It?s official. The Manny Pacquiao era in the featherweight division has begun.
The 24-year-old from Mindanao did what no other professional boxer has done: that is to stop the almost mythic Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico via technical knockout in a classic featherweight encounter Sunday at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Pacquiao pulled off the stunning feat before a crowd of 10,127. And the same enthusiastic crowd saw what could be the end of Barrera?s career — a stoppage by American referee Laurence Cole 2:56 in the 11th.
Cole called it over for Barrera when the battered Mexican?s brother and cornerman Jorge were headed atop the ring.
All three judges had Pacquiao ahead. Ray Hawkins of Dallas and Rick Crocker of San Antonio both saw it 97-90, while Gale van Hoy of Houston had it 97-89. Cole deducted a point off Barrera in the ninth for hitting on the break. In the seventh, Barrera received a warning for trying to head butt Pacquiao.
