MARCO Antonio Barrera, humiliated by Manny Pacquiao only a year ago, shot back into boxing prominence when he beat Erik Morales to win the World Boxing Council 130-pound crown Sunday in Las Vegas.
Barrera, a 1-3 underdog entering the match, walked off the ring having regained some lost glory and proving skeptics wrong.
After raining Morales with 1-2-3 combinations, Barrera even took a jab at Pacquiao who, in November last year, dismantled him before a stunned crowd at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Speaking through an interpreter, Barrera said he had an off night against Pacquiao.
Oscar dela Hoya, Barrera’s promoter, echoed Barrera.
“When he fought Manny Pacquiao, I knew it was not Barrera in there,” dela Hoya said, adding that there were some distractions that hit Barrera leading to the fight.
Against Pacquiao, Barrera hit the deck twice and was taking a severe beating when his cornermen stopped the fight in the 11th round.
Barrera rebounded from that defeat with a victory over Paulie Ayala, while Pacquiao as held to a draw by WBA and IBF featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez.
Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Thai Fahsan 3K Battery on Dec. 11 in Taguig.
Against Morales, Barrera proved he still has the punch against the world’s best, and he showed that Sunday in yet another classic showdown with his old foe.
Barrera won a majority decision in a wild slugfest that was every bit the equal of the battle the two fought in 2000 that many declared the fight of the year.
After 12 rounds of almost nonstop action, Barrera held two fingers in the air to signify his second win in a row over Morales, who stared in disbelief as the decision was read.
“I did this fight to show all boxing fans that this is what boxing is all about,” Barrera said.
The fight between the two Mexican warriors was their third in four years–with Morales winning the first and Barrera the second. Like the first fight, this one was in doubt until the scorecards were read before a wildly enthusiastic crowd that filled the MGM Grand hotel arena.
Barrera was favored 115-113 on one card and 115-114 on a second. The third judge had it 114-114. The Associated Press also had the fight even, 114-114.
“My body didn’t respond to what I wanted it to do,” Morales said. “I don’t know why.”
Before a loud crowd that seemed split between the two fighters, Morales and Barrera gave them all something to cheer for in a fight that began at a furious pace and rarely slackened.
It was reminiscent of their first fight in 2000 in which the two boxers traded more than 1,500 punches before Morales won a split decision.
They did the same thing Saturday night, but this time it was Barrera on top, just as he was in their first rematch two years ago.
Punch stats showed Barrera landing 290 of 765 punches to 231 of 808 for Morales. (With a report from AP)
