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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | May 2006 
Marco Antonio Barrera - Mexico's Greatest Ever Fighter!
 James Slater - eastsideboxing.com
| | Marco Antonio Barrera, of Mexico, wears a head band that reads 'No on HR-4437' prior to his WBC super featherweight world championship bout against Ricardo Juarez, Saturday night, May 20, 2006, in Los Angeles. HR-4437 is a controversial bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to strengthen enforcement of the immigration laws, to enhance border security, and for other purposes. (AP/Mark J. Terrill) |
Marco Antonio Barrera did it again on Saturday (May 20th). He gritted his teeth and fought in the trenches to pull out a very close, but by all means honest, victory over one of the best contenders out there in the super featherweight division. Marco's been doing this for years now. He has consistently fought the very best and, win, lose, or draw, he always gives his all.
Yes, the end may be approaching, but when the curtain does finally come down on the career of the man from Mexico City we will all quickly realise how much we are going to miss him. If indeed, the Rocky Juarez bout is to be the last win on Barrera's fine record then it would be an honourable note on which to be remembered. Marco fought through the pain - pain he had felt before in unbelievable wars with Erik Morales- and pounded out the win. The wars have certainly started to catch up with him though and he himself admits he is now in the stage of his career where he is paving the way to his retirement.
He is solidifying his legacy. As the greatest ever boxer to come out of Mexico? I believe so. He has managed to surpass his only other rival for such an accolade in "J.C Superstar" - Julio Cesar Chavez. High praise indeed, but when it comes to Marco Antonio Barrera it is warranted.
Let's take a look back at some of the many notable achievements this boxing legend has to his credit.
Marco turned pro back in 1989 at the tender age of fifteen. He proceeded to go undefeated in his first forty three bouts, capturing his very first title in 1992, in his seventeenth fight. Marco won the Mexican super flyweight title by beating Josefino Suarez on points over twelve rounds. This title would prove to be the first of many. He would progress to the WBO world super bantamweight title three years later with a good win over Daniel Jiminez, again on points, and by now he was receiving recognition in America- thanks in large part to him having boxed quite a few of his early bouts in The Great Western Forum in California.
Shortly after the win over Jiminez, Marco fought the first truly epic fight of his career. He met former Olympian Kennedy McKinney, again at the Forum, in February of 1996. A superb display of action packed boxing followed. Both men hit the canvas ( only the second ever time for Barrera- the first was in a bout with Agapito Sanchez the year before) before Barrera got the job done in the twelfth and last round with a badly beaten, but incredibly courageous McKinney being rescued by the referee. It was a fight that would be remembered by fight fans for a long time.
Marco carried on in his all-out aggressive style- to the delight of the fans- until he ran into "Poison" Junior Jones. Only nine months (yet in an amazing activity level, another four fights) on from the McKinney fight, Barrera was beaten for the first time. His defence neglecting style of fighting caught up with him and he was stopped in the fifth round of a stunning upset. Although officially the result was a disqualification win for Jones because of Marco's corner men entering the ring, the awesome punch power of the challenger was the real and undeniable reason. Marco was crushed by the loss. He was devastated.
Five months later he tried for revenge. This time a much closer fight ensued but for a second time the Brooklyn native prevailed - this time on points. It was clear that Junior Jones was Barrera's bogeyman. Marco just could not master his style. Some now mistakenly wrote Barrera off. There had been a prospective super fight in the works for Barrera to face new star Naseem Hamed. Such plans would have to wait- for now.
Marco regrouped and won his next seven fights. Before engaging in the first of a three fight series for which he will be best remembered for. Barrera would meet his Mexican rival Erik "El Terrible" Morales! Morales was the new Mexican star and he was undefeated. He was the favourite in the match-up with Barrera as most still vividly remembered the two losses to Jones that the man from Mexico City had suffered.
Tijuana's favourite son was expected to dispatch his rival countryman. What followed, in February of 2000, may well be the greatest fight ever held at super bantamweight. Marco fought with a kill or be killed attitude right from the start and fight fans and experts alike watched with their mouths agape as one of the most unforgettable and violent slugfests in the history of boxing took place before them. The momentum swung one way and then the other, with neither man willing to yield. It was breathtaking. Some said later that the fight was a super bantamweight version of Hagler v Hearns - but for twelve rounds! It was that good a fight. After twelve ferocious rounds the decision was awarded to Erik. Many disagreed- Marco had fought his heart out yet lost again. Officially. There would have to be a return fight, that much was obvious. But it would be some time before either man wanted to put themselves through such hell again. And who could blame them? |
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