Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao all return to the ring in mid-September. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, this time neither one is matched against the other. Instead they will square off against Robbie Peden, Zahir Raheem and Hector Velazquez respectively. The result is a palpable sense of anti-climax that goes beyond the usual tepid reception mandatories and ‘keep-busy fights’ receive. None of these challengers is a push-over; they are simply in the way of fight fans getting their wish: more epic battles between the super featherweight elites. With so many mega-fight possibilities in the division, let’s hope the conclusions to next month’s ‘in-the-meantime bouts’ are as foregone as our hearts and the big three’s wallets want them to be.
Assume for the moment that things do go according to plan for the three standouts. In the world of boxing, it is never advisable to do so, particularly with the word ‘upset’ being applied to so many recent fights. The generation to which both Erik Morales and Marco Barrera belong is slowly yielding to the upcoming superstars of the sport, and with all the brutal wars throughout the years, the aging process has to be catching up. But, before the curtain falls on these magnificent careers there is some unfinished business to attend to. If everything in September unfolds as it should, boxing fans can start making up their Christmas wish lists, and most will likely contain the word ‘rematch.’
Among just Barrera, Morales and Pacquiao three huge rematches could be made. Add Juan Manuel Marquez to the mix and there is a fourth, along with two additional mega-fight options.
Freshest in the memory is the March 19th battle between Morales and Pacquiao. In a brilliant back and forth fight/war/chess match, both men shone in their moments. El Terrible dazzled Manny with his skill and sheer toughness but threw caution to the wind down the stretch. Staying southpaw and trying to match Pacquiao blow for blow in the twilight of the twelfth nearly proved exceedingly costly for the Mexican star, but in the end the decision was his. A rematch would involve all the same display of heart, guts and fireworks as the original.
Never content to outbox an overmatched opponent, Morales seems compelled to out tough them and do so at their own game. A war would surely ensue. This time around, however, Pacquiao would likely object to the use of the more heavily padded, “Winning” brand gloves. The “Reyes” gloves he prefers favor punchers like himself, and Manny for one insists they would have made a significant difference in the fight. There is also the issue of the gash Pacquiao sustained in the fourth round. Brought on by a Morales left and made worse by an accidental clash of heads, the blood that flowed clearly impaired Manny’s vision from the right side. If PacMan’s issues legitimately affected his performance, the rematch is wide open. However, purely based on his performance in the last battle Morales would likely be a slight favorite going into Morales-Pacquiao II.
Most disturbing in the memory is Manny Pacquiao’s shocking 2003 destruction of Marco Antonio Barrera. Never in his career had Barrera been handed that kind of merciless, relentless beating and he had no answer for Manny’s strength. In a fight that instantly catapulted the then virtually unknown Pacquiao to superstardom, Barrera was utterly torn apart over 11 rounds. While stunned fans looked on, the unthinkable happened: the Baby-Faced Assassin’s corner threw in the towel.
In the lead up to the fight, some revelations about Marco Barrera came to light. Most notably, it was revealed that he had undergone brain surgery some years earlier and had a metal plate in his skull. Naturally, concern over the wisdom of fighting in such a weakened state led to a great deal of publicity over the matter. Ultimately, it was disclosed that he had fought sixteen times following the procedure, and that there was never any concern on the part of the medical community. Forced examinations and a plague of journalists were doubtlessly a distracting matter for the Barrera camp to contend with during training.
Of more direct consequence to the Barrera training regimen was the forced abandonment of his training camp at Big Bear two weeks prior to completion. The wild fires that plagued the state of California during 2003 forced the evacuation and were calamitous to the efforts at preparation for the Pacquiao showdown.
The performance by 4-to-1 underdog Manny Pacquiao speaks for itself, but Barrera looked so overmatched that many observers felt he was all spent. Subsequent scintillating displays like the third fight with Morales dispelled that notion and re-kindled interest in a rematch with the man who vanquished him so thoroughly. Pacquiao has to be favored in a rematch, but how does one bet against a legend like Barrera if he is primed and ready?
Most controversial in the memory is the 12 round draw between Juan Manuel Marquez and, once again, Manny Pacquiao. In one of the most unbelievable displays of heart in boxing history, Marquez picked himself up from the deck three times in the first round and went toe to toe with Manny for 11 more rounds. Had it not been for a technical judging error that scored the first round 10-7 Pacquiao, rather than the correct 10-6, Manny would have taken the majority decision.
Regardless of the outcome on the cards, it was Marquez who dictated the pace during the majority of rounds and landed the bigger cleaner shots. Pacquiao did a great deal of damage in the early rounds, and almost ended things in the first but amazingly Marquez came on strong after the early rounds. Proving himself to be a seasoned, top tier tactician he figured Manny out and managed to avoid his big and telegraphed left hand. Once Marquez settled in and noticed how Pacquiao winds up to throw the left he was able to take over the fight. The big shot can be predicted and with a slight head movement is easy to avoid and counter. Marquez managed to overcome the force of three tough lessons learned in the first and come back at Manny with what he’d learned; something Barrera never managed to do.
That the fight ended in a draw is a highly controversial decision that many considered to be an outrageous robbery of Manny Pacquiao. He proved his destruction of Barrera was not just a one off fluke, proved he was for real, but was denied the win by a judge’s improper application of the rules. If the Pacquiao people feel the need to set things straight and Marquez is looking for more big spotlight, this fight should happen. With the recent announcement that Marquez is likely to be stripped of his featherweight belts, the incentive to head to 130 is even stronger. Manny will more than likely be the favorite on the betting circuit, but Marquez may have found the key.
Pacquiao relies so heavily on his left hand, that he can be something of a one-trick pony. He showed a little more range against Morales, but at every opportunity went back to trying to set up for a bomb. It’s a devastating punch when it connects, but one that simply will not work in a second fight against Juan Manuel Marquez. He sees it coming. Manny stretches his right hand forward and his left back as he generates all the power for the straight left. The shot comes very fast but has to travel a fair distance to land and with so much force behind it, a miss sends Manny momentarily off-balance. Marquez found he need not move completely out of the way, rather, he simply tilted his head to the side. By doing so, he avoided the punch and enabled himself to set in with blistering inside counters. If the move up in weight isn’t a factor for Marquez, he will be a huge problem for Pacquiao.
It seems that as the common denominator, Manny Pacquiao, if not holding all the cards at least has a straight flush. However, there are three more tantalizing possibilities at 130.
The Marco Barrera-Erik Morales trilogy will go down as one of the most awesome spectacles in boxing history. No friendship has emerged, no mutual admiration society, only sour grapes and blood lust. It’s a feud pure and simple, yet here we are a trilogy later and nothing has been definitively proven. Would another rematch finally produce a knockdown? Several? What about a knockout? Each of the three previous fights has brought big thrills and big paydays…imagine a fourth.
Two other equally appealing options involve J. M. Marquez against either of his compatriots. Remarkably, he has met neither Barrera nor Morales in the ring. Either would be a jaw-dropping festival of the fistic. Marquez deserves a break out fight, having been denied a meteoric rise by Manny’s left hand. Vindication against Pacquiao would certainly be one route, but Barrera and Morales also have enormous fan-bases within the sport.
Here are four men at the pinnacle of their sport all in the same division, with many unanswered questions surrounding them. With the clock ticking on at least two of their careers, those questions need to be answered sooner rather than later. Rather than just one fight for Christmas, why not an unofficial super featherweight tournament? Again, assuming there are no surprises come September, pick a permutation. Maybe Barrera vs. Pacquiao and Morales vs. Marquez in the first round. Winners square off for the titles and losers fight for a title shot versus the newly crowned grand champion.
With four fighters like these involved, it is impossible to put together a schedule of anything but extraordinary fights. Despite their stature, these aren’t cuties. All four are pugilists from the classic mold. Superbly conditioned warriors that bring out the best in each other. If the average professional fighter is as tough as nails, these guys are as tough as spikes. They have given us some of the most intense, savage, bloody festivals of carnage in the history of boxing. The more often they are in the ring against each other the better for them, us and the sport as a whole.
In order for any of these dreams to come to fruition, Barrera, Morales and Pacquiao must first take care of the business at hand. Back to reality and the anti-climax of mid-September…
Marco Barrera is the youngest old-timer in the sport. Back in the ring for the 66th time on September 17th, the thirty-one year old will be seeking unification of the super-featherweight titles versus IBF champion Robbie ‘The Bomber’ Peden. Peden is a tough customer and an action fighter who likes to throw the big, sometimes reckless shots. Buoyed in confidence by two knockout wins over highly touted Nate Campbell, Peden has shown he can be more than a handful. In their first match-up, Campbell dropped his defense and basically offered up a free shot. Peden obliged and hammered Campbell with a crushing left hook that sent him to the canvas. The former champion watched through tears as his IBF title was taken away; with none of the same foolishness in the re-match, the end came once again by TKO.
Prior to being dispatched in their first meeting, Campbell did manage to hurt Peden badly to the body. While Campbell is a good body puncher, he’s no Marco Antonio Barrera. The ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’s signature punch is his unholy left hook downstairs and if he digs it in with the usual consistency and ferocity it will spell serious trouble for Peden.
The other big name from Peden’s past is Juan Manuel Marquez, a Mexican fighter who is arguably of the same caliber as his countryman, Barrera. The fact that Robbie Peden managed to last 10 rounds against Marquez shows he is nothing if not game. Still, Barrera fans would be surprised if their man had too much trouble in this, his second ‘tune up’ fight in a row.
Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales will have another opportunity to size one another up come September 10, as they share the marquee in Los Angeles. Pacquiao takes on veteran Hector Velazquez while Erik ‘El Terrible” Morales steps in against speedster Zahir Raheem.
Flashy and quick, Raheem has shown decent power and good skills in dismantling 26 of his 27 opponents, amassing a respectable 16 knockouts along the way. His lone loss came by way of unanimous decision against undefeated Ricardo “Rocky” Juarez just over one year ago. Widely criticized as a showcase of dreadful refereeing and judging, the final verdict remains highly controversial.
Raheem has never been in with the likes of Erik Morales, but even so a couple wild cards do enter the equation. Morales likes to fight and might be bothered by the in and out quickness Raheem brings. It is also within the Mexican’s repertoire to have a tough time getting up for fights that are not blockbusters. All the recent talk about a rematch with Pacquiao may be an indication he is looking past Raheem.
That being said, Erik Morales is a passionate, gritty, seasoned and highly talented fighter who is unlikely to risk future opportunities by under-estimating any opponent in his way. There is no style he hasn’t effectively dealt with from bangers to slicksters, southpaw and conventional. With the depth of arsenal Morales brings, he should be able to systematically dismantle Raheem by walking him down. Working off a crisp jab, El Terrible will look to counter with his pay-off straight right hand. All the better for Morales and for fans, however, if this one deteriorates into a throw-down.
On the same card as the Morales tilt, is Philippino sensation Manny Pacquiao. Coming off a close decision loss to Morales, it is no coincidence they are sharing the spotlight in this manner. Wheels are obviously turning behind the scenes, with promoters already discussing a rematch of what was a classic super-featherweight clash. Before talks can resume however, Pacquiao has to get past veteran Hector Velazquez, another Mexican fighter with all the tenacity and toughness of his more famous countrymen.
Velazquez (42-10-2) is no stranger to the boxing ring, and no stranger to vicious exchanges. He took a split decision win over top-flight fighter Guty Espadas, a man who gave Erik Morales all he could handle and more. Like Raheem, Velazquez was unable to get past Rocky Juarez but gave a solid account of himself throughout the fight. Possessed of a good all around attack, he won’t hesitate to chew up an opponent’s torso if given the opportunity.
Being a crafty veteran, Velazquez isn’t one to shy away from roughhouse tactics should they become necessary. PacMan presents a monumental challenge for anyone at 130, but particularly for a hard charger like Velazquez. He has displayed the awesome force of his straight left time and again and it perpetually looms as a deterrent to overly aggressive opponents. A southpaw with great skills, speed and power, Manny Pacquiao is the nightmare that has put thirty-one opponents to sleep.
Any opportunity to observe three superstars of boxing ply their trade should be valued, and September’s lineup is no exception. None of the opponents are candy-stripers to be walked on or humiliated. However, they are just that: opponents. Once these matters are handled by Barrera, Morales and Pacquiao, their managers and promoters can return to the task of making fight fans dreams come true this Christmas.
