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By Cliff Rold - For the last couple of years, the Jr. Featherweight class has been a two-horse race. Through three violent classics, Mexicans Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez have traded the World championship twice, producing a pair of stoppages, four knockdowns and, if the third fight holds up through the rest of 2008, consecutive Fights of the Year. So memorable was their trilogy that the chance of a fourth consecutive meeting in 2009 lingers.
In many cases, regardless of the quality of the action, two name-branded fighters controlling the top of a class, and the money it provides, for a solid two years would generate some controversy. It doesn’t in the case of the 30-year old reigning champion Vasquez (43-4, 31 KO) and the 33-year old Marquez (37-5, 33 KO) for a reason even simpler than the merits of their rivalry.
The thought of Vasquez-Marquez IV doesn’t generate any negative reaction because, so far, really, who the hell else would anyone want to see them fight?
Who else has earned a shot?
They’re questions which started to have an answer last June when 25-year old Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez (23-0, 21 KO) obliterated Daniel Ponce De Leon (35-2, 31 KO) in a single round. They’re questions which may have an even more clear answer after Friday night.
With little mainstream attention but lots of hardcore interest, 28-year old Steve Molitor (28-0, 11 KO) of Ontario, Canada will put his IBF belt on the line against 32-year old Celestino Caballero (30-2, 21 KO) of Panama City, Panama. For both men, it marks their sixth attempted title defense and first unification attempt. It’s the sort of risk and reward scenario fight fans clamor for between two men who remain fairly obscure figures. [details]
In many cases, regardless of the quality of the action, two name-branded fighters controlling the top of a class, and the money it provides, for a solid two years would generate some controversy. It doesn’t in the case of the 30-year old reigning champion Vasquez (43-4, 31 KO) and the 33-year old Marquez (37-5, 33 KO) for a reason even simpler than the merits of their rivalry.
The thought of Vasquez-Marquez IV doesn’t generate any negative reaction because, so far, really, who the hell else would anyone want to see them fight?
Who else has earned a shot?
They’re questions which started to have an answer last June when 25-year old Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez (23-0, 21 KO) obliterated Daniel Ponce De Leon (35-2, 31 KO) in a single round. They’re questions which may have an even more clear answer after Friday night.
With little mainstream attention but lots of hardcore interest, 28-year old Steve Molitor (28-0, 11 KO) of Ontario, Canada will put his IBF belt on the line against 32-year old Celestino Caballero (30-2, 21 KO) of Panama City, Panama. For both men, it marks their sixth attempted title defense and first unification attempt. It’s the sort of risk and reward scenario fight fans clamor for between two men who remain fairly obscure figures. [details]
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