Miguel Vázquez

José Miguel Vázquez Bautista ( born January 6, 1987 in Guadalajara) is a Mexican professional boxer and current world champion of the IBF lightweight.

Boxing career

He began at the age of 12 years with the sport of boxing and won 70 of 80 amateur fights before he became a professional at the age of 19 years. In his professional debut on 20 January 2006 in Guadalajara, he met the later superstar Saúl Álvarez and subject to that just on points. He then won 18 consecutive fights, including 11 against undefeated boxer. In July 2007, he punched in California at the World Youth Championship in the WBC Light Welterweight, losing to Timothy Bradley by unanimous decision. In the rematch against Saúl Álvarez 28 June 2008, he was beaten on points.

He achieved his greatest success so far on July 17, 2009 in Las Vegas, as the undefeated Colombian Breidis Prescott he ( 21-0, 19 by knockout ) defeated over ten rounds on points. Prescott was through early victories against Amir Khan ( 18-0 ) and Humberto Toledo ( 33-5 ), the number 8 in the world rankings ( Ring Magazine ) ascended; This placement now automatically passed to Vázquez.

On 14 August 2010 he was awarded a title fight for the vacant IBF world championship at lightweight after Nate Campbell was stripped of the title due to exceeding the weight limit. He sat there in Texas by unanimous decision against the South Korean Ji- Hoon Kim ( 21-5, 18 Ko) by and defended the title three and a half months later, also unanimously against his fellow countryman Ricardo Dominguez ( 32-6 ).

On March 12, 2011, he beat the undefeated Australian IBO champion Leonardo Zappavigna ( 25-0, 17 Ko) by unanimous decision, winning by Ko three months later in the second round against Marlon Aguilar from Nicaragua. This was followed title defenses against Ammeth Diaz from Panama ( 30-10 ), Marvin Quintero from Mexico ( 25-3 ) and Mercito Gesta of the Philippines ( 26-0 ).

In March 2013 he was to receive a title - unification chance against WBO champion Ricky Burns, but the fight did not materialize due to illness of Vázquez. His next title defense, he played only on 22 February 2014 against Denis Schafikow ( 33-0 ) and won by unanimous decision.