The Marquez brothers of Mexico City took center stage in front of more than 3,000 cheering fans Saturday and millions more watching on SHOWTIME, and each were victorious in impressive and exciting fashion. Making their 11th appearance on the same fight card, Juan Manuel Marquez captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim featherweight belt and became the mandatory challenger to WBO champion Scott Harrison with a seventh-round TKO over game Terdsak Jandaeng of Thailand.  Rafael Marquez made his seventh successful defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title with a ninth-round TKO over Silence Mabuza of South Africa.

The world championship twinbill at the MontBleu Resort Casino was promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and aired at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast), on SHOWTIME.

Making his first start since losing a controversial decision to Chris John in March 2006, WBO No. 2 contender Juan Manuel (45-3-1, 33 KO’s) scored two knockdowns against the WBO No. 1 contender, Jandaeng (24-2, 15 KO’s).

Both fighters were cautious in the first round but matters turned in the second when Jandaeng was dropped by a sharp uppercut. The “Pit Bull” came back strongly in the third and went toe-to-toe with Marquez, catching him continuously on the right eye.

  But Marquez used his trademark counter-punching technique to knock down Jandaeng again in the seventh.  The referee stopped the match at 1:13 of the round.
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 “He was a very strong and difficult southpaw,” said Marquez, whose right eye was slightly swollen at the end. “It was a hook (that caused the eye to swell). I didn’t protect myself but I was more careful after that. I wasn’t worried.  I still had vision.”

At the post fight press conference, Juan expressed interest in having a rematch with Manny Pacquiao, who he fought to a draw in May 2004. But Harrison may be next.

Younger brother Rafael (36-3, 32 KO’s) whipped Mabuza (19-2, 15 KO’s) for a second straight time. In November 2005, on SHOWTIME, he defeated Mabuza on a disputed fourth-round TKO.

In the rematch, Marquez started quickly. But Mabuza, who was bleeding from the nose by the second, rallied in the middle rounds before the defending champion regained control. Marquez got stronger as the fight progressed and opened a deep gash under Mabuza’s left eye. The bout was stopped at the end of the ninth. At the finish, Marquez was ahead by the scores of 88-83 twice and 87-83.

“He’s a great fighter,” said Marquez. “He hit me with some effective punches but I turned it around when I got a second wind. I prepared very well. I wasn’t going to do this fight (give Mabuza the rematch). But I did it because he said it was a head butt (that did him in the first time) and I wanted to show I was a great fighter.”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING's Steve Albert and Al Bernstein called Saturday’s action from ringside with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. The producer of the SHOWTIME telecast was David Dinkins, Jr., with Bob Dunphy directing.

I In addition to Monday night, Saturday's fights also will be replayed in their entirety on SHOWTIME TOO at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

The next SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast on Saturday, Sept. 2, (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) will be highlighted by a 12-round bout between James Toney and Samuel Peter. In addition to the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight eliminator, IBF 126-pound champion Eric Aiken (16-4, 12 KOs) will make his first defense against Robert Guerrero (18-1-1, 11 KOs) at STAPLES Center, Los Angeles.

For information on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and “ShoBox: The New Generation” telecasts, including complete fighter bios and records, related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing.