Vazquez Vs. Marquez IV: Is This Really a Good Thing?

Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez proved over the course of a bloody, thrilling trilogy, that when they meet in the squared circle there will assuredly be a highly skilled, ferocious display of boxing for fans to delight in. But as we get prepared for Vazquez vs. Marquez IV, should fans really be delighted?

Of course, I'm not the only one who is dreading a fourth fight between these two warriors. Over the span of 363 days they fought three times, with each fight becoming perhaps more punishing and brutal than the one prior.

Marquez forced Vazquez to quit with a broken nose after round 7 of their first encounter; Vazquez stopped Marquez in the 6th round of their second encounter five months later; and seven months after that a furious last round rally saw Vazquez take home a close but well deserved split decision victory.

When they first met in March of 2007, it was a highly anticipated contest between two of the top 10 pound for pound boxers in the world. Three years later, we're left with the relics of what these men were in the ring. Sad to say, it appears that these two men literally beat much of the remaining fight out of each other.

The beauty of a trilogy is that barring the unlikely circumstance of a draw, a no contest or a disqualification, the score is settled. No matter how even two guys are, when you fight three times and one wins two of those contests, everybody can move on. Except now we're being drawn into a fourth encounter, and if Marquez wins, will a fifth be around the corner as well?

This is not some fourth contest between two defensive fighters in their prime, displaying slick skills and dealing little punishment. This is a bout between a 35 year old, Marquez, and a 32 year old, Vazquez, who seemed destined to do nothing but pound each other into a pulp.

Both could have fought in less dangerous encounters and still received nice, large paychecks to ride into the sunset with. So why are we insistent on the two of them grinding their careers down and possibly affecting their long term health and wellness in a fourth fight? Not to mention that all health concerns aside, there is no possible way the fourth fight can reach past the sensational climax of their last. It's Michael Jordan coming back to play out two years with the Wizards when our last image of him could have been draining the winning shot in the NBA Finals.

Will the fourth fight be exciting? Of course. Will it keep fans on the edge of their seats? You can bet on it. Will I watch? I have to. But it's a fight that the sport and these two men do not need.