By Alfredo Jaime Gomez, notifight.com

Featherweight Rafael Marquez will be out of action for six months due to the injury he suffered to his right shoulder during Saturday's exciting fight against Puerto Rican southpaw Juan Manuel Lopez, the WBO featherweight. The fight happened at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The injury prevent Marquez from being able to come out for the ninth round. The recovery period will prevent Marquez from fighting Lopez in a possible March rematch.

"The doctor said I have a hairline fracture in the right shoulder blade. He recommended a rest period of 180-days," Marquez said.

Marquez says the referee Tony Weeks saved Lopez from a possible knockout loss in the fourth round. He knew at that point it was going to be a long fight after suffering the injury in the third.

"In that round I could have knocked Lopez out, but the referee did him a favor by giving him about 45 seconds to recover when he penalized him a point for the fouls. I knew at that time it was all or nothing," Marquez said. "Had it not been for the injury in the third round, I think in the ninth or tenth I would have stopped Juanma."