Los Angeles, CA-When does a fighter peak? That is the $64,000 question facing handicappers in regards to the Marco Antonio Barrera-Rocky Juarez battle Saturday night at the Staples Center. Do you bet the 26-year old underdog Juarez, or do you stay with the 32-year young Barrera, who turned professional at the tender age of 15 in 1989. It boils down to a man entering his 66th professional, versus a young buck who is 25-1, with 18 whacks.
BARRERA’S SCHEDULE SINCE 2000 HAS BEEN LIMITED!
In the old days, people were of the opinion that fighters in the lighter weights, from like 118 to 135 lbs., were over the hill at 27 or 28 years old. Barrera, obviously the exception to the rule, has fought just two times a year since 2000, when he went to the post four-times. With that schedule, Barrera has won all but one fight since the controversial points setback to Erik Morales, in their initial encounter. Of course, that was the night Manny Pacquiao, mugged him in November 2003. Barrera was thought to be “done” after losing almost every round, and being knocked out in the 11th!
TAKING A HARD LOOK AT MARCO’S RECENT FOES!
Since the Pacquiao loss, Barrera beat Paulie Ayala, Erik Morales, Mzonke Fana, and Robbie Peden. Paulie was too small, Fana couldn’t fight, and Peden, the Australian, didn’t want to. Watching Morales’ decline, both in the ring, and to the eye, he now has to be looked at a little differently than that of a super fighter. The timetable of two fights a year may have extended the career of Marco Antonio Barrera, but does it all come apart in this fight with Juarez?
JUAREZ IMPRESSIVE IN ALL BUT TWO SCRAPS!
Rocky Juarez’s one loss came as a bit of a surprise, mainly because Humberto Soto, now the WBC featherweight (126 lbs) champion, was a bit of an unknown when he unanimously upset the 2000 Olympic Silver Medallist last August. Some were of the mindset that Juarez was either over confident, or just not the fighter he was being hyped as. I think it was a combination of being a bit cocky, the fact that Rocky was having weight woes at 126, and Soto’s a pretty darn good fighter himself. His other low-light was when he and referee Bobby Gonzales, the pair bested Zahir Raheem.
HARD NOT TO PICK MARCO UNTIL HE’S BEATEN!
But does any of this make you lean one way or another? How about the fact that Juarez is six years younger, has half the fights, and didn’t have to go “extreme” measures to make the 130 lb. weight limit for this fight? Probably not, because even though he’s 32, which used to be 60 at the lighter weights, Barrera is the exception to the rule. That being said, I think Juarez, a good fighter with hunger and zeal, will need a sterling performance in order to beat Barrera.
IS BARRIOS THE “REAL” CHAMP AT 130 LBS.?
Even though Barrera has both the WBC & IBF 130 lb. belts, some feel the real king at the weight is the fiery Filipino, Manny Pacquiao. I am ultra-impressed with Jorge Barrios, a WBO title claimant that is from Argentina. Having been DQ’d in the fourth round of a 1997 fight, Barrios, now 45-2, with 32 KO’s, took then unbeaten Acelino Freitas into some deep water. Entering the 12th round, the judges were split three ways, with one judge backing each pug, while the third had this 2003 fight even. Stopped in the final round, Barrios and Freitas had each knocked the other down twice.
JORGE DRILLED “MIGHTY MIKE” WITH FORCE!
When Jorge stepped into a WBO 130 lb. title tiff with Mike Anchondo last April, people were riding high on Anchondo. Less than four frames later, Mike was no longer unbeaten, and Barrios was all of a sudden the man nobody at 130 lbs. wanted to fight. With a pair of wins, one being a title defense, Barrios finds himself in the HBO curtain raiser against undefeated, Janos Nagy.
WHO EXACTLY IS JANOS NAGY ANYWAY?
At 24 & zip, Nagy, a native of Hungary has 14 early wins. When I look up and down his resume there aren’t any real names of note on his record. That being said, I can’t see Barrios losing in this spot. But, be advised, fighters from Eastern Europe, especially heavyweights, have upset bigger apple carts than Barrios.
FULL REPORT 30 MINUTES AFTER FIGHT!
Expect a story on the fights, the fighters, and just how HBO show went no later than 30 minutes after Barrera-Juarez. First fight on TV: 10:30 PM ET, that’s 7:30 in California.
