lpinoy
11-04-2010, 04:00 AM
By Bob Velin, USA TODAY
It would be difficult to find a rivalry in boxing that stirs such powerful nationalistic emotions as Mexico vs. Puerto Rico.
History has provided some unforgettable Mexico-Puerto Rico ring wars. From Salvador Sanchez's 1981 knockout of unbeaten Wilfredo Gomez to legendary Julio Cesar Chavez raising his record to 81-0 with his 1992 decision against Hector "Macho" Camacho, to Tito Trinidad's fourth-round KO of Yory Boy Campas in '94.
Whether Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez's featherweight title defense against veteran Rafael Marquez on Saturday night (Showtime, 10 ET) can live up to the great fights of the past remains to be seen. But the aggressive styles of both fighters portend another classic. And each predicts that the fight will end in a knockout.
"I expect the fight to end in a knockout, but I don't expect it to end early," Lopez said on a conference call with news reporters. "I think we both have the power to knock each other out. As long as it lasts, it's going to be a war."
Lopez, the 27-year-old undefeated southpaw who has knockouts in 26 of his 29 victories, is one of the sport's rising stars. "JuanMa" is coming off a second-round KO of Filipino Bernabe Concepcion in July, though Lopez was caught off-guard and dropped in the first round.
Marquez (39-5, 35 KOs) has been through some brutal battles, particularly his first three fights with fellow Mexican Israel Vazquez, the last two of which were won by Vazquez. Marquez, 35, evened the score with a third-round KO of Vazquez last May.
Like Lopez, Marquez, the brother of four-division champion Juan Manuel Marquez, has a 90% knockout percentage. He's ready for anything.
"If he wants to exchange, I'll exchange," Marquez said. "If he wants to box, I'll box.
"I've seen some of the videotape on him. I see how strong and powerful he is, but I also see his weaknesses. I see that he has a weak chin. So we have to take advantage of that and put our punches together and use a lot of combinations. ... It's a winnable fight, no question."
The fight was originally scheduled for Sept. 18 but was pushed back when Marquez injured his right thumb after catching it in a car door. Marquez says the injury is healed and won't be a factor.
"My preparation never stopped," he said. "I've been running and doing other things, just not hitting anything. This is important, and it'll be a great fight."
Both fighters are well aware of what this fight means to their respective boxing-crazy countries.
"I don't want to put extra pressure on me," Lopez said. "But I understand the tradition of Puerto Rico fighters fighting against boxers from Mexico.
"I think Puerto Ricans expect a lot from me, and I hope to give them the best fight I can. I know he's going to give all he can, and it's going to be another great fight in the rivalry."
Marquez said this is the most important fight of his career.
"I haven't fought too many Puerto Ricans at the level I'm fighting at in this fight," he said. "This guy is intelligent and knows what he's doing in the ring."
Super Six: The card's TV opener features one of Showtime's Super Six World Classic fights.
One of the semifinal spots in the tournament will go to the winner of the Allan Green-Glen Johnson 12-round super middleweight fight.
Green (29-2, 20 KOs) or Johnson (50-14-2, 34 KOs) will join Andre Ward, Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham next year in the semifinals. Abraham and Froch meet Nov. 27 in Helsinki. Both are assured semifinal spots because three of the original six dropped out: Jermain Taylor, Mikkel Kessler and Andre Dirrell.
Johnson, 41, one of boxing's toughest, most hard-luck fighters, has been competing at light heavyweight. But he said he would be able to trim to 168 pounds. "We've got a nutritionist who is telling us how to eat, and everything has been easy," Johnson said. "I feel great about the fight. I am looking forward to it."
It would be difficult to find a rivalry in boxing that stirs such powerful nationalistic emotions as Mexico vs. Puerto Rico.
History has provided some unforgettable Mexico-Puerto Rico ring wars. From Salvador Sanchez's 1981 knockout of unbeaten Wilfredo Gomez to legendary Julio Cesar Chavez raising his record to 81-0 with his 1992 decision against Hector "Macho" Camacho, to Tito Trinidad's fourth-round KO of Yory Boy Campas in '94.
Whether Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez's featherweight title defense against veteran Rafael Marquez on Saturday night (Showtime, 10 ET) can live up to the great fights of the past remains to be seen. But the aggressive styles of both fighters portend another classic. And each predicts that the fight will end in a knockout.
"I expect the fight to end in a knockout, but I don't expect it to end early," Lopez said on a conference call with news reporters. "I think we both have the power to knock each other out. As long as it lasts, it's going to be a war."
Lopez, the 27-year-old undefeated southpaw who has knockouts in 26 of his 29 victories, is one of the sport's rising stars. "JuanMa" is coming off a second-round KO of Filipino Bernabe Concepcion in July, though Lopez was caught off-guard and dropped in the first round.
Marquez (39-5, 35 KOs) has been through some brutal battles, particularly his first three fights with fellow Mexican Israel Vazquez, the last two of which were won by Vazquez. Marquez, 35, evened the score with a third-round KO of Vazquez last May.
Like Lopez, Marquez, the brother of four-division champion Juan Manuel Marquez, has a 90% knockout percentage. He's ready for anything.
"If he wants to exchange, I'll exchange," Marquez said. "If he wants to box, I'll box.
"I've seen some of the videotape on him. I see how strong and powerful he is, but I also see his weaknesses. I see that he has a weak chin. So we have to take advantage of that and put our punches together and use a lot of combinations. ... It's a winnable fight, no question."
The fight was originally scheduled for Sept. 18 but was pushed back when Marquez injured his right thumb after catching it in a car door. Marquez says the injury is healed and won't be a factor.
"My preparation never stopped," he said. "I've been running and doing other things, just not hitting anything. This is important, and it'll be a great fight."
Both fighters are well aware of what this fight means to their respective boxing-crazy countries.
"I don't want to put extra pressure on me," Lopez said. "But I understand the tradition of Puerto Rico fighters fighting against boxers from Mexico.
"I think Puerto Ricans expect a lot from me, and I hope to give them the best fight I can. I know he's going to give all he can, and it's going to be another great fight in the rivalry."
Marquez said this is the most important fight of his career.
"I haven't fought too many Puerto Ricans at the level I'm fighting at in this fight," he said. "This guy is intelligent and knows what he's doing in the ring."
Super Six: The card's TV opener features one of Showtime's Super Six World Classic fights.
One of the semifinal spots in the tournament will go to the winner of the Allan Green-Glen Johnson 12-round super middleweight fight.
Green (29-2, 20 KOs) or Johnson (50-14-2, 34 KOs) will join Andre Ward, Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham next year in the semifinals. Abraham and Froch meet Nov. 27 in Helsinki. Both are assured semifinal spots because three of the original six dropped out: Jermain Taylor, Mikkel Kessler and Andre Dirrell.
Johnson, 41, one of boxing's toughest, most hard-luck fighters, has been competing at light heavyweight. But he said he would be able to trim to 168 pounds. "We've got a nutritionist who is telling us how to eat, and everything has been easy," Johnson said. "I feel great about the fight. I am looking forward to it."