Saturday May 22 marks the fourth time that 3-time world champion Israel Vazquez and former Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight Champion Rafael Marquez will shed blood together. Their first three fights took place over the span of 350 days in 2007 and are already legendary, having been mentioned as possibly the greatest trilogy in history.
Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez met today in Los Angeles, California, along with IBF Bantamweight champion Yonnhy Perez and challenger Abner Mares, to hold their final press conference before they take to the ring for the fourth time. Neither Vazquez or Marquez had a single negative thing to say about each other, instead merely promising to make this Saturdays' bout a potential Fight of the Year candidate. Check out what the principles had to say about the fight.
Richard Schaefer
"Just before, somebody asked me, 'When do you think the crowd is going to be on their feet?'. I said, 'Well, the crowd is going to be on their feet when these two warriors are going to walk into the ring."
"These are two truly, truly legendary fighters which have given it their all and will give it their all again come Saturday night."
"These are true gentlemen outside of the ring, and true warriors inside of the ring."
Gary Shaw
"Yonnhy Perez is a special kid."
"Frank [Espinoza], if you think you're walking away with the belt on Saturday, you must have one of those medical-medicinal cards here. It ain't happening."
"This fight is very special to me. I've had the honor of doing one, two, and three; Marquez-Vazquez. So as that fight goes down in history I know that I'll be part of that history."
"I know these two fighters can go in the Hall of Fame. I told 'Raffy' yesterday what makes him special is he's going to go into the Hall of Fame before his brother, for sure."
Rafael Marquez
"I know it's going to be a great show. We are going to put on a great show together this Saturday."
"There's no words to say, no introduction for us. Everybody knows us. We know in front of us we have a strong fighter; a fighter who comes for all, and we're coming for all also."
'You're going to see a great show. You're going to see who Rafael Marquez is in the ring, and this Saturday you're going to see a great show."
Israel Vazquez (Highlights loosely translated)
"It's going to be a great fight."
"On May 22nd, Rafael and I are going to make the best fight of the year."
Abner Mares
"I'm facing Yonnhy Perez, the IBF World Champion a great friend. But come May 22nd I'm going to treat him like a friend that stole my girlfriend. I'm going to take it to him."
"We're going to steal the show."
Yonnhy Perez
"Este cinturon no es mio. No es de Yonnhy Perez. Este cinturon es de Yhonny, pero Yhonny Jr."
"This belt that you see around my chest does not belong to Yonnhy Perez. It doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Yonnhy Perez Jr. and Mateo, my two sons; and the things you give to your kids you never take away from them."
Frank Espinoza Sr.
"Israel Vazquez versus (Rafael) Marquez one, two, and three exceeded everyone's expectations, and their trilogy will forever be remembered as the greatest of all time. On Saturday these Mexican warriors will face off for the fourth time for what I believe will be a confrontation just as intense and exciting as the first three."
"On that same night Abner Mares will also be fighting Yonnhy Perez for the fourth time. They fought three times as an amateur. Their careers traveled in different paths and they decided that they should meet again. Now it's for the world title, and for the winner to have the right to call himself the best Bantamweight in the world."
Rudy Perez
"What else can I say? Everything has been said. This is the fourth fight; it's going to be a great fight."