showing a railroad track pattern of stitching, is livid and looks as if it could re-open as easily as a zip fastener. The left eye doesn’t look that much better.

Unabashed, Israel concedes that it took a lot of stitches to patch up the wounds, but they’ve been one hundred percent closed, and will be fine by the time he steps up into the ring again. 

Vazquez who pulled back his WBC Super Bantamweight crown out of the fire, by stopping Rafael Marquez in the torrid sixth round of their bloody August 4th rematch, has been presented with the green belt in Mexico City by WBC President Jose Sulaiman.

The WBC is hoping that the third and deciding fight between the two mini gladiators can be held in Mexico. The rubber match is tentatively penciled in for February or March. 

Israel revealed that his new trainer Rudy Perez had urged him to pull out all the stops and try his utmost to stop Rafael in the sixth, due to the severity of his own cuts. The ringside doctor had examined them, and Israel candidly acknowledged that the doc could have returned to call a halt to the fight at any moment.

But it was Referee Lupe Garcia who stopped the fight, to save a staggered Rafael who wasn’t firing back under a welter of severe punishment. Ref Garcia, attended the belt ceremony. He was praised by Israel who said he did his job impartially as he saw it, and that Rafael’s immense courage and pride prevented him crashing to the canvas a second time. But nevertheless, he was badly hurt and in desperate trouble.

Their first fight, in which Rafael smashed Israel’s nose and was stopped after seven pulsating rounds. Six incredible rounds later in fight two Israel leveled honors and now he says:

“The third fight will be more of the same because we are both warriors! Now we have to prove who is the best in this division. And I think that we can produce even more drama in number three because of our spectacular styles. The best prepared with the most fist power will prevail.”

Israel also said that he relishes the challenge of moving higher to face Jorge Linares, Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquaio given the opportunity.

He commented: “There’s a fifty percent possibility of winning or losing so why not take the risk?”