Josue Marquez Acevedo (born November 30, year unknown) is a Puerto Rican who was once a world title challenging boxer. Not known for his punching power, (Marquez only won 7 of his 46 professional boxing fights by knockout), Marquez nevertheless gave many of the top boxers of his era trouble and managed to defeat a number of them.
Marquez had an excelling amateur boxing career, which led him to participate at the 1965 Central American and Caribbean Games, held in San Juan and where he boxed all the way to the medals round but was disqualified from further participation because he had problems making the weight for a fight. He was the national amateur Bantamweight champion in Puerto Rico that year, his amateur career culminating in his winning the international Bantamweight championship as well as the United States' national AAU Bantamweight championship early in 1966, months before he started boxing as a professional.
Marquez began to box professionally on August 20, 1966, when he beat Alberto Jorge, who was also making his debut, by a four round decision at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. This was followed by a victory over future Juan Laporte trainer, Carlos Espada (brother of Angel Espada) on October 1. Espada was also making his debut.
Marquez's next bout was against Carlos' brother, the future WBA world welterweight champion Angel Espada. Espada was also a debutant. On February 11, 1967, Marquez outpointed the future world champion over six rounds, winning by decision. On March 23, he fought Richard Alexander and won by four round split decision, also in what was his first fight abroad, fought that the Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. A rematch with Alberto Jorge followed on April 5 at San Juan and he again beat Jorge by four rounds decision.
Only three days after his rematch with Jorge, Marquez followed by fighting the far more experienced, 10-5-5 Jose Colon, at the Cancha Pepin Cestero in the northern Puerto Rican city of Bayamon. On April 8, 1967, Marquez defeated Colon by six round decision, then on May 5, he boxed Ernesto Ortega at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, suffering a mild upset defeat when Ortega, 3-2 coming in, outpointed Marquez over six rounds. The loss was followed by a fight against debuting "Indio" Macias on September 16, in which Marquez scored his first knockout win as a professional, defeating Macias by knockout in round three.