The Great Marco Antonio Barrera - when was his prime?

[Spicoli]

Multi quote can seriously leave a guys head spinning. Barrera like many older and traveled fighters made adjustments to his style as he aged. Not by choice but by necessity to remain competitive and extend his longevity on a championship level. Is a prime when a guy can soak it up and walk forward or when a guy realizes he cannot...should not and is smart enough to make adjustments? He was a faster stronger fighter in his youth but also less known... much more popular & smarter later. Dont we all think we are? Cook,Salazar,Sanchez,McKinney gave young Barrera some tough times and landed serious shots. Agree with above Barrera faced credible & diverse guys coming up and to dismiss that is overkill. Jimenez,Toledo,Salud,Benavides on the end,Magana we're all good boxers. Personally I think McKinney had much better right hand than Jones and a more assertive younger Barrera soaked them up.

Are you saying Barrera was past his prime when Jones sparked him?

Talk about late..slept on that,my bad. Id say no but much closer to 'prime' vs Jones than when he scolded Hamed. Still amazes me that Barrera could not get to Jones with power who I dont think hit a sharp with right nor soaked up punsihment like McKinney could. He def changed tactics in 2nd with Jones and had him taking it.

[Fenster]

Multi quote can seriously leave a guys head spinning. Barrera like many older and traveled fighters made adjustments to his style as he aged. Not by choice but by necessity to remain competitive and extend his longevity on a championship level. Is a prime when a guy can soak it up and walk forward or when a guy realizes he cannot...should not and is smart enough to make adjustments? He was a faster stronger fighter in his youth but also less known... much more popular & smarter later. Dont we all think we are? Cook,Salazar,Sanchez,McKinney gave young Barrera some tough times and landed serious shots. Agree with above Barrera faced credible & diverse guys coming up and to dismiss that is overkill. Jimenez,Toledo,Salud,Benavides on the end,Magana we're all good boxers. Personally I think McKinney had much better right hand than Jones and a more assertive younger Barrera soaked them up.

Are you saying Barrera was past his prime when Jones sparked him?

Talk about late..slept on that,my bad. Id say no but much closer to 'prime' vs Jones than when he scolded Hamed. Still amazes me that Barrera could not get to Jones with power who I dont think hit a sharp with right nor soaked up punsihment like McKinney could. He def changed tactics in 2nd with Jones and had him taking it.

I watched Barrera-Jones 2 (in full for the first time) during this debate and thought Barrera won that fight. He was very unlucky the judges saw it for Poison. I think Barrera struggles when fighters can match/better his speed - Jones, Pac.

What I found most interesting though was Barrera showed the "counter punching" style he would later almost permanently adopt. He definitely improved as fighter - IMO.