Israel Vazquez, Mexico’s three-time junior featherweight world champion, has died after a battle with cancer, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said Tuesday. He was 46.
Known for his punching power and hand speed, Vazquez was one of Mexico’s most celebrated boxers and shared a rivalry with compatriot Rafael Marquez, whom he faced four times.
The boxer nicknamed “El Magnifico” revealed on Nov. 10 he had sarcoma, a cancer.
“Israel is finally resting in peace. May God provide his family with strength we extend all the support to his wife Laura, his kids, family and friends during this difficult time,” Sulaiman said on social media. “Thanks champion for leaving a special footprint. You will always be “El Magnifico.'”
Vazquez who debuted in 1995, split his four fights against Marquez. The 2007 and 2008 bouts received fight of the year awards.
After winning in 2008, Vazquez suffered a detached retina and eventually lost his right eye after his retirement. He stopped fighting in May 2010 after the fourth fight against Marquez, who won by a knockout.
Vazquez won the vacant IBF super bantamweight title in 2004 against Jose Luis Valbuena and successfully defended it twice. Then he took the WBC belt from titleholder Oscar Larios with a third-round stoppage in 2005.
He held the WBC belt until the first meeting with Marquez, against whom he retired in the seventh round after struggling to breathe through a broken nose. In a rematch five months later, Vazquez regained the title despite cuts over both eyes, by knocking out Marquez in the sixth round.
Vazquez won their third bout in early 2008 by a split decision after being knocked down himself. But the eye injury meant he didn’t fight for the rest of the year and was stripped of the WBC title.
After three surgeries, he was cleared to fight and fought Marquez a fourth time in Los Angeles and suffered a third-round knockout.
Vazquez finished with a record of 44-5, with 32 knockouts.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
