After a year and a half hiatus from the ring former three time 122-pound title holder Israel Vazquez returns to the square this Saturday night at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, CA, to take on veteran Angel Antonio Priolo.
After years at battling in and around the super bantamweight range, which produced Israel with the WBC and IBF portion of the weight class titles, Vazquez will be campaigning at the 126-pound level.
“All though I may not have a title in the 126-pound division, I feel like I am the people’s champ!”
Vazquez last seen action in March of 2008, when he defeated arch nemesis Rafael Marquez for the second time in a three peat scrap that awarded both combatants with Ring Magazine’s 2007 “Fight of the Year”.
The former Ring Magazine’s 122-pound champ suffered a detached retina, which sidelined Vazquez for the past year and a half, but “Magnifico” counts the injury as a blessing in disguise, “after the Marquez fights, I needed the rest”, states Vazquez, as far as a reoccurring injury is concerned, Israel isn’t, “injuries can happen in the ring, but I don’t worry.”
What does Vazquez have to offer the Featherweight division?
“I am very excited to be climbing back into the ring, all though I am not over looking Priolo, I do want the bigger names in the division!”
Does Vazquez still have the spark that catapulted him amongst the best of the best, or has the injury taken its toll?
“I am fully healed and ready to fight, I want people to know that Israel Vazquez is back!"
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