From a physical standpoint, Filipino Mark Anthony Barriga and Briton Tyson Fury are poles apart. The 5?2? Barriga competes in the minimumweight division, pro boxing?s lightest weight class (105 pounds), while Fury is a 6?9,? 260-pound heavyweight who literally crushes the weighing scales.
For all their differences, Barriga and Fury figure to have the same mission order as they appear in the same card on December 2 (Manila time) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The unbeaten Fury (27-0, 19 knockouts) will look to wrest the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship from American power puncher Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 knockouts) while Barriga (9-0, 1 knockout) will attempt to win his first world title when he takes on Mexican Carlos Licona (13-0, 2 knockouts) for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight crown.
Both Fury and Barriga are facing daunting tasks. In fact, both fighters are looking to prove history wrong when they take on separate foes this weekend.
Fury is bent on proving that a British challenger can win the heavyweight crown on US soil while Barriga plans to become only the second Filipino fighter with an Olympic background to win a professional title.
Fury actually won the IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight crowns in 2015, but never got to defend them due to his battles with drugs, depression and alcohol. Fury did not fight for two years (2016 and 2017) and returned to the ring only last June due to back-to-back doping bans. Despite the ring rust, Fury agreed to take on the fearsome Wilder for the WBC diadem.
British heavyweights have a dismal record when it comes to trying to win the heavyweight crown in the United States. The jinx started on July 25, 1902, when Briton Bob Fitzsimmons traveled to San Francisco in a bid to win the heavyweight title from American Jim Jeffries. Fitzsimmons, a former champion, was brutally knocked out by Jeffries in eight rounds. Since then, British challengers bidding for the heavyweight crown in the US have chalked up mostly pathetic results.
Wales native Tommy Far challenged champ Joe Louis in New York and was thoroughly beaten in 15 rounds in 1937. Don Cockel traveled to San Francisco in 1955 and was reduced to a human punching bag by Rocky Marciano. In 1996, British power puncher Frank Bruno rumbled with then WBC champ Mike Tyson in Las Vegas and was stopped in three rounds. Only Lennox Lewis enjoyed moderate success. In November 1999, Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas to capture the undisputed heavyweight crown.
For his part, Barriga is looking to follow in the footsteps of Brian Viloria, who showed action in the 2000 Olympics and became a world champion in the pro ranks when he knocked out Eric Ortiz in 2009 for the WBC junior flyweight (108 lbs.) championship. It must be stressed though that Viloria represented the US in the Sydney Olympics while Barriga carried the Philippine colors when he competed in the 2012 Games. If Barriga prevails over Licona, he will actually become the first Filipino ex-Olympian to become world boxing champion.
The jinx on amateur boxers is that they are already shopworn by the time they turn pro. Anthony Villanueva became a national hero when he won a silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Unknown to many, Villanueva turned pro in October 1965. Villanueva did not last long in the pro level, getting knocked out in 1967 by Jimmy Noel. Villanueva made a comeback in 1975 but was knocked out by Australian Ross Eadie in one round. Villanueva retired with a dismal pro record of 1-3.
History does not appear to be on the side of Barriga and Fury, but interestingly enough they plan to rely on their innate boxing skills to pull through. You got it right, Fury and Barriga are not your typical gung-ho sluggers. They offer a style built on pure boxing, one that gives emphasis on the ?sweet science? aspect of the sport.
