Marco Antonio Barrera has placed himself in a dangerous position. He’s talking about retirement.
Fighters who talk about leaving the sport they love in public, especially to the media, normally get beat or escape with a victory. Juan Manuel Marquez is nobody to escape from.
Saturday night, Marquez and Barrera meet for the WBC super featherweight title in Las Vegas. In the buildup for this fight, Barrera talked about retirement. It’s something he should keep to himself and you have to wonder if he’s distracted somewhat.
He better not be because Marquez is one of the best counterpunchers in the game. Barrera has excellent technical skills yet, hasn’t forgotten his roots of brawling. Yet somehow, I doubt Barrera will brawl unless forced to. Barrera will have to box to stay away from a loss.
And this is why I like Marquez to win this fight.
Barrera has been involved in too many brutal events in the ring. Yes, he’s a better boxer on his worst day, but Saturday night, it’s all about Marquez.
“I have achieved all I wanted in the sport,” Barrera said. “I am a three-time world champion. It’s time I finished it by fighting. One or two more fights and then bye-bye.”
Barrera said he’s been thinking of retirement for the last three years. He’s fought everybody he’s needed to fight and probably more. Barrera fighting Marquez is a surprise somewhat because he should have left the game after beating Rocky Juarez last year.
“I can’t be the old Barrera,” he said alluding to his brawling style that earned him the respect of his countrymen and fellow fighters. “I’m 33-years old and I have to rely on my experience.”
In the last three years, Barrera defeated some impressive fighters, from Paulie Ayala, Erik Morales, even earning a split decision victory over Juarez, and there was the unanimous decision over the uninspiring Robbie Peden.
So now Barrera faces Marquez, who has fought his entire career searching for a big fight to make him a star. He, much like Barrera it seems, has been around forever. Maybe we get him confused with his brother, Rafael, who fights on the big stage now and then.
This time he gets his shot at Barrera and it could be at the right time.
“Now it’s my time,” Marquez said. “I want to keep rewriting history.”
Barrera’s history is set. Now all he has to do is block out this retirement talk and fight. If not, Marquez puts him in retirement.
HOLYFIELD’S MADNESS
On March 9, Evander Holyfield sent out a news release regarding his name surfacing about him receiving performance enhancing drugs.
“I have never taken an illegal or banned performance-enhancing drug of any kind,” the statement said. “The use of such substances runs counter to everything I believe about sports and my place in the athletic world. I am hopeful that the press will be as diligent about investigating the truth of my forthcoming statement and as vigorous in reporting the results as it was about covering the initial allegations.”
Well, the other day, Holyfield told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he took a prescribed drug for a hormonal deficiency but isn’t sure how it’s related to the Applied Pharmacy in Mobile, Ala.
Did state athletic commissions, namely Nevada, New York and Texas, know this?
Saturday night, in this circus that surrounds Holyfield’s career now, Vinny Maddalone takes on Holyfield in a heavyweight bout from Corpus Christi, Texas. Holyfield is expected to win, but let’s hope Maddalone earns a victory.
Holyfield is a Hall of Fame fighter whose career is tainted somewhat by these allegations of performance enhancing drugs.
We hope Holyfield can just leave the sport of boxing with his health and money in great shape.
