11.28.04 – By Umar ben-Ivan Lee: Most of the boxing world believed that Marco Antonio Barrera was a shot fighter after his eleven-round beating at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in San Antonio last year. Scoring big wins over Jesus Chavez and Carlos Hernandez this year it appeared that Erik Morales was on his way up as one of boxings pound for pound best and Barrera had seen better days.
For financial reasons, the third fight was signed, Oscar De La Hoya and Bob Arum saw the economic potential in a rubber-match between the two gladiators who both owned one victory respectively. Fight fans were eager to see the completion of this trilogy, the Mexican equivalent to Gatti-Ward with fighters of ten times the talent-level.
Erik Morales, from Tijuana Norte, is the favorite of the Mexican-American community which is largely Northern Mexican, indigenous, and from backgrounds of poverty. These fans view Barrera as a representative of the elite of Mexico City who are more affluent, ethnic-Spanish, and in control of most of the institutions of Mexican society.
These two fighters were aware of the cultural differences and their respective fan-bases going into their fights and this perhaps led to the bad-blood between the two and the viciousness of the trilogy and the bad-blood that existed between the fights.
The first two fights were classics; Morales won the first contest although most felt he lost, and Barrera won the second be decision while most thought that he lost. The word on the street was that this would be less action-packed given the age of Barrera and the toll the first two fights had taken on both fighters.
Very soon after the bell rang in the third-contest we learned that the experts had been wrong. This was going to be a war and Barrera had come in prepared with both guns fully loaded. During the first six-rounds Barrera launched a ferocious assault upon Morales that left him with a bloodied nose and swollen eye.
Coming alive in the second half of the fight Morales would make the decision close, but in the end it was too little too late , and Barrera will go down in the history of boxing as the better fighter after capturing the best two out of three.
Morales who continuously looked down on Barrera thru ought their fights now must be humbled by the greatness of Barrera. This may take some time, because after the fight Morales refused to shake the hand of Barrera and threw water on his opponent’s father. Despite his contempt let history record that the man from Mexico City prevailed over the man from Tijuana Norte.
It should also be recognized that the careers of both fighters are far from over. Barrera and Golden Boy Promotions will be sure to cash in on this victory with a possible rematch with Manny Pacquiao or a bout with fellow Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez. Golden Boy is now in a strong position as it can milk Barrera in the division, while waiting on Mike Anchodo to be ready for a title-shot and take over the division if everything goes well. Morales may be limited as to what he can do in the Junior Lightweight division, and given his size, he may wish to jump into the talented Lightweight-division and face the likes of Jose Luis Castillo, Joel Cassamayor, Acelino Freitas or Diego Corrales.
Umar ben-Ivan Lee may be contacted at keepslugging@hotmail.com