Bad Left Hook Fight Night: Israel Vazquez v. Rafael Marquez III

Vazquez coming inside right away, Marquez looking to score with the jab as he has the reach and hand speed advantage. Vazquez misses a left hook, and there's the first big shot, a left hand from Marquez.

Nasty left hook to the body from Marquez. Vazquez stuck with a jab, but then fires back with some body work. Wicked shots on the inside. This has yet to even explode.

Marquez is stinging the shit out of Vazquez. HERE COMES VAZQUEZ, STUNNING MARQUEZ! UPPERCUT FROM VAZQUEZ!

Bernstein: "It's on!"

You bet it is. There's no way this goes 12.

Uppercut from Vazquez, right on the chin. On the inside, Vazquez is punishing him. There's a hook from Marquez, really nails Vazquez. Good God, can these two fucking FIGHT.

Marquez 10-9

Hook to the body from Vazquez, Marquez keeps jabbing. Those are just brutal jabs. Right on the button. Uppercut by Marquez misses.

Minute left in the round. This is all action and as slow as these two can fight against each other. Marquez is winning this round again. This matchup has proven two things: As hard as Marquez hits, Vazquez hits harder, and as good a boxer as Vazquez is, Marquez is better.

Vazquez shakes Marquez! Marquez shakes Vazquez! WICKED left hook to the body from Marquez. They fight to the bell. My God.

Marquez 10-9
Marquez 20-18

Counter right from Vazquez after Marquez scores a few times. Vazquez misses an uppercut, and a double jab lands moments later. Vazquez is definitely the aggressor, which is exactly how this fight plays out when they both fight their best.

Marquez with a 1-2 combo that Vazquez defends really well. Hard right from Vazquez. Left hook lands for Israel. Vazquez has some redness around the eye.

This, so far, looks like Vazquez's best round.

Uh oh -- low blow from Marquez. Warning, and they touch gloves.

Fight slows down after that. Tough round to score.

Vazquez 10-9
Marquez 29-28

The signature punches of both men -- Marquez's straight right, Vazquez's left hook -- have yet to play a big role in the fight. Obviously both men must have prepared heavily for those punches.

Marquez is back to controlling the fight.

Now there's a stop for an incidental headbutt, but they get right back to it.

Left hook from Marquez stuns Vazquez! RIGHT HAND, DOWN GOES VAZQUEZ!

He's up, and he'll fight on. 45 seconds left.

VAZQUEZ FIRES BACK ON HIM! MARQUEZ WOBBLED! LEFT HOOK! HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL THIS IS EVERYTHING WE KNEW IT WOULD BE!

Blood on the left eye of Vazquez.RIGHT HAND FROM MARQUEZ! Left hook drills Vazquez! RIGHT FROM MARQUEZ! RIGHT FROM VAZQUEZ! UPPERCUT FROM MARQUEZ! THE BELL

JESUS

Marquez 10-8
Marquez 39-36

Another borderline low blow from Marquez, but no warning. Marquez UNLOADS with a tremendous combo. And Vazquez comes back!

These two are otherworldly.

Vazquez with an uppercut, Marquez with a left hook. Vazquez stings him with a short left hook. WHAM! God did that land. WHAM! This is a FIGHT!

Body shot from Marquez! Israel is now straight up fighting, getting inside and doing his thing. THUNDEROUS straight right from Marquez! GODDAMN.

Vazquez is getting beaten pretty soundly at this point. The jab is scoring, the right hand is now effective, and he's even outhooking him. RIGHT HAND BY VAZQUEZ! The bell sounds.

I feel so bad for any fight fan that is missing this.

Marquez 10-9
Marquez 49-45

Out they come again, Vazquez throwing a 1-2, the back-end a straight right, and doing so in bulk. They keep trading, there are no lulls in action, nothing stops either of them from fighting forward.

Vazquez is working the combinations much more than he has in the previous 18 rounds. Marquez's jab has been outstanding tonight, keeping Vazquez from really getting a foothold in close.

Uppercuts inside from Marquez, and he lands a short left hand. Nasty right hand from Vazquez! About a minute left in another wonderful round of boxing.

Vazquez hurts him with right hands! Marquez gets away from the ropes. This is such a tense fight. Vazquez is looking stronger even though both eyes are beaten up now.He might know it's about time to turn on the light. I don't know.

Another low blow from Marquez -- one more, and another point will be deducted.

Marquez 10-9, but Vazquez is hurting him
Marquez 59-54

This isn't nearly as one-sided as my card says. Every point has been earned.

Vazquez comes out firing, and Marquez is there to meet him. Hard short right from Vazquez. Vazquez hurts Marquez again. Press scores are 57-56 for Marquez across the board, and Al has the same score as me.

Vazquez is looking a lot better this round. Remember, Marquez is known for fading in these rounds.HARD right from Marquez to the side of the head. Marquez with a hook to the chest.

Jab exchange, two to one for Vazquez but Marquez's lands hardest. Vazquez corners him, but Marquez again escapes. This is a super round for Vazquez, as he's fighting his very best. Marquez comes back with a combo! Marquez hurts him again, left hook to the jaw!

ARE WE NEAR THE END?

Marquez with a nasty uppercut! Marquez is measuring him! Hard shots land in bulk! WHAT A ROUND. WHAT A FIGHT. WHAT FIGHTERS!

Vazquez 10-9
Marquez 68-64

Another hard-fought round, and this one has been really even with half of it over. Vazquez scores with rights and lefts upstairs, taking the lead. BIG right from Vazquez. MARQUEZ COMES ON! Marquez with hard shots on the inside, taking control back!

Could this be any better? Really?

BIG right from Vazquez! Right uppercut from Vazquez! The ebb and flow is off the charts. These two men are warriors. That's no hyperbole.

Vazquez with another hard, and ANOTHER! AND ANOTHER! Marquez is getting tagged! Woo!

Vazquez 10-9
Marquez 77-74

Marquez with a left hook, but Vazquez just won't stop moving forward. Vazquez is up on two press row cards now. I can't really argue, though I can, I guess. And am.

More big punches on both sides. This is two guys beating each other -- as Jim Lampley once said, "It's amazing human beings can do this."

Vazquez is controlling this round again, and he's taking momentum for real now. Marquez might be reeling from body work. I'm not sure. Sharp right from Vazquez.

The combos from Marquez aren't as quick as they were earlier. VAZQUEZ DRILLED WITH A VICIOUS STRIAGHT RIGHT! Oh man, he is lucky that the round ended just after that. This is great.

Vazquez 10-9
Marquez 86-84

Vazquez putting the pressure on big time to start the 10th round. Marquez's jab is no longer deterring Vazquez, as it's just not being thrown or landed as much. Vazquez corners him again, and again Marquez gets out of there. To the ropes, and Marquez backs him up with a body shot.

The two...spoon? They stand and spoon? And they go back to the fight.

HARD shots from Rafael Marquez! A three-punch combo, all of it landing. VAZQUEZ WITH A RIGHT HAND! Oh my God -- a clinch!

OH JESUS CHRIST
WHAT A RIGHT FROM MARQUEZ
AND VAZQUEZ TAKES IT

Marquez with a low blow -- One point deduction for Marquez. That could be a big, big deal.

30 seconds left in the round. They trade again. The crowd is electric. And the point was rightly taken.

OH MY GOD WHAT A FLURRY FROM MARQUEZ AND AGAIN VAZQUEZ STAYS UP AND SURVIVES

Al: "I almost don't care how they score this fight. Whatever it is, it is."

9-9 round with the point deduction
Marquez 95-93

Vazquez and Marquez will not stop punching. I'm out of ways to describe how great this truly is. This is so special.

Stiff jab from Marquez. Marquez with a right. I'm just watching this now. That's all.

This is fantastic. I love this fight and hese two fighters. THEY TRADE HEAVY UNTIL THE BELL

WE GO TO ROUND 12

Vazquez 10-9
Marquez 104-103

Who knows what the real scores will be?

They touch gloves, and here we go!

Vazquez BOMBS Marquez with a straight right hand! THEY ARE GOING TO WAR!

Vazquez looks a lot stronger right now. Vazquez is blowing Marquez up. BIG RIGHT FROM VAZQUEZ! You know, Marquez has been stopped four times, but his chin is iron.

Vazquez is dominating this round. Absolutely owning it. ANOTHER right rocks Vazquez. THE CROWD IS ON ITS FEET FOR THIS! HOW GREAT CAN IT GET?

Vazquez is DESTROYING him, and Marquez has no option but to hold on. He can't do anything else. Vazquez is blowing it up!

RIGHT HAND! Stiff jab!

A MINUTE TO GO

1-2 FROM VAZQUEZ!
AGAINST THE ROPES!
VAZQUEZ WITH THE RIGHT!
MARQUEZ HANGS ON!

VAZQUEZ IS GOING FOR THE KO

30 SECONDS TO GO

VAZQUEZ DRILLS HIM AGAIN!
UNREAL
UNBELIEVABLE
MARQUEZ GOES DOWN!

HOLY SHIT

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

THE BELL SOUNDS, AND HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT? HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?

Vazquez 10-8
Vazquez 113-112

Can you believe that fight?

114-111 Vazquez (DeLuca)
114-111 Marquez (Kaczmarek)
113-112 Vazquez (Kim)

ISRAEL VAZQUEZ VIA SPLIT DECISION

Magnificent fight. Congratulations to both men.

He was clearly down. The ropes can't hold you up, Rafael. Marquez, sadly, is coming off rather poorly right now. But he just fought his ass off for 12 rounds and thought he won, so I can't take it too seriously.