After a combined 117 fights, seven world championships and 32 years of professional boxing, it’s amazing that Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez never have fought before now. After all, they have campaigned in or around the same weight class. And they both hail from Mexico City.
But, finally, the two grand champions will swap leather in a St. Patrick’s Day blockbuster at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (7 p.m., Saturday, HBO pay-per-view).
It’s a fight that the entire boxing world is anticipating.
A strange journey
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 11 years since Barrera’s coming-out party against Kennedy McKinney, on Feb. 3, 1996. At the time, Mexican fans were mourning the slow demise of Julio Cesar Chavez, while searching for a new hero. After Barrera dropped former champion McKinney four times in a wild slugfest at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, registering a 12th-round knockout, they thought they had their man.
And though Barrera eventually became a Mexican icon, his career path took a strange trajectory that included a pair of upset losses to underdog Junior Jones, an unpopular decision defeat to Tijuana nemesis Erik Morales and a butchering at the hands of Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.
But in and around those losses were legend-building victories. The two revenge decisions over Morales. And, of course, the career-defining upset win over “Prince” Naseem Hamed.
Yes, it has been a strange journey for Barrera (63-4, 42 knockouts). But he’s boxing royalty now.
It’s a status that has eluded Marquez (46-3-1, 35 KOs).
Like Barrera, Marquez’ career has taken bizarre twists and turns. Like Barrera, he was a star on the rise in Los Angeles, where he thrilled the sold-out crowds with his aggressive style. After losing his pro debut, Marquez reeled off 29 straight wins and was a favorite heading into his challenge of WBA junior lightweight champ Freddie Norwood in 1999.
But, after a foul-plagued affair in which Marquez fought timidly, Norwood kept the title, and the challenger went back to the drawing board.
Marquez finally hit paydirt four years later, when he stopped Manuel Medina for the WBA featherweight title.
His career finally had some momentum.
Marquez had his own career-defining fight, holding Pacquiao to a draw in May 2004 — despite being dropped three times in the first round. He was hot property after that, and a rematch with “Pac-Man” beckoned.
But Marquez’ management turned it down.
And, two fights later, he dropped a decision to unheralded Chris John in John’s native Indonesia, for a smidgen of the payday of a Pacquiao rematch.
Now, the Barrera fight could be his last chance at greatness.
Marquez by a hair
Barrera has been boxing a lot lately on his 33-year-old legs. But, with Marquez being from Mexico City, Barrera isn’t about to play it safe here. He wants to solidify his standing as one of Mexico’s all-time greats. And that will lead to his downfall, because Marquez is fresher.
In a fight not to be missed, Marquez wins a 12-round split decision — and finally gets some accolades of his own.
Matthew Aguilar may be reached at [email protected]; 546-6166.
