By Jake Donovan
Mixed emotions ran through the industry upon hearing the news that current lineal junior featherweight king Israel Vazquez is strongly considering a move four pounds north after years of killing himself to make the122 lb. limit.
With all that he has provided in the way of non-stop action fights throughout his career, there resides a camp that grants Vazquez its blessings no matter his next move. His unforgettable trilogy with Rafael Marquez alone should give him carte blanche.
The other side is asking for too much of a good thing – a fourth fight with Marquez. Perhaps it's because such a fight was rumored before both sides opted to look elsewhere for their next payday. Maybe it's the belief that any time they fight, a Fight of the Year candidate will surely follow (as has been the case in the past two years with their second and third fights).
Whatever the reason, several fight fans were less than thrilled to hear the news that not only will the dynamic duo not renew their rivalry, but that they may no longer compete in the same weight class.
What's being missed in the process is the fact that the featherweight division needs an Israel Vazquez or a Rafael Marquez, far more than the two fighters need each other.
It's amazing that with so much going on around the featherweight division, there's next to nothing to speak of among those actually required to make the 126 lb. weight limit. The first half of the decade was a golden age in comparison; between Naseem Hamed, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, no fewer than four future Hall of Famers ruled the roost.
Marquez was the last of the lot to move up (or out, in Hamed's case) when he claimed a junior lightweight belt in early 2007. At the time of his departure, featherweight lacked true leadership, though at least boasted potential.
Robert Guerrero had come all the way back from the lone loss of his career, regaining his old title and ready to wreak havoc on whomever promoter Goossen-Tutor could convince to share ring space with the rangy puncher.
Joining him on the list of "featherweights we need to see more often" was Jorge Linares, who made a huge splash with his one-sided stoppage win of former junior featherweight titlist Oscar Larios (who, like Marquez, met Vazquez three times).
Both were young, exciting featherweights being showcased on American airwaves. Instant rivalry, just add water – or an enticing enough contract to make such a dream fight a reality.
There still stands the chance of that matchup taking place. It just won't happen at 126 lb. Both fighters have since moved up to the junior lightweight division, a move that's right on time for a division that's said goodbye to Barrera, Pacquiao, Marquez and Joan Guzman in the span of just over a year.
Meanwhile, featherweight still suffers, which is why Vazquez' pondering a move up in weight should be all the more embraced.
For the moment, featherweight life without Vazquez looks rather bleak. Talent exists, but talent alone rarely generates anything beyond modest intrigue.
Case in point, the division’s de facto leader Chris John. Most regard the undefeated Indonesian as the best of a largely anonymous bunch, having reigned as a featherweight titlist for the past five years. The first three were spent as an interim titlist before being upgraded to full champion after a questionable sanctioning body move (as if there’s any other kind) left Juan Manuel Marquez beltless.
John and Marquez settled their differences in the ring in 2006, only for controversy to ensue once the final scores were read. Who deserved to win the bout is open to debate, though few agreed with the ridiculously wide margins in John’s favor. Some suggested home cooking, especially with Marquez losing two points for repeated low blows late in the fight.
There’s certainly no shame in struggling with Marquez – just ask the sport’s very best fighter, Manny Pacquiao, whom many will argue should be no better than 0-1-1 in their two fight series. But the problem with John’s run is that it’s the only notable win amongst a reign littered with forgettable (even if dominant) performances against mediocre competition.
A fight with Israel Vazquez would make that problem go away in a hurry, though it could very well also spell the end of John’s lengthy reign. Rumors of his seeking a stateside debut surfaced last year, as his camp was in negotiations to defend against 2000 US Olympic silver medalist Rocky Juarez.
Several factors led to the fight never materializing, though it stands to reason that a Vazquez showdown would come with enough money to entice John to this corner of the world. If not, then Vazquez can set his sights on an opponent considerably closer to home.
Enter Steve Luevano.
Expertly guided by 2007 Manager of the Year Cameron Dunkin and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, Luevano has surfaced on several notable pay-per-view undercards in recent years. In a span of just under nine months, the Mexican-American saw televised action on three straight shows headlined by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao as well as an October appearance beneath Bernard Hopkins-Kelly Pavlik.
While ring activity has been frequent, the best compliment that can be paid to his career in terms of entertainment value is that he's steady and effective. Boring would be way too harsh of a description, though it can easily be argued that few of his fights are particularly memorable beyond the evening they occurred (if even that long).
Like John, the one exception comes with its downside. His June '08 alphabet title defense against Mario Santiago drew plenty of oohs and ahhs from the Vegas crowd throughout their twelve-round affair. The price to pay for being exciting is risking defeat. Luevano came dangerously close, escaping the fight with a split decision draw.
There was little controversy surrounding the end result; a 7-5 type win in either direction could've been argued, which only strengthens the case for the draw verdict.
What it doesn’t strengthen is Luevano’s credentials. It leaves hope that the talented Californian has the ability to steal the show when matched right. His last fight confirmed as much, though for all of the wrong reasons.
Many knew going into his October defense that previously unbeaten Australian contender Billy Dib was a pure stinker. The worst fears were realized once the opening bell rang, with the end result being a 12-round snoozer, save for the occasions where fans stayed awake long enough to boo the in-ring action, or lack thereof.
Luevano continues to make a name for himself as a solid featherweight, perhaps the second best in the world for the moment. The problem with being so close to the top of the 126 lb. mountain these days is two-fold: little chance of securing a fight with the number one guy and a sea of contenders from three to ten that range from retreads to virtual unknowns.
This is usually the point where matchmakers seek top fighters from lower weight classes, or ponder a move up in weight for their own guy. The latter option would almost certainly result in Luevano’s second career loss and, depending upon the opponent, doesn’t figure to pay particularly well. In other words, an unnecessary risk, squared.
Door number one brings the conversation back to Israel Vazquez. Sure, there are other junior featherweights to consider – Top Rank has a hell of candidate in Juan Manuel Lopez and another in rising contender Bernabe Concepcion. There’s also Rafael Marquez, Celestino Caballero, Jhonny Gonzalez, Steve Molitor and Daniel Ponce de Leon, to name just a few.
The fact that there are so many talented – and notable – fighters to choose from at 122 without Vazquez is reason alone to give the featherweights an entertainment bailout. Even if the diminutive two fisted boxer-puncher.
Junior featherweight can survive the hit simply by mixing and matching amongst their own. Even if Vazquez abandons the division altogether, filling the void only be a fight or two way.
Rumors were already swirling of a possible Caballero-Marquez showdown, both of whom already fill the next two spots on just about every sensible junior featherweight top ten. Lopez is on the verge of a breakout year in 2009. Gonzalez and Concepcion inch closer and closer to mandatory title shots. Molitor and de Leon figure to return to the mix one way or another.
Try getting that excited over any combination of potential featherweight matches. Plans call for red hot undefeated prospect Yuriorkis Gamboa to race toward a title shot by year’s end, but that’s if the Cuban can still make weight – and can find the necessary in-ring discipline to not go the way of several fallen notable prospects in 2008.
Beyond that, not much, and as mentioned earlier, there’s no guarantee that Gamboa is in the title picture by this time next year. Until he buds into a divisional leader, there’s the following, in no particular order: the aforementioned duo of John and Luevano; Mario Santiago, Cristobal Cruz, Fernando Beltran Jr., Jorge “Mexican McNulty” Solis, Elio Rojas, Choi Tseveenpurev, badly faded Oscar Larios, Monte Meza-Clay and Hiroyuki Enoki.
Whether individually or matched against each other, try selling that list to HBO or Showtime, or how little either would offer for any given matchup, if there exists any interest at all.
Add Israel Vazquez’ name, and see how fast those same network executives move – and how much boxing fans will once again care about the featherweight division.
Jake Donovan is a voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Comments/questions can be submitted to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.
