By Jamie Bourne – Compromised and depleted, Mexico’s most courageous warrior now faces his toughest challenge to date. Israel Vázquez played his part in some of the most violent scraps in boxing history and will be remembered alongside his compadre, Rafael Márquez, for delivering one of the finest rivalries’ pugilism has produced. This is the story of how he relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of a dream, how he created so many fond memories in the ring, and the uncertain future he now faces outside of the squared circle.
Childhood
Born on Christmas Day, 1977, in Mexico City – Israel Vázquez Castañeda was a well-behaved and intellectual child but possessed with an explosive temperament. He aspired to represent his national team playing soccer, but those dreams were shattered early when a bad injury in his first soccer match exposed a weakness in his ankles, which would linger throughout his adult life.
Israel joined the local boxing gym and trained intensely; an hour of road work before school and two-and-a-half hours in the gym after classes. As an amateur, he was ruthless – knocking out 58 opponents (supposedly consecutively).
Like many Mexicans before him, he joined the paid ranks as a mere teenager. At seventeen, the baby-faced Vázquez quickly established a reputation after breaking an opponent’s nose in the opening round but garnered serious attention after blitzing the highly touted and undefeated Óscar Larios inside the first round.
His big break arrived the following year when he received a call from Frank Espinoza. The LA-based manager had heard reports of a twenty-year-old terrorising the domestic super bantamweight scene in Mexico, annihilating his opponents with vicious left hooks.
Espinoza helped Vázquez secure a work visa and set up his U.S. debut against Puerto Rican no-hoper, Antonio Ramirez. In El Cajon, California, an anxious and overeager Vázquez struggled to impress, surviving a knockdown in the third to claim a decision over six rounds. A Top Rank scout in attendance, after witnessing the uninspiring display, suggested Espinoza send his new signing on the first flight back to Mexico.
Acclimatising to LA life was a troubling experience for Vázquez. Without family and close friends to confide in, he grew lonely and considered abandoning his aspirations of becoming a successful boxer, in favour of home comforts.
However, it all changed when he met a Mexican hairdresser named Laura Díaz, who worked in a hair salon alongside the wife of his (then) trainer, Manuel Robles. The pair developed a relationship, eventually marrying in 2002 and later having three children.
Career progression was frustratingly slow, and he assumed part-time work as a painter to supplement his modest boxing income. In May 2002, his confidence hit rock bottom when he lost the rematch with Larios over twelve rounds with his career on the line, decided that an overhaul of his training regime was required.
He began working out at the famous Hollywood Wild Card Boxing Gym, run by esteemed trainer Freddie Roach, whose starpupil at the time was super featherweight champion, Manny Pacquiao. Roach was impressed with Vázquez – particularly his politeness and unrelenting work ethic. Under his tutelage and regular sparring with the Filipino sensation, Vázquez was firmly back on track to fulfil his potential.
A Dream Come True
In the spring of 2004, six years and twenty-two fights after emigrating from Mexico, his hard work finally paid dividends, capturing the IBF 122-pound title from José Luis Valbuena. He subsequently signed a contractual agreement with Sequan Promotions, using the healthy signing fee to buy his wife her own hair salon.
In his first defence, he knocked out undefeated Armenian Artyom Simonyan in the fifth round, followed by a points decision over fellow Mexican, Armando Guerrero. In November 2005, he signed for the rubber match against Larios, who put his WBC and Ring Magazine titles on the line.
However, his and Laura’s world was to be flipped upside down. Their son, Israel Jr, was diagnosed with haemophilia – a rare disorder that prevents blood from clotting properly. Whenever their son suffered a slight knock or bruising, it would result in internal bleeding. Therefore, they had to monitor his situation diligently and frequently rushed him to the hospital to be injected with a coagulant.
In the build-up to the fight, Vázquez yo-yoed between the gym and the hospital. Juggling concernsfor his son and his wife, who was days from giving birth to their second son, preparation for the rubbermatch was far from ideal.
Vázquez had luck on his side that night in Las Vegas. After peppering Larios with blistering combinations, a hideous two-inch wound opened over Larios’ left eye. Unable to prevent the endless stream of blood, the champion couldn’t continue, effectively conceding the title to his Mexican rival in the third round.
The victory not only boosted Vázquez’s confidence but also his marketability, catching the eye of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. The ability to provide life-changing six-figure purses and high-profile matchups prompted Espinoza to bring them on board as co-promoters.
The move brought more money and more recognition – but also more tribulation. His next two title defences were fast-paced and brutal; defeating former champion Ivan Hernández before climbing off the canvas twice against Jhonny González, to stop the WBO bantamweight holder in the tenth round of an enthralling contest.
His aggressive style combined with a vulnerable defence made him a must-watch commodity for fight fans and his fan base expanded rapidly. Whilst Vázquez was forging a path at super bantamweight, Rafael Márquez was the reigning king at the weight below and talks of a showdown between the two quickly gained traction.
The Start of Something Special
In March 2007, Márquez – the younger brother of the legendary Juan Manuel Márquez – stepped up four-pounds whilst attempting to become a two-division world champion. Little did anyone know it was the beginning of a beautiful, but barbaric, four-part rivalry.
Despite having his nose broken in the second round, Vázquez’ scored a knockdown in the third. The pair traded furiously for twenty-one minutes, with neither showing any respect for the other’s power nor caring much for the technical intricacies of the sweet science.
Round-by-round, the loose cartilage and lumps of blood made breathing a troublesome task for Vázquez. Upon returning to his stool at the end of the seventh, his face was grotesquely disfigured and with growing concerns about his inability to breath properly, he had no choice but to withdraw and surrender his title to Márquez.
The savage nature and inconclusive ending of their first meeting understandably left fans clamouring for a rematch. The pair obliged and were reacquainted four months later at the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. In one of the most memorable pugilistic shootouts of all-time, Vázquez – despite suffering cuts around both eyes – knocked out Márquez in the sixth to regain his belts. The fight was named Ring Magazine’s Fight of the Year for 2007, whilst the rollercoaster third round was awarded Round of the Year.
Now one apiece, the only acceptable next step for both was to agree terms for a rubber match. In March 2008, they returned to the Home Depot Center in California for the decider. Márquez started brightly, dictating proceedings behind his jab before following up with crisp left hooks.
He cemented his dominance in the fourth, dropping the champion with a short right hand – a punch that the commentary highlighted as a noticeable absence from Márquez’ offence in the early stages. Vázquez responded as warriors do – fighting fire with fire – launching venomous combinations at his counterpart, igniting a brawl that brought the crowd to their feet. The three minutes of intense action would earn the Ring Magazine’s Round of the Year for 2008.
Following the knockdown, Vázquez returned with a renewed sense of urgency, matching the Márquez jab with his own, allowing him to position himself on the inside and unload speedy, hurtful flurries. The champion wrested back the initiative to reduce the deficit heading into the championship stages. But when it seemed one was in control, the other would land a heavy shotand alter the perception of dominance.
In the championship rounds, two significant moments defined the outcome of the contest. In the tenth, Márquez was docked a point for low blows. A few of his body shots swayed low throughout the duration of the bout, prompting Pat Russell to intervene after multiple transgressions.
The other game-changing moment arrived in the dying seconds of round twelve when Vázquez sent Márquez sprawling into the ropes. The referee deemed that the ropes prevented the challenger from hitting the deck, so he stepped in and gave a mandatory standing eight count. Exhausted and wounded, Márquez survived to hear the final bell.
The two events proved to be critical for the champion, who retained his title on a split decision verdict. Without the point deduction and knockdown, the decision would have favoured Márquez. Like their previous meeting, the spectacle was awarded Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 2008.
The Beginning of the End
Later that same year, the WBC stripped Vázquez of his title. A detached retina suffered in the third encounter with Márquez sidelined him for fourteen months. After undergoing three surgeries to repair the damage, Vázquez was medically cleared to resume boxing training in May 2009.
He returned in October to knock out Columbia’s Angel Antonio Priolo, in the ninth round. Despite the victory, it was clear to see that his abilities had diminished considerably; years of wear and tear had taken its toll and Vázquez looked a faded version of his former self.
On May 22, 2010, Vázquez would meet Márquez for a fourth occasion, this time up at featherweight – and Showtime titled the show “Once and Four All”. With both well past their physical prime, Márquez had more left in the tank and scored a third-round TKO to level their series at two each.
A fifth fight was mentioned, but Vázquez long-time manager, Espizona, advised against it and pleaded with his client to retire. He agreed, spelling the end of a remarkable professional campaign.
The Aftermath
During his career, Vázquez dished out and absorbed an obscene amount of punishment. Amongst other injuries, he suffered a broken nose, detached retina and permanent facial scarring. As a result, his quality of life post-boxing has been heartbreakingly poor.
Now residing with his family in Huntington Park, California, he is completely blind in the right eye, due to severe optic nerve damage. Whilst considering a prosthetic eye, other bodily functions began to deteriorate at an alarming rate.
Seeking an explanation for the dramatic physical decline, he underwent testing and was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis – a rare rheumatic disorder which causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue. Whilst there is no cure for the condition, medication and treatment can mitigate the symptoms. A career 122-pounder, his body has been boiled down to a measly 112lbs.
In boxing, we frequently hear of fighters suffering hardship in later life, whether physical or emotional. The governing bodies could generally do far more to assist, but in the case of Israel Vázquez, the WBC have acted admirably and supported their former champion.
The organisation and its president Mauricio Sulaimán have funded regular trips to Mexico for treatment and have overseen his path to recovery; a commendable act of repaying the man who carried their belt with such pride and put his heart and soul into defending it.
The former champ now travels to Mexico every six weeks for treatment and was recently given reassurances that the disease is not hereditary, alleviating concerns for his three young children. The doctors also confirmed there is no correlation between the beatings sustained in the ring and the disorder that now ravages his everyday life.
Sadly, he does not enjoy the financial security that such a stellar career warrants. Although he manages a gym in California, it currently provides no income due to the COVID-19 pandemic regulations. His role as a boxing analyst for World Class Boxing on LATV provides another modest income but is also on pause due to the temporary suspension of sport.
His physical and financial frailty is especially poignant, given the remarkable standing of both, a relatively short time ago. Having witnessed his resilience between the ropes, I’m confident that he’ll continue to fight his condition until the very end. One thing is certain, his name, alongside that of Rafael Márquez, will forever be carved into the pantheon of boxing’s greatest rivalries.
Viva la “El Magnifico”!
The Neutral Corner 
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