Edwin Valero?s tonguelashing of the other lightweights competing on the Golden Boy April 4 ?Lightweight Lightning? card in Austin, Texas, was taken somewhat personally by Jorge Barrios.
I am not sure why a Class B fighter?and that?s all the Argentinian fighter is?would take such offense at prefight palaver.
Valero was making the valid point that Barrios, age 32, along with Carlos ?Famoso? Hernandez (38), Joel Casamayor (37) and Jesus Chavez (36) are past prime time boxers.
So what? And, why would a guy who calls himself ?The Hyena? take such great umbrage to what was factual press conference chatter?
In return, the mouthy Barrios called Valero, a supporter of his Venezuela strongman Hugo Chavez, ?a communist.?
That was the just the warmup for Barrios. He then called Valero ?longhaired prostitute? and said he would beat his ass, cut his hair ?and turn him into a man.?
Maybe it?s Barrios who has sexual identity issues. Besides, did you ever meet a hooker who was a communist?
Barrios is a game guy, a tough out as they say in baseball. But his greatest performance came in 2003 when he battled Brazilian superstar Acelino Freitas to a standstill before getting stopped in the 12th round. Fretias and Barrios were both down twice and the judges had it tight, with one even score and two favoring Freitas (one by two points, one by three).
So much for ancient history. In high profile bouts since, Joan Guzman gave Barrios a humiliating boxing lesson that was atrociously scored. Trust me, Guzman clearly won eight out of 12 rounds as he made a monkey out of a hyena.
He?s also been halted in 11 rounds by world title perennial bridesmaid Rocky Juarez.
Barrios 47-4-1 record deceives as it was built largely over tomato can in his homeland.
Golden Boy keeps dredging Barrios up for the Argentinian TV money, plain and simple. That and the fact that he makes a good foil for ?A? side fighters.
I?m with Valero on this one. He?s exciting in the ring and out.
He may be a hooker but he?s a relatively happy hooker.
If Barrios is jealous now, wait until the inevitable jumbo jackpot Valero gets when he fights Manny Pacquiao.
Let it be noted that fighting a longhaired, Communist leaning prostitute will be a first for the Pacman.
And I thought hyenas were laughing hyenas.
