The Puerto Rican spent much of a 12-year career flying under the radar because he is hardly a familiar boxing name but he mixed it with Esteban De Jesus (for 36 rounds), Edwin Viruet, Angel Espada and Hector Thompson, and he held the great Antonio Cervantes to a 15-round split decision in a crack at the WBA light-welterweight title in 1973. He still flew pretty high.
A top amateur, Marquez turned pro at lightweight in the 1960s and recorded wins over "Fast" Eddie Linder, Benny Huertas and future world champion Espada prior to a big fight with Spain's Miguel Velazquez in a 10-rounder in Madrid in 1970. Velazquez had floored and outscored Ken Buchanan over 15 rounds just a few months earlier so Marquez didn't stand much of a chance but he boxed intelligently and bravely to take Velazquez to a decision.
Not a big puncher, Marquez used slick boxing skills to good effect and he bounced back from Velazquez with decisions over the world class duo of Hector Matta and Victor Ortiz, and in 1971 he faced the gifted De Jesus in back-to-back 12-rounders for the Puerto Rican lightweight title (and serious bragging rights). De Jesus came through in close, thrilling affairs before big crowds in San Juan so they met a third time in New York in May 1972 where De Jesus finally proved his dominance on a 12-round stoppage. Six months later, Esteban floored and outpointed reigning world lightweight champion Roberto Duran in a non-title fight at the Garden, shattering Duran's unbeaten record into the bargain.
Marquez moved up to light-welterweight and found himself highly ranked by the WBA and after a 10-round decision over Radames Checo, he got a hometown shot at Cervantes in the first world title fight at the new Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan in February 1973. Marquez gave it a great go, moving and countering as Wilfred Benitez later moved and countered against Cervantes and he held his own for 10 rounds but his lack of power really hurt him down the stretch as the cool-headed Cervantes put in a big finish and floored Marquez in the 15th to make sure of victory on two of the judges cards. Sadly, trouble flared after the verdict and Marquez's father, caught up in it, collapsed and died of a heart attack. A bad night for Josue had turned into a disaster.
Understandably, he seemed to lose his edge afterwards and began dropping decisions to the youngsters coming through, such as Emiliano Villa and “Nani” Marrero, and he lost a 10-round decision to the brilliant Thompson on the road in Brisbane but he still had enough left to pip Marrero in a rematch and also scored a solid win over Frankie Benitez, elder brother of Wilfred. Marquez called it a day after Viruet stopped him in 10 rounds in Puerto Rico in April 1978 but remained in the game as a highly regarded trainer and was in the corner for all Wilfredo Rivera's big fights in the States.
He is survived by a wife and two daughters.
