San Francisco, CA–
WBC super featherweight champion, Marco Antonio Barrera will square off with WBO featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez Saturday, March 17 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The 12-round WBC Super Featherweight Championship will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9pm ET / 6pm PT.
——————————————————————————– WBC 130-pound champion Marco Antonio Barrera (63-4, 42 KO’s) Mexico City, Mexico. 33-years-old, 5’7″, 130-pounds, trainer of record Rudy Perez. Style: Barrera is the consummate boxer/puncher and former three-time WBO super bantamweight champion, IBO & WBC featherweight champion and current WBC super featherweight champion. Barrera is a future Hall of Famer who can slug, box, turn out the lights, or seemingly always stick his way to another victory. He is the simply the Master Craftsman of his generation from 122 to 130-pounds. Barrera’s record in world title fights is 19-3, with 12 knockouts.
Significant Fights: Barrera has been in more wars the 101st Airborne Division. Last September, boxing, moving, jabbing and then jabbing some more, the three-time world champion and reigning WBC super featherweight king Barrera throttled challenger Rocky Juarez in a rematch of their previous encounter in May 2006. In their first fight, Juarez rocked and bloodied Barrera and on a number of scorecards from press row he seemingly won the fight and the title. However, the California judges gave the razor thin nod to the legendary Mexican titleholder Barrera, after the fight was first ruled a draw when the scorecards were added incorrectly. There were no problems with math skills in Nevada this time around. Four months later, the WBC champ made the necessary adjustments against a listless opponent and throttled Juarez for much of the evening closing his right eye with rapier-like jabs and a blistering left uppercut that landed with merciless accuracy and authority. Barrera dominated the contest from the outset in front of the 10,421 paying customers and Juarez never seemed to be able to find his rhythm and rarely the target. Judge Howard Minn scored the bout 117-111, while both Chuck Giampa and Dave Moretti had it 115-113, all for Barrera.
In September 2005, he scored a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision over former IBF 130-pound champ Robbie Peden. There were no knockdowns but Barrera dominated the contest from the outset and easily scored a commanding victory on all three judges’ scorecards. For reasons that defy logic, Peden spent much of the fight with his left hand held dangerously low and Barrera repeatedly tattooed the Australian’s profile with ramrod left jabs the entire evening. Judge John Keane tallied 118-109 while both Dave Moretti and Michael Pernick scored the bout 118-108, all for the fighter nicknamed the “Baby Face Assassin.” Prior to the victory over Peden, Barrera recorded a second round KO of challenger Mzonke Fana. Before that win, Barrera posted the second win in his three-part trilogy with the other legendary Mexican champion of the era, Erik “El Terrible” Morales. The short version to those three epic encounters is brief and simple. Morales won the first fight on the scorecard but many ringside observers and boxing insiders gave the edge to Barrera in February 2000. Almost 2 ? years later they squared off again and it was Barrera posting the victory but once again many insiders gave the edge to Morales. The two arch-enemies squared off for the third and final time and there was little doubt that from either side that Barrera had clearly won the fight. Before the third Morales contest in November 2004, Barrera scored a convincing 10th round TKO win over Paulie Ayala. Barrera dropped Ayala twice in the 8th and again in the 10th before the bout was halted.
In November 2003, Barrera suffered one of the hardest defeats of his 17-year career, when he was halted in eleven rounds on a TKO loss to Manny Pacquiao. Barrera was dropped twice before eventually being stop by the Filipino sensation. Barrera never was able to solve the southpaw’s relentless attack and after being knocked down twice the task fell to Marco’s brother, Jorge Barrera to climb into the ring and mercifully bring the evening to a halt in the non-title fight. Pacquiao floored Barrera in the 3rd, with a straight left cross to the chin. Barrera continued to eat leather until Pacquiao floored the renowned Mexican boxer again in the 11th, with a searing three-shot combination that ricocheted off the featherweight star’s skull. Two more riveting blasts to the body drove Barrera to the canvas for the second time. Barrera was able to climb off the deck, however, moment’s later the lefthander trapped Barrera on the ropes and landed a flurry of heat-seeking shots. Barrera’s older brother could no longer endure watching the punishment and climbed atop the ring apron. Referee Laurence Cole immediately called a halt to the fight at 2:56 of the eleventh round. Barrera first captured the WBO super bantamweight crown more than eleven years ago when he scored a 12 round unanimous decision over Daniel Jimenez, back in March 1995.
Barrera would go on and defended that title eight times; Frankie Toledo (TKO 2), Maui Diaz (TKO 1), Agapito Sanchez (UD 12), Eddie Croft (TKO 7), Kennedy McKinney (TKO 12) in a title bout widely regarded as Fight of the Year in 1996. In the contest Barrera was down in 11th, McKinney down twice in 8th, once in 9th, and twice in 12th. Barrera continued his win streak by posting victories over Jesse Benavides (KO 3), Orlando Fernandez (TKO 7), and Jesse Magana (TKO 10). Barrera’s winning ways came to a sudden halt when he lost to Junior Jones in November 1996. Barrera was on the deck twice in 5th and DQ’d when his corner entered the ring. Barrera still was unable to solve the lanky Brooklyn-born super bantamweight and he lost to Jones again via a 12 round unanimous decision five months later in their rematch. Barrera, however, was back on top by October 1998, when he recaptured the vacant WBO 122-pound belt by scoring a four round TKO over Richie Wenton. Barrera made two successful title defenses in halting Paul Lloyd, on a first round TKO when the challenger suffered a deep cut and the fight was stopped. Barrera came back to post a 12 round unanimous decision over the challenger from Argentina Pastor Humberto Maurin.
In February 2000, Barrera lost the first of his three encounters with Morales via a 12 round split decision. Within four months Barrera was back on top after scoring a first round KO over Luiz Freitas to recapture the WBO super bantamweight title, following Morales’ decision to relinquish the belt. Barrera defended that title twice more, scoring wins over Jose Luis Valbuena (UD 12) and then Jesus Salud (TKO 6). Barrera came back with one of the highlight victories of his long career by scoring a convincing win over the master showman “Prince” Naseem Hamed, in April 2001. The former WBO super bantamweight king stepped up in weight and clearly pounded out the 12 round unanimous decision over the previously undefeated featherweight champion Hamed. Barrera was simply the bigger, stronger fighter, and he repeatedly made the awkward boxer from the United Kingdom pay a heavy price for his lack of discipline in the ring. You knew that the Prince was in for a long night when it came time for his melodramatic obligatory ring entrance. There were the usual posses and fireworks, however, as he flew above the crowd strapped into a seated trapeze, Hamed was showered with beer from the Barrera followers. Needless to say, the phase “cerveza por favor” lost its meaning with the irate champion. There were no knockdowns in the contest; however, Barrera rocked Hamed several times over the course of twelve full rounds. Judge Duane Ford and Patricia Jarman-Manning both scored it, 115-112, while Chuck Giampa had it, 116-111, all for Barrera. The BT had it seven rounds to four, with the final round even after referee Joe Cortez deducted a point from Barrera when he rammed Hamed’s head into the ring post. Barrera was back on track and he captured the rematch with Morales before registering a 12 round win over Johnny Tapia, followed by a fourth round TKO over former champion Kevin Kelley. That victory over Kelley in March 2003, was a prep for his encounter with Pacquiao and the fourth loss on his resume.
Strength: Barrera has heavy hands to go along with heart, desire and the ability to change his game plan and adapt over the course of a fight. Early in his career Barrera was mostly a banger who scored wins with brutal left hooks to the liver and whistling right hands down the middle. However, after the two losses to Jones, Barrera became more of a boxer than a puncher. Barrera still had the talent to stop opponents but there was more lateral movement, a ramrod left jab and the skill to set-up his shots. The wheels came off the wagon when he was beaten by a slugger with faster hands in the Pacquiao bout. Nevertheless since that loss 2 ? years ago, Barrera has scored four straight wins all in title bouts.
Weakness: Despite being only 33, Barrera has been in a number of wars over the years and as we are fond of saying, there’s only so much tread on the tires. Barrera has struggled against guys who can move, box and can pull the trigger on power shots. Barrera and Marquez are the same age but Marco Antonio has been in 17 more fights and a lot of those bouts were what else-wars.
——————————————————————————– Challenger Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez (46-3-1, 35 KO’s) Mexico City, Mexico. 33-years-old, 5’7″, 130-pounds, trained and managed by Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain. Style: Marquez is a counter puncher by choice and it usually takes him a few rounds to heat up. His willingness to trade early resulted in the toughest fight of his career, a brutal 12-round draw with Manny Pacquiao, in May 2004. In that bout Marquez was on the deck three times in the first round and he had to rally the rest of the evening to manage a draw. With the exception of the Pacquiao bout, he looks for his opponent to make the first move and then he will return fire with short left hooks on the inside and looping overhand rights to the head. He throws short crisp accurate combinations and despite looking to counter, spends most of the night moving forward.
Significant Fights: Last November in Hidalgo, Texas, there was enough carnage in this one to make the feint of heart and the squeamish at ringside turn away and cover their eyes. With blood streaming down his face from a brutal vertical two-inch cut in his forehead, Juan Manuel Marquez still had enough steam on his shots to knockout Filipino challenger Jimrex Jaca and retain his WBO interim featherweight belt. The victim of a number of accidental headbutts throughout the contest, the gory Mexican champion nicknamed “Dinamita” clocked the southpaw Jaca with a double left hook to the skull that the challenger never saw and dropped him on the seat of his trunks. Jaca remained on the deck in a sitting position and was counted out by referee Laurence Cole at 2:48 of the ninth round. In August 2006, in Stateline, Nevada, set against the backdrop of magnificent Lake Tahoe the Marquez brothers both proved to be unstoppable in registering technical knockout victories. The Lake Tahoe appearance marked the 11th time that the duo had fought on the same card and they both came up with very impressive wins over two exceptionally tough opponents.
The elder brother, Juan Manuel Marquez captured the WBO interim featherweight belt and became the mandatory challenger to WBO champion Scott Harrison with a seventh-round TKO over game Terdsak “Pit Bull” Jandaeng of Thailand. Rafael Marquez marked his seventh successful defense of his IBF bantamweight title with a ninth-round TKO over Silence Mabuza of South Africa. All four boxers ended up bloodied and bruised and the carnage in the ring juxtaposed to the tranquil setting of Lake Tahoe heightened the fireworks in both fights. Following his win over Jandaeng, Marquez’s right eye was almost swollen shut and there was little doubt that he had been in a very tough fight. In one of the poorest efforts of his entire career, Marquez was simply outhustled over 12 rounds, as he lost a unanimous decision to Chris John March 2006. Along with losing the fight, Marquez lost his WBA featherweight world championship.
In May 2005, Marquez retained his WBA and IBF belts by recording a convincing 12-round unanimous decision over Colombian challenger Victor Polo. Working behind searing straight right hands and classic counter punches, Marquez dominated the scoring from the outset against the durable but outgunned Polo. The fight marked the fifth time that Polo had come up short in an attempt to capture a major world championship. This time out was no different for the 34-year-old southpaw, who struggled at time to pull the trigger against Marquez’s accurate attack. In the 2nd, Marquez just missed with a long right cross but he stepped inside and jolted Polo with a whistling left hook to the side of the skull followed by a rapid-fire two shot combination to the face. Early in the 6th, Marquez cut the distance on Polo and nailed him with a classic counter right hand to the jaw and then followed with a whip-like left hook that snapped the challenger’s head sideways. Polo rallied later in the 6th, and was finally able to score with his straight left cross but the punch had seemingly no effect on the world champion and Marquez continued to put rounds in the banks. Both fighters traded leather at the 2:50 mark of the 7th, but once again there was simply more snap on Marquez’s shots and he rocked the challenger momentarily. However, in the very next exchange, Marquez tagged Polo with a perfect right cross behind his left jab. The punch landed square on the jaw and Polo’s knees buckled, as he duck walked back across the ring before hitting the ropes and having his left glove graze the canvas. Polo was up at the count of two for the only knockdown of the fight but the damage had been done and the champion notched a two-point round. Polo wasn’t hurt just stunned but he continued to give up rounds after dining on Marquez’s leather until the final bell. After twelve complete rounds there was little doubt that Marquez had easily retained his championships. Judge Fred Steinwinder III scored it 119-108, Tom Schreck had it 118-109 and Adalaide Byrd tallied 120-107, all for the world champion Marquez.
In September 2004, Marquez scored a 12 round unanimous decision over veteran featherweight Orlando Salido. Prior to that, however, was his historic and jaw rattling encounter with the Filipino sensation Pacquiao. Climbing off the deck to go the distance after being dropping three times in the first round is extraordinary. Somehow being able to salvage a draw after suffering a broken nose and swallowing enough blood to drop an ox borders on the miraculous. Pacquiao landed repeatedly in the first round with withering straight left hands to the chin. The hard hitting challenger floored Marquez three times in the opening stanza, busting him up in the process and breaking his nose while reducing the bottom one-third of his face to ground chuck. Nevertheless, Marquez rallied over the course of the fight to somehow come up with a majority draw. It didn’t hurt that there was confusion with the official scoring after twelve sensational rounds that left the 7,129 fight fans at the MGM Grand emotionally drained.
Marquez lost the very first fight of his pro career and then went on a 26-bout win streak until he challenged and lost via a 12 round unanimous decision to Freddie Norwood for the WBA featherweight belt, in September 1999. Marquez got right back on track and scored wins over Roque Cassiani (UD 12), Reynante Jamili (TKO 3), Baby Lorona Jr (TKO 2), Julio Gamboa (TKO 7) and Johnny Walker (TKO 1) before scoring a 10th round TKO over Robbie Peden, to capture the NABO 126-pound crown and also win an IBF title eliminator. In February 2003, Marquez captured the vacant IBF featherweight crown by scoring a seventh round TKO over Manuel Medina. Marquez dropped Medina early in the second round but the former four-time world champion rallied and continued trading leather despite a brutal right eye that continued to swell and eventually close before the end of the fight. Whistling left hooks and searing right crosses took their toll on raw boned Medina’s face and Marquez dropped him again in the seventh round. Medina regained his feet quickly but the referee on the advice of Dr. Margaret Goodman stopped the fight at 1:18 of the 7th round, awarding Marquez a TKO victory.
Strength: Despite being a counter puncher Marquez has very good power in both hands and he is always looking for you to make the first mistake. He can work off his jab or surprise you with looping lead overhand right hands. Accurate combinations are his trademark, and training at the 12,000 foot level in the Mexican mountains, has resulted in a fighter who always comes into a bout in outstanding physical condition. Look for withering left hooks to the body and then for Marquez to come back with hard clean right crosses. He is tough and durable and you almost need to put a silver bullet through this guy’s heart to stop him.
Weakness: Marquez takes his time to figure out opponents and he can get caught early. The one time he varied from that strategy Pacquiao put him on the deck three times in the first round. Just like any fighter at the age of 33, Marquez has been in a number of battles and he is more prone to cut and bleed than ever before.
Prediction: We aren’t sure who is going to win this fight. It’s a pick ’em fight to us. Barrera is getting long in the tooth and anything could happen. He looked great last time out but he’s been uneven in his performances over the last few years. Marquez can punch but likes to lay back too much and counter. It cost Rocky Juarez against Barrera last time out and if Barrera is allowed to set the pace and can box from the outside, it could happen again. We like Marquez IF (big if) he’s more aggressive. He has to jab with Barrera, stay on top of him, take the spring out of his old legs and throw combinations. In other word, fight more like his brother. We think that Marquez will put on an inspired effort and that hard combinations and accuracy along with Father Time will help bust up and stop Barrera in the 9th or 10th. However, it is imperative that Marquez force the issue and keep Barrera busy and backing up if he hopes to pull off this upset win.
