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This past Saturday the great Mexican fighter Marco Antonio Barrera had his hands full at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, barely edging southpaw slugger Rocky Juarez in defense of the WBC Super Featherweight title. Initially, the judges scored the bout a draw but then later it was announced that a mistake had been made in tabulating the figures and Barrera was declared the victor by a narrow margin.
Could this be the time for Barrera to say goodbye and sail off into the sunset? Without a doubt Rocky Juarez is a very good fighter and it’s no shame for a 32 year old Barrera, in his seventeenth year as a professional, to be pushed by such a young and hungry opponent. But, the fact that Juarez was making his initial foray into the super feather division, just two fights removed from a loss to high quality journeyman Humberto Soto at feather, and that in the eyes of many, deserved the win against Barrera….
The great “Baby Faced Assassin” has come back before from what looked to be end of the line performances. Ten years ago Barrera, at 43-0, ran into Junior Jones and lost twice in a row to “Poison”. Two and a half years ago the Mexico City legend was manhandled by Manny Pacquiao over eleven rounds but then reeled off four convincing wins over good opponents and winning the WBC and IBF titles in the process.
Barrera is scheduled to get back in the ring in November and with Manny Pacquiao as his WBC mandatory challenger, now may be a good time to either give Juarez a rematch and then call it quits or just pack it in now, leaving behind a 62-4 (42) mark and a hall of fame legacy.
