Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez will meet for the fourth time in a Showtime-televised bout on May 22 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in accordance with a deal that is done in accordance with a source close to negotiations.The two, aging warriors, who engaged in a classic, super bantamweight (122 pounds) trilogy, will fight as featherweights (126) when they face each other, yet again.
Vazquez and Marquez are coming off of victories accomplished at 126 pounds.
Marquez, 34, is coming off of May's third-round knockout of Jose Francisco Mendoza, improving his mark to 38-5, with 34 knockouts and ending a 14-month layoff.
Vazquez, 31, is coming off of October's ninth-round stoppage of Angel Antonio Priolo, rising to 44-4 with 32 knockouts.
After being dethroned by Marquez, who stopped him in seven rounds in March of 2007, Vazquez won twice -- scoring a sixth-round knockout and a decision, respectively, in August of 2007, and, March of 2008.
"The boxing world has been waiting to see if there was ever going to be the final chapter in Marquez vs Vasquez, and May 22nd, in LA will be the last chance to ever see these fighters in the ring in opposite corners," said Gary Shaw, Marquez's promoter.
"I expect fight No. 4 to be like Nos. 1, 2, and 3 -- an all--out war, and a fight that will not last 12 rounds," said Shaw. "But the fans will believe they saw a 15-rounder."
Vazquez required three operations to repair the detatched retina that resulted from his last bout with Marquez.
