26.09.07 – By Matthew Hurley: Marco Antonio Barrera maintains that he will avenge his 2003 defeat to Manny Pacquiao when the two fighters meet up again on October 6th. “Manny Pacquiao has been a painful thorn in my side for four years,” Barrera recently commented. “He’s been on my mind constantly and all I’ve been able to think about is what I will do to him when we meet again.”
Barrera, who has always conducted himself in a gentlemanly manner, does often reveal himself when the chips are down. The hatred between he and archrival Erik Morales was palpable but indiscretions like punching Juan Manuel Marquez when he was down on the canvas shatter the illusion of the congenial pugilist. Barrera can get as down and dirty as any fighter in the business and the shadow of Pacquiao that has been hanging over his head since that humbling night in 2003 has clearly been gnawing at him..
“These past four years have been torture for me,” he says with a stony face. “Pacquiao has done everything to avoid me. Now that the contracts are signed I have done nothing but eat, sleep and dream of Manny Pacquiao.”
Obviously there is false bravado in Barrera’s statements because Pacquiao, like Barrera and the recently retired Morales never ducked anyone. Pacquiao has become not only the most exciting fighter in the sport but also a consensus choice for, at the very least, the number two pound-for-pound fighter in the sport behind Floyd Mayweather. However at this address Pacquiao resides at the very top of the heap. He’s proven too much and fought every tiger thrown in the ring with him. Should he beat Barrera again there will be little question as to who the best fighter in boxing is. If he should then go on to beat Juan Manuel Marquez in a rematch of their scintillating draw the “Pac Man” will have punched his ticket into Canastota and this voting member will send him in on the first ballot.
But first the Filipino tornado must get by a very motivated Marco Antonio Barrera. Rumors of a sparring session that supposedly left Barrera prone on the mat notwithstanding, the Mexican legend is at the very least talking a good game. Usually Barrera is a quiet man with a business like attitude that certainly mirrors his education. Rarely does he degenerate into a trash talker, unless of course Erik Morales is in front of him and then all bets are off. But for this fight, quite possibly his last, Barrera seems to have let everything get under his skin. Writers who have written him off in this fight, this one included, are faced with a withering stare. Whatever he has left Barrera is going to leave it in the ring on October 6th. It’s in his blood to go out on his shield.
“I am on a mission. I am consumed by this fight. I will finally get rid of this thorn in my side. This fight is about vengeance. This fight is about pride. This fight is personal.”
Whether or not Barrera can live up to his raging ego will come to pass in October, but one thing is for certain – he will not back down willingly. There may be a few bulls eyes left in the old gun slinger yet.