GL: Congrats on avenging your earlier loss to Rafael Marquez. Can you give us some thoughts on the fight? "I really worked hard for the victory. Me and my whole team prepared very hard for the fight and it worked out well for me."

GL: How are your cuts healing up?

Israel Vazquez: "Everyday they're getting better."

GL: After the first fight some people questioned your heart for retiring on your stool after you had one of your best rounds of the fight. Some people questioned your desire and heart following that fight, did that further motivate you to win the rematch any means necessary?

IV: "First of all I want to bring to your attention that I demonstrated that my heart wasn't lacking in the first fight. My heart is not a question. I fought as hard as I could in the first fight and in the second fight I kept on fighting with the cuts. I don't know why people would say I lacked heart, because I showed tremendous heart in both fights."

Frank Espinoza: "Israel and I went to the doctor together and the doctor told me, listen Frank, this guy has 90% blockage in one nostril and 100% on the other. There's no way he can breathe. God gave you a nose to breathe not a mouth. His nostrils became like a two lane highway again instead of one lane after we did our surgery. The doctor assured me that he would be ready to fight again in six months and I would not have put my fighter in unless he was 100%. The last fight showed that the nose was not a factor."

GL: Everyone wants the rubbermatch. I understand that discussions are already underway to make it happen early next year. How do you feel about a third fight with Rafael? Does it make sense for you to fight anyone other than Marquez at this point?

IV: "I'll fight anybody. I'll fight Marquez and I'll fight anybody out there. This is a business too and we're not saying no to Marquez, but we're going to look at all of the options out there before we say yes. If we can see what's out there and there's something that could bring more money, why not? Also, if they offer us a good amount to fight Marquez again then why not? I have no problem fighting him again."

GL: I don't think there's a bigger fight out there at 122 pounds, do you?

FE: "I don't think so either. We're on the same page, I'm just saying we're not closing the door on anything else."

GL: These fights with Marquez have been the kind of fights that people are going to remember from long after you're done boxing. Ward-Gatti, Barrera-Morales, Corrales-Castillo, do you feel a rubbermatch puts you right there with those rivalries?

IV: "I agree that these two fights have been great and if this fight can make history, because you don't see them all the time, then why not? I would love to fight him again."

GL: Is it possible for you and Rafael to fight each other any other way than toe-to-toe? And if the rubbermatch happens as expected, do you plan on stopping him again?

IV: "I'm going to work very hard. I feel that in the rematch, I wanted to make it a great fight and I believe the next fight will be the same. But we'll have our strategy, and then we'll fight again and I believe it will go down in history and I will be victorious."

GL: Are you comfortable making 122? How far up in weight can we expect you to move up?

IV: "After this fight with Marquez, I'll probably move up to 126 because there's nobody else for me to fight at 122. Then eventually I would love to fight at 130."

GL: It appears that after Marquez, the biggest money is at 130.

FE: "Yeah and Israel would love to fight Manny Pacquiao and all of the names up there."

GL: Who do you like in Pacquiao-Barrera?

IV: "Pacquiao."

GL: By knockout?

IV: "I think by decision. Barrera is very strong and I believe he will make it to the cards, but I like Pacquiao by decision."

GL: Are you concerned that fighting Rafael three times within one year might not be the best way to preserve your longevity at the top?

IV: "I'm always looking to fight the best out there. I've taken some time off to rest my body, but I'm always going to look to fight the best out there."

FE: "Israel and I have a great relationship and I wouldn't want him to move forward with something that wasn't in his best interest. We talk about everything and I also watch how he's working in the gym so I can see how his body is reacting. At this particular time, I don't see anything that's stopping Vazquez from looking forward to what he wants to accomplish in boxing history."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say to the fans in closing?

IV: "I want to thank you and Boxingtalk, I want to thank the fans for following my career and believing in me."

M

Send questions and comments to: gleon@boxingtalk.com