Marqus Bates Fighting March 9, For the Last Time

My name is Marqus Bates, age 37, with a record of 11-6.

Why is this my last fight, on March 9 in Taunton, Mass, on a Reyes Boxing Promotions card?

I’m making this my last one because it’s time for me to put my focus more on my family, my wife Heidi, my 16 year old son Traevon and hopefully we’ll be adding a new addition to the family.

Traevon and Heidi will be present March 9 to see their guy do it one last time

About me, I was born and raised in Taunton, Ma.

Lived few other places but mainly Taunton, predominantly Taunton.

Single parent mother, mom was on welfare, living off of section 8.

Father was in my life. He was major figure, still a major figure, in my life until he was sentenced to life in prison in Maine.

My mom did the best she could with what she had and the help of my grandmother, my mom’s mother.

Sports kept me out of trouble and with my boys who are still my boys til this day.

Darkness Before Light

Can’t say I started on bad path, but I definitely ended up on one.

After I graduated high school, I attended Massasoit Community College for little bit.

I went to school to go play basketball, but had a paperwork situation. So no school, no ball. Ended up moving out my mother’s crib at 19. 

Had my own apartment with two jobs. One job was car detailing/ transporting cars from dealerships to the dealership, second job was at Taunton State Hospital, working with the mentally challenged people, in a house setting instead of the hospital.

Bates, looking pretty badass

I left those jobs to become an electrician apprentice. That didn’t last, me being hot headed and with an attitude.

Shortly after is  when I ended up on the bad path, selling drugs.

Not too long being in the drug scene I bought my first gun. At that point in my life I was all in.

Gave a shit about very little and did what I had to do take care of myself and those around me.

Caught my first drug possession with intent to distribute at 20, caught the second 21 1/2, did a little county time, 90 days, and caught my third and last one at 24, two months before my 25th birthday in 2011.

I was charged with possession with intent to distribute a class A substance, possession of ammunition with gun clips.

Because of the ammunition and gun clips the commonwealth hit with the 10g law, which is a sentence enhancement.

With that for time I was looking at 5-15 if I went to trial and lost.

I took a plea deal and served three years mandatory. Came home in 2014 and hit the pavement running and haven’t looked back!

After Lows, Highs

I won a New Hampshire State Welterweight title, and beating Ryan Diabartemelo on Granite Chin Promotions card with a round 6 KO to start the winning streak, those were highlights for me.

Winning the ABF Superlight weight title against Damien Marchiano, stopping him in the second round, another highlight.

After a four fight winning streak, I fought Jonathan Montrel. Dropped him in the first round,  I should have applied the pressure and took him out.

I didn’t, and got caught in the second round with a overhand right that wobbled me.

Lost some, yeah, but won more….

Took onslaught of punches, couldn’t get my legs back under me fast enough before the ref stopped it.

Then to go on to the biggest fight of my career, versus Joseph Fernandez for the NABA super lightweight title.

Third round I was coming at him hard, I got caught by shot, went down. Got right back, he was coming forward, I went to evade him.

As I was moving laterally, I rolled my right ankle and went down. Couldn’t continue the fight, couldn’t stand, ref called it and my trainers had to literally carry me out the ring. I couldn’t walk on it.

Now here we are today preparing for the last battle of my career!

Marqus Bates Debuts In 2016

Yes, I lost my pro debut and didn’t quit. It made me hungrier to get better and fix things. Stopping then was nowhere in my mind.

My best win, or wins? I beat Artie Lopes, everyone was against me in that fight.

Came out on B side, I knew they wanted me to lose I made sure that didn’t happen. Stopped him in the first round.

My second one—Ryan Diabartemelo. That was another situation where no one thought I was going to beat him. I went in there and did what I wanted, showcased my skills and broke him down. Think it was one of my best KOs.

Thinking The R Word

After the loss to Fernandez I was going to retire. I was hurting, that loss hurt the most.

The biggest fight of my career that could have opened major doors for me, the last shot I felt to do so.

I didn’t capitalize on the moment.

I was good enough to get to that point, but not good enough to go beyond it.

What made me not retire then? I can’t go out like that. Not only that, if I’m going to retire I wanted it to be in my home state.

So that I can have my people around me when I do so. To add to that, I’m just a competitive mother*ucker and I’m a fighter win, lose or draw.

March 9th for me is the best stage of my career. To have the opportunity to fight in my hometown, in my high school, for that to be where I end it, man, I couldn’t ask for a better way.

To bring boxing back to the community is major. Last pro boxing in the city had to be almost 30 years ago. At the ballroom on Broadway where Hong Kong City is now, when Sucra Ray Oliviera was starting out his pro career.

So for me to be the reason a pro boxing event is happening, all I can do is give thanks to the Most High for that.

I’m coming to WIN, no ifs, ands or but’s about that.

But win, lose or draw, I get to go out how I want it.

I’m not 100% sure what the next chapter holds for me after that night. I have a few ideas and plans I’m going to set out to do.

But first I gotta close this chapter to start the next one. God got me so I’m not worried!

Overall, I feel good and feel things are ending the way it’s supposed to with my career.

I’m more than happy with what I accomplished, especially after how my life was going. So to be where I am now from where I was is the biggest win for me.

—-as told to Michael Woods