LAS VEGAS ? Manny Pacquiao proved faster and stronger as he outclassed a Marco Antonio Barrera that wasn?t ready to go down yesterday, putting a closure on the Mexican?s storied career with a unanimous decision.
Back home, President Arroyo led the nation in celebrating Pacquiao?s victory, saying the Filipino boxer ?once again buoyed the nation?s spirit with his excellent fighting form and indomitable spirit.?
?Our Pambansang Kamao (national fist) is the Philippines? gift to the world. We join all Filipinos in celebrating his well-deserved victory,? she said.
Oddsmakers had placed their money on Pacquiao knocking Barrera out either in the early or later rounds. But it wasn?t to come the same way it did for the Filipino when he finished off the Mexican inside 11 rounds in 2003.
Instead, Pacquiao was dragged into 12 rounds of an encounter where action came in spurts and flurries, with Barrera holding his own to earn the respect of critics who had almost counted him out even before he climbed the ring for his farewell performance.
?I was surprised Barrera lasted the full 12 rounds,? said Freddie Roach, who trained Pacquiao six weeks for the rematch that took four long years in the making, and almost didn?t take place at all.
?Barrera is still good. Barrera still has the power,? said Pacquiao, who won in the eyes of the three judges. Jerry Roth and Glenn Townbridge both had it 118-109 and Tom Schreck a little closer at 115-122.
The decision sat well with the boisterous crowd of 10,112 at the Events Center of Mandalay Bay. For them, it was clear that Pacquiao threw more punches throughout the fight, and landed the better ones, too.
Barrera, who promised that the fight was his last after 18 years in this brutal sport, said he was happy with the outcome. While at times he caught Pacquiao with solid punches, he also appeared to be fighting just to survive.
There?s just too much pride, too much valor in the heart of the 33-year-old Barrera, the three-time world champion and future Hall of Famer. He just had to finish his checkered career standing on his feet.
?I am very happy. I am happy I fought with the best. Now he is the best,? Barrera, during the post-fight press conference, said as Pacquiao sat just an arm?s length away and faced close to a hundred media men.
Pacquiao got up his seat, and approached Barrera. He raised the hand of the Mexican, who wore a nasty, two-inch cut under his right eye, and the two fighters considered as among the greatest hugged.
?This is a special fight for me. This is my last. But it?s different this time because in 2003 I felt all his punches,? said Barrera who said he worked so hard for this fight, even harder than any of his previous 68 fights.
?I lost my head in a couple of rounds. I shouldn?t have stayed in those exchanges and boxed a little more. I got caught up a little bit. I thought I boxed him well and dominated the fight with my left hand,? he said.
?My corner was telling me in the end to go after him but it was very hard to go after him because he had such a strong defense. It was hard to break through that defense. He didn?t hurt me with those many punches,? he added.
?I tip my hat off to Marco Antonio Barrera. He showed a big heart. He thought Manny Pacquiao is just a machine,? said Oscar de la Hoya of Golden Boy, who co-promoted the fight with Bob Arum of Top Rank.
?Barrera is a smart boxer. I knew he would box me and that?s how I trained. I?m satisfied with the results of the fight,? said the Filipino superfeatherweight who is thinking of moving up a division higher at 135 pounds.
The fight started slow as both fighters appeared tentative. No hard punches were really landed in the opening rounds. Pacquiao connected with his left straights and a few crosses, and Barrera with his right.
Pacquiao connected with solid shots that got the crowd going in the fourth round but Barrera, the champion at heart, would land counter-punches, too.
In the fifth, Barrera threw a couple of left uppercuts, throwing Pacquiao back against the ropes. The southpaw from Mindanao, however, managed to close the round strongly.
Pacquiao seemed eager to start the sixth round and found a good exchange. Barrera, despite taking some good shots, looked fresher than his opponent, hardly opening his mouth as compared to the Filipino.
Barrera fought a smart fight, and was probably conserving his energy for the later rounds where he could find an opening. Pacquiao was breathing through his mouth by the end of the eighth round.
Barrera was never shaken as he continued to evade Pacquiao?s killer punch. By the 10th round, observers felt that the fight would go the distance, as the Mexican seemed capable of taking good shots.
Pacquiao appeared too eager to score a knockout or at least a knockdown in the 11th round and a few times missed wildly with his punches.
