In his last two fights, featherweight king Marco Antonio Barrera took on well-known opponents in Johnny Tapia and Kevin Kelley. Both were first-rate champions at one time, just not when Barrera faced them. He fought them more for their name recognition and drawing power than the threat they posed.
Now Barrera is poised for a tough fight against an A-level opponent other than rival Erik Morales, who is going up in weight. Instead, Barrera is eyeing junior featherweight champ Manny Pacquiao, who’s willing to move up four pounds to face him either Nov. 1 or Nov. 15, depending on the HBO schedule.
