DESPITE the odds against him, Mexican three division world champion Marco Antonio Barrera still has the most potent weapon that could lead to the downfall of Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao in their Oct. 6 (Oct. 7 RP Time) rematch in Las Vegas.
Although, all indications are in favor of the Filipino warrior, Barrera still has the deadly left uppercut that floored 42 of his 68 opponents.
And if Pacquiao will come unprepared to block or avoid this punch, those who will bet for the Mexican legend will collect a handsome payout from the Las Vegas bookies.
Pacquiao is the heavily- favored fighter with the odds reaching 4 to 1. In their first meeting, Barrera was a 10-1 favorite.
Barrera, now 33, is said to be a fading fighter, and this fight is his exit from the sport that brought him fame and fortune and a sure slot to the world boxing hall of fame.
At 28, Pacquiao is at his prime and has improved tremendously since they first met in Nov. 2003.
Despite this, Barrera, the veteran fighter with classic fights behind him, cannot be counted out, yet.
Barrera is not the distracted fighter like he was before in their previous fight.
In that first meeting, the Mexican was bombarded with problems like his previous medical conditions being exposed at his training camp in Big Bear in Newport Oregon, a raging fire that force him to evacuate his home and a kidnap plot against a family member.
But this time, there are no distractions that would take him off his focus to avenge his loss.
In fact that 11-round defeat he suffered from the hands of Pacquiao at the Aladome in San Antonio, Texas nearly four years ago, is his motivation to prove doubters that he is not yet over the hill.
On the other hand, a few chinks on Pacquiao?s armor were exposed when he sparred David Cervantes at the Wild Card gym last Tuesday. These could be an opening for Barrera to get into the ?questionable? defense of the Filipino fighter.
However, in his six weeks of training in Cebu, Pacquiao had shown the media and the selected people at the RWS International Gym that he can take punches from a heavier opponent.
