It goes without saying that the rubber match between junior featherweights Rafael Marquez and Israel Vasquez is an automatic fight of the year. The two wars waged by the proud Mexican warriors in March and November of 2007 featured such dramatic two-way action, hard, clean punching and technical proficiency that it’s a miracle we that we get to see them go at it one more time, if not down right sadistic.

But Saturday’s fight at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California is a bout to settle the score; each fighter has won a fight each, and the winner of the rubber match will walk out of the ring with the Ring magazine belt, the official indicator of pound-for-pound supremacy at 122. In the thrilling first fight, Marquez landed a hellacious straight right hand that broke Vasquez’s nose; the fighter sucked it up, even scoring a knockdown of his opponent with a hard uppercut, but quit on his stool in the 7th round because he couldn’t breathe. In the rematch, the two fighters picked up where they left off, but this time it was Vasquez who got the victory when the referee stopped—some say prematurely—the fight in the 6th round as Vasquez had Marquez hurt against the ropes. Marquez vows not to repeat the mistakes of the second fight, like putting his hands down and going toe-to-toe with Vasquez. Vasquez says he will force Marquez to fight on his terms by coming forward with relentless pressure. The results should be explosive.

Marquez, 37-4 (33), dominated the 118-pound division, scoring highlight reel knockouts and demonstrating one of the hardest right hands in the business. At 122 against Vasquez he has not been able to physically impose himself; on the contrary his chin has been exposed, and his defensive prowess needs polishing if he is to beat his nemesis this time around. Vasquez, 42-4 (31), is not as technically sound as Marquez, nor quite as fast or slick, though he scored the only two knockdowns of their 13 rounds. Vasquez is no defensive wizard, but like fellow warrior Diego Corrales he is very dangerous when he is hurt, as he showed in the first fight seconds before dropping Marquez. For Vasquez to win he needs to stay away from Marquez’s long, hard jab and right hands. He has a tendency to cut, which could alter the outcome of the fight should Marquez get in his groove. Marquez will box more, but there is no doubt he will have no choice but to exchange with Vasquez. Their exchanges thus far have been nothing short of spectacular, reminiscent of the wars Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales waged to stake their claim as Mexico’s top fighter. Marquez and Vasquez are certainly in the same league as their legendary counterparts; in fact, the power-punching in their first two fights has been devastating, while Barrera-Morales featured no knockdowns in 36 rounds of hell.

Marquez-Vasquez is closer to Corrales’ two fights with Jose Luis Castillo, in terms of drama and the effects of the punches landed. The fans were deprived of a third fight between Corrales and Castillo when the latter failed to make weight for the second time. There is not likely to be any of those problems surrounding the weigh-in on Friday. What we can expect from Marquez and Vasquez is one hell of an encore. The stage is set. The fighters are ready. Let’s get it on.

Prediction: Vasquez KO 5