On March 3, 2007 from the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, Rafael Marquez successfully defended his superbantamweight title with a 7th round stoppage of hard hitting Israel Vasquez.  Vasquez dropped Marquez in the 3rd round with a hard left hook and was in the fight all the way, but Marquez's left jab and straight rights busted up his  nose so that he couldn't breathe nor continue.  It was the first time I'd been to the Home Depot Center for a fight and is an excellent outdoor venue.


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1.  Vasquez peers in.
2.  Vasquez uses his left jab as a finder.

3.  Marquez gets his jab working early on.
4.  Already, Vasquez's nose is showing damage.

5.  Both men working inside.
6.  Looking in, always looking for the right place and the
right time like a real pro.

7.  Trading lefts.
8.  Marquez stands after being dropped.

9.  Vasquez tries to close the show.
10.  Despite being hurt, Marquez fights back.

11.  Vasquez presses in.
12.  Marquez survives and tries not to get hit flush.

13.  Vasquez, in spite of having scored a knockdown,
looks battered.
14.  Marquez uses some boxing skills to escape damage.

15.  Marquez presses Vasquez.
16.  Vasquez unloads one of  his sweet, evil intent hooks.

17.  That jab is doing damage.
18.  The winner.

19.  Still champion!


In the undercard, flyweight Vic Darchinyan simply outclassed and had too much power for Victor Burgos.  There were numerous times the fight might've been stopped but Burgos would come alive and fight back.  After the Ko he was taken to the hospital.


1.  Darchinyan closes in.
2.  Lefty Darchinyan seems a little tight and stalking.
Depends on his power.

3.  Landing hard.
4.  Lining up a shot.

5.  Always with power.
6.  Uppercut.

7.
8.  Looking for opening.

9.  Hard shot.
10.  Hitting air.

11.  Bull rush.
12.  Pressing.

13.  Looking, looking.
14.  Confident, avoiding punch.

15.
16.  Burgos is trying.

17.
18.  

19.
20.  Getting down low is bringing Burgos into uppercuts.

21.  Another one.
22.  Burgos wants to come over top.

23.  Good defensive move.
24.  Attack of the praying mantis.

25.  Now, some hard shots are hurting Burgos.
26.  Darchinyan is getting some good leverage.

27.  It's taken longer than it should but the end is near.
28.  Hurt, cornered, the ref stops it rightly so.

29.  That's enough.
30.  The winner!