MEXICO CITY — The boxing world mourns the loss of Israel Vázquez, a prominent Mexican champion who claimed three bantamweight world titles during his career. He passed away at the age of 46, with the news confirmed by Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the World Boxing Council, on Tuesday.

Vázquez, affectionately known as “El Magnifico,” disclosed on November 10 that he had been diagnosed with sarcoma, a form of cancer. Sulaiman expressed condolences on X, stating, “Israel is finally resting in peace. May God provide his family with strength as we extend all our support to his wife Laura, his children, relatives, and friends during this challenging period. Thank you, champion, for leaving an extraordinary mark. You will always be ‘El Magnifico.'”

Making his professional debut in 1995, Vázquez is best remembered for his heated rivalry with fellow Mexican fighter Rafael Márquez, which spanned from 2007 to 2010. The two boxers were evenly matched, splitting their four encounters, with their bouts in 2007 and 2008 earning the coveted fight of the year accolades.

In 2008, following a hard-fought victory, Vázquez faced a significant setback when he suffered a detached retina, ultimately leading to the loss of sight in his right eye after his career ended. His final match took place in May 2010 against Márquez, concluding with a knockout defeat.

In 2004, Vázquez captured the IBF super bantamweight title from José Luis Valbuena and successfully defended it twice. He then won the WBC title from Oscar Larios in 2005 with a decisive third-round stoppage. Vázquez held the WBC title until he faced Márquez for the first time, where he retired in the seventh round due to a broken nose and difficulty breathing.

However, in a rematch just five months later, Vázquez snatched the title back despite sustaining cuts above both eyes, winning via a knockout in the sixth round. Their third encounter in early 2008 saw Vázquez win by split decision, despite being knocked down himself. Unfortunately, an eye injury kept him sidelined for the rest of the year, leading to him being stripped of the WBC title.

After undergoing three surgeries, he returned to the ring for a fourth bout against Márquez in Los Angeles but was met with another knockout loss in the third round. Over his illustrious career, Vázquez compiled an impressive record of 44 victories, including 32 by knockout, against just 5 defeats.