Where’s Papito? Whatever Happened To Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.?
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
He began his career in 2006, and went undefeated in his first 21 professional bouts, and was the World Boxing Organization Super Bantamweight Champion of the World. From that point on, the boxing career of Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. has been hot and cold. Since December 2010, Vazquez has won, lost, won, lost, won, lost, and won again. The instability of such and up and down career could cause the best of fighters to simply give up. Where’s Papito? What happened to Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Puerto Rico’s young shining star of boxing?
After Jorge Arce stopped Vazquez in the twelfth round and took his world title in Las Vegas in in May 2011, Vazquez returned in October 2011 with a ten round decision win over Roberto Carlos Leyva in Puerto Rico. In February 2012 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Vazquez lost a 12 round split decision to Nonito Donaire in a failed attempt to win back the vacant WBO world title he had held. After stopping Jonathan Oquendo in October 2012 in Puerto Rico, Vazquez lost a ten round majority decision to Yasutaka Ishimoto in Macao, China, for the vacant WBO International Super Bantamweight title.
On September 20, 2013, Vazquez made a successful comeback, winning the vacant WBO International Super Bantamweight title by 12 round decision over Guillermo Avila in Kissimmee, Florida. Vazquez could have another chance at regaining the WBO Super Bantamweight title held by Guillermo Rigondeaux, but would need to regain the championship form he once had to have a chance of defeating Rigondeaux.
The best chance Vazquez has is to stay active every two or three months, fighting often, until he receives another WBO opportunity for the world title. There are a lot of good names out there for Wilfredo to fight. His best asset will be consistency. Vazquez needs to consistently put his punches together and build up a win streak before the Rigondeaux camp would consider giving Vazquez a title challenge. Wilfredo still has all the potential in the world, but he will have to believe in himself to win a world title again. If Wilfredo stays busy, his name will still be out there for a world title shot.
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