When a rematch between junior lightweight champ Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao failed to materialize because of Pacquiao’s promotional entanglements, Barrera didn’t pout.
Instead, the future Hall of Famer switched to Plan B, and what a Plan B it is: featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Marquez, who, like Barrera, is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
The Mexican stars have danced around each other for years, but never met in the ring. That will change March 17 (HBO PPV), when they meet at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for one of the top fights that can be made in boxing.
Pacquiao owns a knockout win against Barrera, and Marquez has a draw with Pacquiao in a fight many believe Marquez clearly won.
“Barrera will take on the challenger that Erik Morales never wanted,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer crowed. “Barrera is not going to sit around and wait for Pacquiao, so we are moving ahead with another big fight.”
Golden Boy Promotions, which handles both fighters, dubbed the card “Fearless,” which makes sense because neither man has ever backed away from a challenge.
“For as long as I can remember, when you talked about the best fighters in the world, the names of Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez were always mentioned, but a fight between them never came off,” said Golden Boy Promotions boss Oscar De La Hoya. “I’m excited that we’ve finally been able to put these two great warriors together and present the fans with what I believe will be one of the best fights of the last 25 years.”
It has a chance. Barrera (63-4, 42 KOs) has been involved in a slew of memorable fights, including his trilogy with Erik Morales. Marquez’s draw with Pacquiao was a brawl from start to finish.
The pay-per-view undercard is expected to include:
• Junior featherweight titlist Daniel Ponce De Leon — one of the most savage punchers in boxing — defending against former junior bantamweight titlist Gerry Penalosa.
• Junior welterweight Demetrius Hopkins facing former junior lightweight titlist Steve Forbes, the runner-up in the second season of “The Contender.”
Marquez (46-3-1, 35 KOs), who will move up in weight to challenge Barrera and to earn a career-high $1.5 million payday, has been in top form in his past two fights, winning both by knockout, as he put a controversial points loss to featherweight titlist Chris John in Indonesia behind him.
“This is one of the most important fights of my career and I think I am going to knock out Barrera,” said Marquez, who doesn’t typically make such bold statements. “Barrera has fought a lot, but I’m at the peak of my career and it is time for him to retire and for me to take the reign.”
In his last fight, Barrera boxed his way to an easy decision against Rocky Juarez in their September rematch. Marquez’s prediction has Barrera fired up to make their fight more memorable than his last outing.
“Juan Manuel thinks he is going to knock me out? I’d like to see him try,” said Barrera, who will earn $3 million. “He is dreaming that he is going to win. His dreams are not reality. Instead he should be training because I am going to shut his mouth with my punches, not with words.”
Mark Taffet of HBO PPV loves these kinds of fights. He said it reminds him of the Barrera-Morales and Pacquiao-Morales trilogies.
“Barrera won a legendary trilogy with Morales, and Marquez showed incredible heart coming back from three knockdowns to earn a draw in a memorable fight with Pacquiao,” he said. “Barrera-Marquez is another one of those ‘best vs. best’ matches that boxing fans always look forward to.”
