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The Marquez brothers took fights on Saturday which were intended to keep them busy, and keep the rust off of them, while they waited for big-money brawls to come around. Little brother Rafael got the brothers off to a smashing start at Plaza del Toros in Cancun, as he manhandled overmatched Eduardo Becerril, who didn't come out for the sixth. Rafael (ex bantamweight and super bantam champion; age 36, 122 1/2 pounds; 39-6 entering) had no problem with Becerril (12-7-2 with 4 KOs entering), who had lost four straight before beating Angel Licea on July 10. Marquez last gloved up on Nov. 6, against Juan Manuel Lopez, when he had to quit after eight rounds because of a shoulder injury. Both men are natives of Mexico City. Rafa didn't look like he wanted work in the first. He pumped a stiff jab, ripped hooks low and high and was busy from the get-go. Becerril was a bit stiff, and wasn't able to get into an offensive frame of mind, as he backed up and tried to slip some and block a bit. Becerril ate hard, clean shots in the second, and did well to stay aloft. He moved laterally some, but too often backed straight up, and was pretty easy to hit. The injury from the November fight, a hairline fracture to the right shoulder blade, seemed to have healed nicely for Rafa. The fight had more of a sparring session type look in the third, with Marquez settling into a rhythm but not going overboard in trying to end the scrap. A left hook at 1:10 in the fourth sent Becerril to the mat. He got his senses back and tried to answer in the last minute. Marquez had Becerril in trouble in the fifth, but Rafa maybe showed the effects of his hiatus. The crispness we've come to expect wasn't there full bore when he had his man in trouble. But that was immaterial, as Becerril's corner said no mas, and didn't let him start the sixth.
