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Re: Pacquiao vs Marquez II
LINK >>> http://maxboxing.com/mcdonnell/mcdonnell111103.asp
Barrera Vs. PacMan
by James McDonnell (November 11, 2003)
Saturday’s match up between featherweight king Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao is something of a festive treat as we approach the birth of the wee baby Jesus.
True warriors from two different weight divisions match up in what many expect to be an explosive fight, whoever wins.
For me, though this isn’t a no-brainer, I am a surprised by the number of people picking Pacquiao to win, most of them by knockout. There are many reasons why I don’t think Pacquiao can beat, let alone knock out, Barrera.
Barrera has never been knocked cold by anyone. Back in the bad old days, before he improved his technique, Barrera was bamboozled and battered by a supposedly shot Junior Jones. ‘Poison’ defeated Barrera back to back in fights, which exposed Barrera as a Mexican toughnut with plenty of desire and power, but not yet enough finesse.
Since then Barrera has gradually refined his technique apotheosis of which was the transformation into a classy counter puncher against Naseem Hamed in 2001. That fight more than any other is the reason that I cannot see Pacquiao punishing Barrera with his rugged style.
Now Pacquiao is technically a more proficient puncher than Hamed showed on that night, and the Filipino bomber fights with more consistent pressure, but in no way is he more powerful than the Prince. He does, however, turn his shots beautifully, and although he sometimes looks a little wild, this is deceptive, and he has fast hands for a banger, not to mention a punishing jab.
But does Pacquiao bring anything to the table that Barrera cannot deal with? In my opinion, no. Barrera has shown since the Jones fight, and more especially since the Hamed fight, that he can box at range when called for, and brawl on the inside and let his hands go when required.
The one fighter who has given Barrera more trouble than any other is Eric Morales, but Morales is a tall, long armed boxer-puncher, and as time progresses, Morales’ skills look better and better.
Pacquiao’s only chance to win, would appear to be to overwhelm Barrera, and swarm him with his power-punching style, but as the smaller man at 5foot-6 (with a 67-reach), to Barrera’s 5-foot-7 (with a 70- reach) he can only win from the outside, or by timing Barrera.
I simply cannot see him being able to counterpunch Barrera, whose timing and innate sense of range with his shots is close to perfection these days. In order to have success then, Manny needs to get inside of the jab of Barrera and work him to the body and switch his attack upstairs. The trouble with this is that Barrera has some of the best straight shots in the game, Manny will be walking right into the line of fire against a man who loves to let his hands go, and who is a great combination puncher.
Though Manny has possibly the greater single punch firepower, he will be taking heavy punishment to deliver those shots, as Barrera boxes adroitly off the back foot.
Manny has been stopped, too. His chin, unlike Barrera’s has been exposed earlier in his career, and by far less accomplished punchers than Marco. In this department, if it turns into a brawl, Barrera as the bigger man, with the better chin, tighter defense, faster hands, and better footwork, is surely going to be the one dishing out the punishment. If Barrera finds himself on the receiving end and opens up, he has the tools to take Manny apart.
I think that Manny would do well against anyone else campaigning at featherweight, but against Barrera, he’s in with by far the most complete man in the division, and whatever way the fight pans out, he loses. He has a puncher’s chance of course, every puncher does, but against a man like Barrera, that’s a chance slimmer than a snake’s hipsters.
Another huge factor in Barrera’s favour is his big fight experience, not to mention his extensive career. Barrera has been fighting professionally, like Manuel Medina, since 15 years of age, and has been campaigning at the top level since 1995, when he won his first title at super bantamweight. He is a veteran of 20 title fights, and has experienced victory and defeat at the highest level of the sport.
Manny, by comparison, has never faced anyone of Barrera’s class, although he has beaten some good fighters along the way, none of them were future hall of famer certainties like Marco. As the two men enter the ring, it is likely to be Manny who feels the pinch of self doubt, if anyone.
Barrera either boxes Manny’s ears of for a one-sided unanimous decision, or he breaks him down, and then takes him down, inside of eight rounds.
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PacHaters like this guy will swallow all his words.
Pacquiao by KO.
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Originally Posted by GAME
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