Rafael Marquez won world titles at bantamweight
and junior featherweight in the early to mid-2000s, but he is best
remembered for his four-fight series with Israel Vazquez.
Marquez
was born in Mexico City in March 1975. He was introduced to boxing
as a six-year-old, along with elder brother and future four-weight
world champion Juan Manuel.
"My dad taught me, he took me to
train in the Deportiva in Iztapalapa," Marquez told RingTV.com.
Both
brothers also learned from legendary coach Arturo "Cuyo" Hernandez,
who managed and trained 12 world champions including Alexis Arguello,
Ruben Olivares and Carlos Zarate. Hernandez was posthumously inducted
into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.
Marquez recalls,
"When I arrived from primary school at 3:00 p.m., he made us
practice the jab for one week or two, so we perfected it. It didn't
matter if it took us one month, he taught us all the punches this
way.
Eager to enter the paid ranks, Marquez turned professional
at 20 years old. Incredibly he would take on former WBC 118-pound
titlist Victor Rabanales in his debut assuming, incorrectly, that
the bout was an exhibition. The grizzled veteran stopped Marquez in
eight rounds.
Marquez rebounded by rattling off 12 consecutive
wins, 11 of which came by knockout. He quickly built a reputation
as a skilled, heavy-handed fighter who could be hurt himself. It was
a habit which would make him one of the most exciting fighters of
his era.
After losing to Genaro Garcia in the fall of 2000, Marquez
got himself back in the win column before facing former champion Mark
Johnson. He made the most of the opportunity, edging the American
by split decision. With a huge victory under his belt, Marquez had
finally emerged from the shadow of his older brother.
Four months
later Marquez left no room for doubt when he stopped Johnson in the
eighth round of their rematch.
In February 2002, Marquez met
yet another talented American. Tim Austin was a long reigning IBF
bantamweight titleholder who would be making the 11th defense of his
title against the hot young Mexican contender. Entering the eight
round, Austin was slightly ahead of the cards but Marquez closed the
show to win his first world championship.
He believes this
a career-best win that will live long in the memory.
"(Austin)
was a southpaw, he won an Olympic medal, he was undefeated back then
and he was knocking out all his opponent," Marquez explained. "When
I received the offer to fight him I was recently married, so I asked
(trainer/manager) Nacho Beristain for money to get a house. The very
same day I asked him for money, he called me to offer me the fight
with Tim. Maybe he wanted to be sure I was going to pay him (laughs).
I even took him out of the ring. Round 8 was amazing."
