ISRAEL VAZQUEZ
PROFILE AND BIO

With a nickname like "Magnifico" (translated, this means magnificent), junior featherweight contender, Israel Vazquez has to be good. Luckily, the native of Mexico City, one of boxing's rising stars, has had some fine examples along the way.

"Julio Cesar Chavez, Ruben Olivares, and Salvadore Sanchez are my inspirations and they represent to me, real great boxers," said Vazquez.

But even though Vazquez has shown flashes of Sanchez' accuracy, Olivares' power, and Chavez' tenacity in his eight-year professional career, the 27-year old knows that he must make his own mark in the sport to gain the respect of boxing fans.

"Everybody is born with a gift," said Vazquez. "But the best way to get respect is to prepare the best you can because the people outside of the ring, they create idols. I want people to respect me like that one day and recognize me as a great champion."

He's off to a good start, with 38 wins in 41 bouts, with 27 of those wins coming by knockout. Not bad for a young man who didn't always want to be a boxer.

A young Vazquez yearned to make his mark on the football (soccer) field. But as the days went on, the 12-year old's curiosity got the better of him, and he wandered over to the local boxing gym, where his brothers were working out. It soon became a daily practice.

"While I was going to the gym and watching my brothers, I learned and I started liking boxing," said Vazquez. "And I changed from football to boxing. I was winning and winning, so I liked it."

His opponents didn't like it too much though, as Vazquez notched over 50 amateur wins, most coming by knockout. And with such success, he has led to the professional ring, where he made his pro debut at the tender age of 17.

In March 1995, Vazquez scored his first professional victory, stopping Eduardo Rojas in a single round. And the hits kept on coming, as Vazquez reeled off eight more victories, seven by knockout (he won one bout via disqualification).

In September 1996, Vazquez suffered his first setback as a pro when he suffered a TKO loss to Ulises Flores, but a month later "Magnifico" was back in the ring, and back dropping opponents.

Of his first 16 fights, only one went to a decision, and that was a technical decision in February 1998 (W 8 Saul Briceno). Included in these wins would be a first-round knockout of Oscar Larios in April 1997. Larios would later win the WBC super bantamweight world title, and the two would clash in an unforgettable war five years later.

Needless to say, Vazquez had become a fan favorite in his home country. "The fans give me the energy to go out there and fight," said Vazquez. "I don't feel pressured to satisfy the fans; I just have a way of doing things where the fans like my style of fighting."

In his US debut after moving to California, he scored a six-round decision over tough Antonio Ramirez, and actually went the distance in three of his next five fights. Included in this run was a decision win over well regarded Frank Lizarraga, and a close decision loss to Marcos Licona in a NABO super bantamweight title bout.

Bouncing back from the loss to Licona, Vazquez' popularity grew around California, and he scored impressive wins over quality competition like Edel Ruiz (W 8), Eddie Saenz (KO 3), and Don Don Concepcion (TKO 3).

The win over Concepcion, which gained Vazquez the NABF super bantamweight title, was particularly impressive, leading radio host and TV commentator, Rich Marotta, to call the win "a masterpiece", and Vazquez "a fantastic super bantamweight who has 'can't miss' written all over him."

In May 2001, Vazquez defended his title with a two-round blowout of Ever Beleno.

Victories over Felipe Ramirez and Osvaldo Guerrero followed, and in May 2002, Vazquez stepped in at short notice to challenge for the WBC super bantamweight title held by Willie Jorrin. But then Jorrin was injured, and a replacement was needed to fight for the now interim title.

Oscar Larios was summoned, and the two squared off in a rematch. In a toe to toe war that made practically all "Fight of the Year" lists, Larios outlasted Vazquez, scoring a 12th round stoppage. "I didn't pay attention and he took advantage," said Vazquez. "I tried to recuperate, but I couldn't."

Vazquez, who has won three in a row since the loss (W 8 Justo Almazan, TKO 10 Jorge Eliecer Julio, TKO 7 Trinidad Mendoza), wants to settle matters with Larios once and for all in a third fight. "The third fight with Larios would definitely be the last fight, because in the last one, Larios got lucky," said Vazquez.

In March 2004, Vazquez got another step closer to making a third fight with Larios a reality when he won his own version of the world championship with a dominating 12th round TKO win over veteran Jose Luis Valbuena.

Nine months later, Vazquez returned to the ring as a conquering champion, disposing of previously unbeaten number one challenger, Artyom Simonyan in just five rounds.

In his lone fight of 2005 thus far, Vazquez pounded out a 12-round unanimous decision win over Armando Guerrero in May to defend his crown for the second time.

On December 3, he Vazquez will get an opportunity to unify the super bantamweight crown with WBC champion, Larios, as the two square off in the rubber match of their epic series of bouts.