Giovanni Marquez earns ‘Overtime Round’ win

HOUSTON – Giovanni Marquez was visibly disappointed, and his corner was nothing short of livid after his perfect professional record suffered a brief blemish Friday night. Fortunately for Marquez, Overtime Boxing officials realized they made a mistake calculating the scorecards.

Marquez was eventually declared the winner about an hour after the bout at Red Bowl Arena.

A perfect 10-0 record looks much better than a 9-0-1 record, after all. Before a decidedly pro-Marquez, sellout crowd of 1,500, Marquez and San Antonio’s Jason Limon initially thought their nine-round bout ended in a draw. 

Marquez, however, was declared the winner after the officials realized that they had not followed Overtime Boxing’s stated rules for the platform’s special “Overtime Round.”

Overtime Boxing platform, which is in its second year, added new rules while promoting up-and-coming boxers through its popular social media platforms. The 18-foot-by-18-foot ring is smaller than the traditional ring. Overtime also gives bonuses for knockouts in the first or last rounds.

Truly ‘Overtime’

If the fight is a draw after the scheduled number of rounds, they add an “Overtime Round.” Marquez and Limon were scheduled to fight eight rounds on the DZAN card. Judge Joseph Rodriguez had the fight 77-75 in Limon’s favor after eight rounds. Wilfredo Esperon had Marquez winning 77-76, and Randy Russell scored it 76-76.

To the roar of the crowd, that draw after eight rounds called for the special OTX Overtime Round. Marquez won the last round in the judges’ aggregate scorecards, giving Marquez the edge he needed after officials reviewed the Overtime Round rules.  No other boxing platform has an overtime round.

The decision was overturned after officials realized that the rules state that the winner of the “Overtime Round” should be declared the winner. 

MORE FROM OUR ESQUINA

Giovanni Marquez aims to be ‘future of boxing’

Champion Canelo Alvarez remains El Rey

Houston lands first World Baseball Classic berth

“It definitely made me feel better,” Marquez said Saturday morning via phone. “Even when they announced the draw, I felt I had won. I felt the right decision was made. I’m happy that I got that win that I feel I rightfully deserve.”

The son of former Olympian and world champion Raul Marquez improved to 10-0 with the split-decision victory. Giovanni Marquez, 23, is one of the best boxing prospects in Houston. He is represented by David McWater of Split-T Boxing.

Giovanni Marquez welcomes rematch

Limon and Marquez both said they wanted a rematch after the fight was initially declared a draw. Neither boxer was available to the media immediately after the decision was reversed late Friday night.

“I thought we won the fight,” Limon said when he thought he left with a draw. “They gave us another draw. I don’t know how that works.”

Limon was adamant that he knew it would be difficult to win a decision in Marquez’s hometown. He wants a rematch away from Houston. Although he was adamant that Giovanni Marquez deserved the decision, it’s clear Raul Marquez thinks his son can do better.

“I thought Giovanni pulled it out,” Raul Marquez said. “He’s got a lot of improvement and learning to do. I don’t think Giovanni fought to his best. Giovanni is a better fighter than that. I thought he didn’t execute.”

Fortunately for Giovanni Marquez, he was good enough to win the first eight-round bout of his professional career. He just needed nine rounds to win it.

“We got to work on a lot of stuff,” Raul Marquez said of Giovanni. “He’s got a lot to learn, a lot to improve. My motivation is to do it. It was too close. I don’t think it should have been that close. I know what my son can do.”