Boxing betting: Ivan Hernandez vs. Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.

WBO super bantamweight king Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. is gearing up for Saturday’s second defense of his crown against Ivan Hernandez in Kissimmee, Fla.

The 27-year-old Hernandez (27-4, 17 knockouts) has scored two consecutive knockouts since being stopped in the third round in October by Toshiaki Nishioka in his failed bid to earn the WBC super bantamweight crown.

Vazquez (19-0-1, 16 KOs) is the son of the former world champion by the same name. Vazquez Jr. has won four straight fights by knockout and is riding a 10-fight winning streak that includes eight stoppages. He is believed to be the only boxer besides Dwight Muhammad Qawi to become world champion with no amateur fights — Qawi reigned as light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion in the early 1980s. Vazquez is coming off of a May 10th-round knockout of previously undefeated Zsolt Bedak.

Vazquez Jr. made his professional debut in 2006 on a card in Kissimmee and the Orlando suburb has become a second home for him. In his 20-fight professional career, Vazquez, 26, has fought 13 times at the Kissimmee Civic Center because it is one of the venues where promoter Tuto Zabala Jr. puts on his monthly Telemundo-televised shows.

Hernandez, a former junior bantamweight title holder, should provide a good challenge. He embraces his role as underdog heading into what will be a home-crowd advantage for Vazquez Jr.

“That motivates me even more to come out and win this fight,” Hernandez said. “It’s not the first time I’ve had to go out and do something like this.”

Hernandez got start at an early age under the guidance of his cousin, Oscar De La Hoya. This will be Hernandez’s third shot at a junior featherweight belt. In a 2006 title shot, Israel Vazquez stopped him in the fourth round. And then last October he was stopped by Nishioka in Japan.

There has been a lot of back and forth in the lead up to this fight, including a shoving match at a recent promotional stop. Vazquez says it just fires him up.

“I want you to respect me,” he said the Hernandez. “I am tired of all the (stuff) you are saying. I am a man and you need to respect a man. I am going to hit all of you…everywhere. And after you, I will take care of all the Mexicans that come in my way. I am tired of this. The Mexican fighters are not giving me the respect that I deserve. I am a world champion for a reason.”

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