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Marquez moves in on Vazquez’s turf

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Times Staff Writer

Tonight’s super-bantamweight title fight between champion Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez has the boxing crowd jumping.

There’s a prediction that the bout at Home Depot Center has all the makings of the fight of the year. The boxers’ credentials prompted promoter Gary Shaw to project this Vazquez-Marquez meeting as chapter one of a trilogy.

“We don’t need to light off too many fireworks to bring the people of L.A. to this fight,” said Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, Marquez’s trainer. “The king of 122 pounds is fighting the king of 118 pounds. It’s a fight that speaks for itself.”

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Marquez, 31, has been the International Boxing Federation’s bantamweight champion since 2003, but 15 consecutive victories -- 12 by knockout -- have persuaded the Mexico City product to seek greater challenges by moving up in weight.

“There was no one that meant anything to me, no reason to take a ‘regular’ fight,” Marquez said.

In Vazquez (41-3, 31 knockouts), Marquez will fight a two-time super-bantamweight champion who last defended his World Boxing Council belt in September, rallying from two knockdowns to gain a 10th-round technical knockout victory over Jhonny Gonzalez. Vazquez has won nine consecutive bouts.

“This can be one of those fights people don’t forget,” Marquez (36-3, 32 KOs) said. “I’ll give my life, if possible, to get that belt.”

Vazquez, 29, said the belief that the bout will take on a gladiator feel is good news for him -- even on the heels of the Gonzalez epic.

“I know Rafael will come at me with everything, but I want to keep fighting the best in order to leave my mark on boxing,” Vazquez said.

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“My physical conditioning is at its best, and I’m fighting at my natural weight. I need to watch his [two-inch] reach advantage and his left, but I feel very strong -- physically and psychologically -- for this fight.”

Vazquez also will have trainer Freddie Roach in his corner. Roach, who signed in January to train Oscar De La Hoya in Puerto Rico for his May 5 showdown against unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr., said he will depart for Puerto Rico after the Vazquez fight.

Vazquez is predicting a knockout victory by the end of the seventh round.

The card also includes IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan (27-0, 21 KOs) defending his title against Victor Burgos (39-14-3, 23 KOs).

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lance.pugmire@latimes.com

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