LAS VEGAS — Marco Antonio Barrera knows he’s in the twilight of his boxing career, but before he goes he has a score to settle with Filipino hero Manny Pacquiao on Saturday.
The non-title super featherweight bout is a rematch of Pacquiao’s 2003 11th-round technical knockout of Barrera, whose corner threw in the towel.
“It was a total meltdown,” Barrera said of the drubbing he took from Pacquiao. “It was Manny’s night. He took it to me.” Losing the way he did to Pacquiao has gnawed at Barrera’s pride. He admits as much. “I’m taking this one personally,” Barrera said. “I have to get my revenge.”
Barrera, who brings a record of 63-5 with 42 knockouts, has said he will retire after the fight.
“I’ve been thinking about this for the last three years,” Barrera said. “I talked it over with my wife, my family, my friends.It’s something that I really want to do. I’m ready to pass the torch.”
But Barrera will have his work cut out if he wants to go out a winner against Pacquiao, the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Fighter of the Year for 2006.
Pacquiao, 28, is 44-3 with two drawn and 35 knockouts, stopping Mexico’s Jorge Solis in the eighth round last April in his most recent fight.
The Philippines hero has gone 18-1 with two drawn since 1999, losing only in 2005 when Mexico’s Erik Morales took a unanimous decision at Las Vegas.
