I think everyone who saw it can admit that it was a good fight but not necessarily one for the ages.
Pacquiao-Barrera II was a fight that was a tactically fought battle by a legendary Mexican champion who chose to obtain a moral victory. This wasn?t one for the fans or for his country. It was for himself and it was a solid yet somewhat uninspiring performance by ?The Baby Faced Assassin?.
Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao desperately tried to force the dance of death and destruction to transpire but didn?t have a dance partner willing to ?tango? with him. While he attempted to force his offensive arsenal on the wary legend in Barrera, as ESPN commentator Teddy Atlas tends to say, ?Sometimes you need a guy to oblige you in order to get the knockout.? (or something of that nature)
Let me just take it from the top.
Everytime I hear the Mexican or Filipino national anthem I always think of boxing and even more so the best that the sweet science has to offer. It brings back the very recent memories of the epic battles between Manny Pacquiao versus Erik Morales as well as Manny?s controversial scrap with Juan Manuel Marquez. It also reminds me of the budding rivalry between Mexico and the Phillippines as a whole which culminated in the World Cup battles this past August.
Mexicanos, al grito de Guerra El Acero aprestad y el bridon?
As the Mexican national anthem was being sung, the crowd erupted in voracious cheers for their hero ?The Baby Faced Asssassin? as well as the whole country of Mexico. It?s a sound that always reminds me of the historic significance that Mexico has played in this sport that we call boxing. It brought to light the fact that another era was coming to an end as it was well known to be Barrera?s last stand and final fight with the best in his division. I tried to brush off the fact that a legend I?ve watched for nearly a decade was hanging up the red leather never to be thrown ever again. In all honesty, it was an emotional moment as Barrera is to me what many former greats like ?Sugar? Ray Leonard and Thomas ?Hitman? Hearns were to fight fans back in the 80s.
Bayang Magiliw Perlas ng Silanganan?
After the chants of Mexico, Mexico! had subsided, the Filipino national anthem was just getting started. It?s funny how it seems as though everytime the national anthems of both the Philippines and Mexico take place, a great night of boxing is somehow in the making. While the anthem from the Islands is obviously not as well known as that of Mexico, it is quickly becoming synonymous with representing the anthem of warriors. It is an anthem that represents a wave of some of the best boxers on planet earth and also brought another rush of emotion as their passionate fans cheered loudly.
I nudged my friend and colleague Ricardo Lois whispering, ?This is what it?s all about man?.
He nodded in assurance that he understood what I was referring to.
What I was referring to were the chants of some of the loudest and most loyal fans to be found anywhere in the world.
There?s nothing else that can describe the feeling of a prize fight in which the best of what Mexico and the Philippines has to offer. I had goose bumps as the electricity of the crowd captivated me in an emotional trance.
I truly felt that we were in for a battle for the ages as Marco Antonio Barrera would make his final stance against possibly one of the most dynamic offensive forces to come across boxing in recent times. I think the thousands of fans in attendance and the millions of viewers at home felt the same exact way as well (phrase attributed to Michael Buffer).
As the national anthem of the United States was taking place, I couldn?t help but feel thankful for having the opportunity to be part of boxing history. It was a moment I?ll never forget and I encourage any boxing fans out there to partake in the next Manny Pacquiao bout in any way possible. Having been lucky enough to attend numerous live boxing cards in recent times, I can honestly say that it?s something on another level in comparison to anything else the sport has to offer.
Sometimes it?s funny at just how many different thoughts, emotions, and realizations can run through one?s mind in the matter of just few seconds. I thought about the pain that both combatants went through to reach this point in their careers. I thought about the sacrifice both men made as they were forced to spend time away from their loved ones in order to prepare for war. I thought about how both Manny and Marco can draw thousands upon thousands of loyal fanatics to tune into their battles. I thought about how most of us at press row, in the stands, or watching at home will never have to go through the torturous sessions of physical and mental anguish that both these warriors have endured years after year as critics slap label after label on them. I thought about both men having to starve themselves in brutal fashion in order to make weight. In essence, I was completely and utterly humbled just realizing how much both men have given to the sport of boxing.
I don?t mean to get all mushy but it?s the truth.
As the battle initially transpired, it was a fight based on respect and avoiding making any unnecessary mistakes early on. While many spectators felt that the ?Pacman? would come out guns a blazing gunning for an early stoppage over his former victim, he initially fought quite cautiously knowing that the Mexican veteran has an arsenal not to be taken lightly.
It was virtually a nip and tuck affair for most of the early rounds as each combatant engaged each other in a game of chess trying to force each other to make some sort of mistake. It was as intense as any fight I?ve ever seen and really had the makings of a classic early on.
As the fight progressed into the middle rounds, it was evident that Barrera was attempting to fight a defensively disciplined fight until the very end as he held his hands very high in conjunction with consistently using his footwork in order to avoid Pacquiao?s vaunted punching power. Mr. Lois kept insisting that at one point in the fight Barrera would unleash an offensive assault that would remind everyone exactly what made the ?Baby Face? an ?Assassin?. Unfortunately it never transpired as he seemed to be more than content to finish the fight on his feet rather than go for broke as his arch rival Erik ?El Terrible? Morales had done against the beast that is Manny Pacquiao.
While there?s no doubt that everyone within boxing respects all of the accomplishments of Barrera, it reminded me as to why ?El Terrible? is adored by his loyal fans. In reality even the Filipino fans who he?s had such a great rivalry with admire the Tijuana native as well. Knowingly outgunned and past his prime, Morales? trilogy fight with Manny Pacquiao was the epitome of what Morales was and Barrera isn?t, a fighter for the fans and for the people until the very end.
I don?t hate Marco Antonio Barrera.
I honestly feel that in his prime, he beats Erik Morales on a consistent basis based on their various combinations of strength, weaknesses, and styles. However, being that I was lucky enough to be in attendance for both the first and third fights between ?El Terrible? and the ?Pacman? I can honestly state that there was an intensity in Morales? fights that never subsided. You could truly sense that Erik was giving everything he had to everyone who paid good money to see him perform win, lose, or draw.
In the eleventh round of Saturday?s battle, Barrera crossed the line in terms of ring ?professionalism?. In what was a blatant attempt to avenge an inadvertent headbutt from Pacquiao, the Mexico City veteran swung at the ?Pacman? in the midst of referee Tony Weeks breaking them apart from a clinch. It?s something that I feel truly tainted a solid but measured performance by Barrera as he seemed frustrated with his inability to land any completely solid blows on his foe.
I feel as though Weeks deducted a point correctly as it was a pre-meditated foul that seemingly stunned and hurt the Filipino icon. While it seemed as though Barrera would realize that the point deduction could potentially cost him the fight, he never turned on the ?Assassin? mode. His name this past weekend should have been much closer to ?The Baby Faced Tactician.?
There was no last stand that ever took place throughout the night and Barrera?s not really one to blame over it. Throughout the night it was evident that Pacquiao was the much stronger and faster fighter from the onset. I was particularly impressed with the angles and defense that the former one-dimensional fighter showed throughout the night. While a prime James Toney he?ll never be in terms of defensive prowess, he has vastly improved in his ability to avoid punches.
While it seems as though Barrera is now finished with the sweet science in terms of lacing up the leather, he truly has given the fans some of the best fights of my era. This past Saturday?s wasn?t one of them but it?s impossible to really blame the legendary fighter for fighting the style in which he did. I think boxing fans will be happy to see the Mexico City boxer/slugger retire healthy, happy, and with his family. It?s what we as boxing fans would like to see for every fighter, everywhere.
As for Manny Pacquiao, I think he showed the world why he is a fighter you can?t afford to miss. His fighting spirit is something that is potentially unmatched in the sport. I?m sure Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton fans might object to this statement but it?s just so evident that the ?Pacman? loves combat and more specifically an action-packed affair. He?s seemingly moving on up to the lightweight division and I predict that many of the current 130 pound fighters will now follow him up looking for a big payday.
Overall I must say that it was a very memorable night that showcased why I?m a boxing fan. It?s the thousands of people that support the sweet science that make each event that much more special?
PS. Being the degenerate sloppy person that I am, I made a wager on Pacquiao by decision at 3-1 odds. 2222 was the betting number to be exact. While I didn?t necessarily wager anything monstrous, I?m glad I didn?t as I somehow managed to lose the winning ticket? unbelievable.
