Fight:1813689
Leon Moore 121 lbs lost to Rafael Vazquez 121 lbs by KO at 2:44 in round 9 of 10
- Date: 2013-09-21
- Location: Resorts World Casino, Queens, New York, USA
- Referee: Shada Murdaugh
- Judge: Julie Lederman
- Judge: Robin Taylor
- Judge: Waleska Roldan
Rafael Vazquez versus Leon Moore New York State and WBA Fedelatin Championship Bout
- Fought for Vacant New York State and World Boxing Association Fedelatin Super Bantamweight Championships and WBA world ranking
- New York State Commissioner Melvina Lathan. WBA supervisor: Julio Thyme.
- Main event of a nine bout card at Resorts New World Casino Aqueduct Raceway in Queens, New York
- Longest 10 round professional bout ever at 100 minutes due to delay to repair the ring ropes
- Moore ahead 78-73, 78-73, 78-74 on the cards at time bout ended at 2:44 of round 9
Leon Moore of Guyana outboxed Vazquez for most of the first eight rounds. Vazquez did appear to win a close first round and perhaps the sixth. Southpaw Moore used a long jab with his front right outside the Vazquez front left foot, and kept with the strategy from trainer and cornerman Wayne Braithwaite. Vazquez was countering with head shots.The top ring ropes and one corner of the ring collapsed during round 7, forcing referee Shada Murdaugh to stop the bout. Both fighters sat in their corners for a half hour as three workmen repaired the ring. The top rope then collapsed again, requiring another ten minutes to repair the ring. During round eight, the ropes sagged, forcing workmen to repair the ring on the ring apron while the bout was in progress, and their efforts were successful. HBO's Harold Lederman watched the scene at ringside.
Vazquez let his hands go in round nine, switching gears and attacking the body of Moore, who wilted on the ropes. Midway through the ninth, Vazquez landed a right uppercut followed by an overhand left hook at close quarters in center ring. The hook twisted Moore's head in an ugly direction as Moore felt to the canvas on his back, knocked out cold. Vazquez had more power and was faster fighting two weight classes below his previous weight, after one year's inactivity. It appeared he just needed ring time to make the weight class adjustments and figure Moore's style out, and eventually got there shortly before the end of this bout. Vazquez' wife was diagnosed with cancer the day before the bout. Vazquez went through with the bout, explaining "I fight for my family." Standing ovation from the standing room only capacity crowd upon dramatic end of this bout, as underdog Vazquez took Moore's 30-2 record and BoxRec ranking to the cleaners. Nary a dry eye in the house as Vazquez broke down crying in concern for his ill wife after the bout. Vazquez was focused during the bout and took Moore's hardest shots.