SAN ANTONIO – Manny Pacquiao, fighting as a featherweight for only the second time, used superior hand speed and a relentless attack in a surprise knockout of Marco Antonio Barrera in a non-title fight Saturday night.
Barrera, widely considered the world’s best featherweight, was helplessly pinned against the ropes under a barrage from Pacquiao late in the 11th round when his brother and cornerman, Jorge Barrera, stopped the fight.
Pacquiao, the IBF junior featherweight champion, dominated starting in the second round of the fight at the Alamodome. He methodically pounded Barrera’s body and landed repeated combinations to his head.
“I’m surprised he lasted that long,” said Pacquiao (38-2-1, 30 KOs), a 24-year-old boxer from the Philippines. “Very early on I knew I was going to knock him out.”
Barrera’s trainer Rudy Perez said he hopes this is the final bout for the 29-year-old fighter from Mexico City, whose record is now 57-4.
“It was a bad night for Marco,” said Perez. “It’s his decision, but I don’t want him to fight again.”
According to CompuBox, Pacquiao landed 257 power punches, compared to only 101 for Barrera.
Through 10 rounds, two of the three judges had Pacquiao ahead 97-90. The third had scored the fight 97-89.
Pacquiao followed his prefight plan of setting a furious pace to try to tire Barrera, who was showing signs of fatigue by the middle rounds.
He knocked Barrera down with a straight left in the third round, and floored him again in the 11th. Barrera was credited with a knockdown in the opening round.
Barrera, known for his punching power, had Pacquiao on the ropes a few times later, only to lose the advantage when Pacquiao fought his way out of trouble.
