Rafa Márquez: My induction into the Hall of Fame is the best reward

Former bantamweight and super bantamweight world champion Rafael Márquez and now a member of the Canastota de Nueva York Hall of Fame, was the special guest at the traditional “Coffee Tuesdays” who shared with all the attendees what this distinction represents.

Sartorial Elegant, attired in a dark brown suit with an open necked salmon hue shirt, Rafael has an unblemished, handsome face and is still admirably slim saying he carefully watches his diet and works out regularly in the gym.  He retains the iron grip handshake of a used car salesman.

With pride Rafael recalls and enthrals with his history of almost 30 years in boxing, a sport that continues to fascinate him almost like the first day he stepped foot in a gym. He describes it as sacrifice, to which he dedicated the whole fibre of his life and it proved to be a phenomenal experience.  And it reaped its rewards plus recognition. He smiles: “The day I received the call for my induction, I couldn’t believe it, I felt so much emotion and gratitude that at first it was hard for me to assimilate it but then I was filled with joy, because what better reward can a boxer have?

“There were so many years of effort and sacrifice, of a lot of discipline and dedication but they are years that I would not change for anything, I can even tell you that if I were to be born again, I would choose to be a boxer again, although yes, I would be a more intelligent fighter so as not to receive so many blows. Well, as everyone knows, there have been three eye surgeries; However, I reiterate that I love this sport and I would not change it for anything.”

Rafa insisted that his success was based on being a highly disciplined boxer who loved his profession, where there was never any competition with his brother, both had one goal: to be the best and that is what they worked for. He says he and his brother were inspired by their Father, also called Rafael, who was a professional boxer.

Rafa was honest and he said that his favourite fights were versus Israel Vázquez, Mark Johnson and Tim Austin. He explained that the fights with Israel were full scale wars. Fearsome with no quarter asked or given in the ring, but with great calmness and mutual respect outside of it: “Because we are professionals and men.”

Today Rafa lives boxing from another side, perhaps one of the most complicated since he is the coach of his son Arón, a young man of only 15 years old who seeks to be world champion and with this continue to legacy of the Márquez surname.

At this point Rafael was clear when he said that his son will make his own history but that he will help and guide him to achieve his dreams because he knows that he has everything it takes to be a boxing great as long as he works with discipline, dedication and passion.