NO HOLDS BARRED

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's packed edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman presents a series of interviews which include a preview of what might just become a fight of the year candidate.

This coming Saturday, March 3, the boxer considered by most observers to be the best 122-pounder in the world, WBC super bantamweight champion Israel Vazquez (41-3, 31 KOs), defends his title against the man considered by most observers to be the best 118-pounder in the world, IBF bantamweight champion Rafael Marquez (36-3, 32 KOs). It is rare for any show to feature two number one fighters, both of whom usually leave it all in the ring, on the same card, let alone in the same fight. But this will be the case in the main event this Saturday night on a card that will be held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., and shown live in the U.S. on Showtime.

The Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez bout clearly could become a fight of the year candidate, a potentiality of which both fighters are well aware.

The co-feature will also pit one of the most exciting and talented fighters in the world, IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan (27-0, 21 KOs), in a title defense against a former champ, the veteran Victor Burgos (39-14-3, 23 KOs). We spoke with Israel Vazquez, Rafael Marquez, Vic Darchinyan, and Victor Burgos on a media teleconference call.

Also this Saturday night, March 3, another one of the top fighters in the world, the undefeated WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (28-0, 23 KOs), will face mandatory challenger Oktay Urkal (38-3, 12 KOs). This fight will take place in the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 3 and will be telecast in the U.S. on HBO. We spoke with Miguel Cotto on yet another media teleconference call.

New York's Roseland Ballroom was the host of another edition of the Gotham Boxing series this past week on Thursday, February 22. At this event and right after his fight, we spoke with former heavyweight contender David Tua (47-3-1, 40 KOs), who scored a ten-round unanimous decision over journeyman Robert Hawkins (21-7, 7 KOs). This was Tua's fifth straight win since returning from a two-year layoff due to managerial problems.

We also spoke with unbeaten rising star, middleweight Pete "Kid Chocolate" Quillin (9-0, 8 KOs), who stopped veteran Steve Walker (20-15, 14 KOs) in just 38 seconds of the first round with a brutal left hook. Plus, we spoke with the highly-touted amateur standouts and twins, Carlos Ivan Velasquez and Juan Carlos Velasquez of Puerto Rico, both of whom were victorious in their professional debuts.

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