Miguel Vasquez
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
Rugged IBF lightweight champ Miguel Vazquez recently defended his title against his Russian contemporary, Denis Shakov, in Macao on the “Ring of Gold” undercard after 14 months of inactivity.
Vazquez has only three losses, but hasn’t tasted defeat in 6 years. His first loss was at the hands of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Vazquez’s pro debut, and then once again to Alvarez in Vazquez’ failed attempt at welterweight. His third loss was to former WBO welterweight champ, Timothy Bradley.
Vazquez is an unusually large lightweight with a wiry frame, like Thomas Hearns, and prefers to use his length range and box from the outside. He’s a very accurate puncher and his defense is more about range and footwork than slipping punches. He is an emotional fighter and can be goaded into a fight if frustrated. Vazquez is one tough customer; he’s never been stopped.
This would be a great matchup for Crawford in the pursuit of unifying the lightweight titles. The seasoned veteran would be a gauge for how much Crawford has grown as a fighter. Vazquez is the riskiest opponent for Crawford at lightweight.
This might not catch the attention of the casuals, but would garner significant interest from the enthusiasts. While Vazquez and Crawford are primarily technicians, they both are game to slug it out , which is great for all fans.
Vazquez recently signed with Al Haymon, and is slated for an upcoming bout with Kevin Mitchell. This might end up being nothing more than a fantasy matchup based on this signing and what remains of the storied cold war since Richard Schaefer’s split from Golden Boy; though it would be a great fight for both champions and for boxing.
