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 Marquez Stops Austin, Joins Brother as World Champ; Williams Shocked by Valenzuela
By David A. Avila (February 16, 2003)
Photos © Chris Farina / Top Rank
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LAS VEGAS, Feb. 15 — It was a trifecta for Mexico's "Tricolor" as Rafael Marquez won the IBF bantamweight title while two other fighters from his country scored upsets as well.
Marquez, Jose Victor Burgos and Juan Valenzuela all were underdogs who won thrilling victories before more than 3,500 at Caesars Palace on Saturday night. Marquez scored an eighth-round techical knockout.
 Marquez, whose older brother Juan Manuel Marquez captured the IBF featherweight title two weeks ago in Las Vegas, was tentative in the first six rounds against Austin (25-1-1, 22 KOs), who entered the ring undefeated.
"He hurt me in the beginning with body shots," said Marquez (29-3, 27 KOs). "But I got my second win in the fifth round ."
Though Austin was leading on all the judges cards, Marquez had hurt Austin several times and it seemed he had the power and speed to overcome Austin's long speedy jab.
 In the eighth round, Marquez stunned Austin with a right hand that snapped his head back. But the Cincinatti native rallied and stunned Marquez in the corner.
The Mexico City fighter gathered his legs and decided to trade power shots with the champion and caught him with a long right hand that knocked Austin through the ropes. Surprisingly Austin recovered to beat the count, but Marquez unleashed more than a dozen punches in forcing referee Vic Draculich to stop the fight at 2:20 in the round.
"I'm happy to be a champion like my brother," said Marquez. "Tim Austin is a great fighter and he fought a great fight."
Austin, who seemd stunned after the fight, was generous.
"He was at his best tonight," said Austin of Marquez. "I definitely want the opportunity to fight him again."
VALENZUELA OUT-WORKS WILLIAMS
Juan "Pollo" Valenzuela scored his second big upset in a year by forcing junior welterweight prospect Ricardo Williams into a slugfest and winnng a unanimous decision.
It was last April that he knocked off lightweight contender Julio Diaz, but as a last-minute substitute against Williams, he was expected to be a mere opponent. Instead he threw punches from weird angles and caught Williams flush with sweat-spraying punches for 10 rounds.
"Everybody overlooked me," said Valenzuela (16-6), who usually fights as a lightweight, but weighed in at the welterewight limit and gained 10 pounds by fight time. "I knew I could do it."
With a nonstop rushing attack reminiscent of Ricardo Mayorga, Valenzuela never gave Williams the opportunity to use clever footwork and speed.
"Valenzuela came to fight and fought hard," said Williams who suffered his first loss. "I'll go back to the gym and train hard."
Valenzuela hopes his performance excited his fans.
"I put the pressure on and kept it on," Valenzuela said. "I expected a strong performance, after all, he was an Olympian."
BURGOS WINS VACANT IBF 105-POUND TITLE
Burgos beat Sanchez for the IBF junior flyweight title that was vacant.
With a strategy in mind, Jose Victor Burgos took punishment early on by attacking Alex "Nene" Sanchez's body. By the fifth round it began paying off. Big.
It was a rematch between the two fighters. Sanchez had fought to a draw in their last fight that took place in Puerto Rico. But this time he began with a consistent body attack that slowed Sanchez considerably.
"I knew he was a fast, strong fighter, but I decided to fight a conservative fight in the beginning and wear him down to the body," said Burgos, who fights out of Tijuana, Mexico.
It began in the fifth round with some overhand rights by Burgos that swelled Sanchez's left eye.
"He's a brave fighter, but I knew if I took my time I would get to him," Burgos said, who wears trunks embroidered with Puebla and Tijuana.
By the eighth round, Burgos began to dominate each round with rights, uppercuts and lefts to the body. Lumps began appearing on Sanchez's face who out of necessity, began to look for a knockout blow.
Finally in the 12th and final round, a right uppercut and right overhand staggered Sanchez. Burgos chased him across the ring and began raining punches. Referee Joe Cortez jumped in to stop the pummeling at 1:50 of the round.
"I feel great being a world champion," said Burgos. "I give credit to Sanchez for his brave effort."
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