The final press conference for Saturday’s WBC Super Featherweight Championship bout between Marco Antonio Barrera (63-4, 42 KOs) and Juan Manuel Marquez (46-3-1, 45 KOs) took place Wednesday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The challenger Marquez is stepping up in weight from the featherweight division where he is recognized as the WBO champion.
Marquez took the podium first to address the media. Marquez declared to those in attendance, “This fight is going to be a war. I have prepared for war!”
Exuding the confidence of a legend and guaranteeing a victory, defending champion Barrera reminded everyone that boxing is a sport not a dream stating: “Some may dream of knocking out Marco Antonio Barrera but then they wake up.”
Jaime Quintana of Romanza Boxing and co-promoter of Saturday’s event let it be known that this is a battle between “two Mexican warriors to prove who is the best!”
Richard Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Boy Promotions, said of the fight: “When you put the two best in one weight class together the fans are the winners.”
Saturday’s card is dubbed “Fearless!” Barrera has proven time and again that he is fearless- from his illustrious 2001 victory over Naseem Hamed to his epic trilogy against Erik Morales. After dropping his first bout with Morales in 2000, Barrera won the final two chapters of their three ring wars in 2002 and 2004. Marquez’ fearlessness was demonstrated best when he rose from the canvas three times in the first round of his 2004 battle with Manny Pacquiao. Marquez fought back to overcome a large deficit and earn a draw in his legendary encounter with Pacquiao. Both Barrera and Marquez will have another opportunity this Saturday night to prove once again that they are truly fearless.
Saturday’s televised card will also feature a twelve round WBO junior featherweight championship bout between defending champion Daniel Ponce De Leon (30-1, 28 KOs) and challenger Gerry Penalosa (51-5-2, 35 KOs).
Of the fight, Ponce De Leon emphasized: “All of Mexico will be watching. We will give the fans a great fight!” Penalosa, a former super flyweight titlist, let it be known that this is the fight he has been waiting for and that he is ready to do battle.
The third televised fight will be a twelve round USBA junior welterweight championship bout between defending champion Demetrius Hopkins (25-0-1, 10 KOs) and challenger Steve Forbes (32-4, 9 KOs). Forbes was a finalist on ESPN’s “The Contender” Season Two, and is a former 130 pound titlist. Of Saturday’s duel, Hopkins noted: “I have been waiting to fight on HBO to show the world I am the best at 140.” Forbes shared that he looks forward to the challenge posed by Hopkins, who is the nephew of living ring legend Bernard Hopkins.
Tickets are priced at $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50, and are on sale at the Mandalay Bay box office. Saturday night’s showdown will be televised on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT and has a suggested retail price of $44.95.
