Hello bwoyo’s! Once again…tis on.

We got one hell of a fight in the making coming up this weekend and the makings of a great year.

This Saturday night (March 17th, 2007) in Las Vegas Nevada three title featherweight champion (that’s excluding the NABF, NABO, & USBA Featherweight straps that he also held) Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez (50 fights, 46 wins with 35 ko's, 3 losses, & 1 draw) takes another grandiose step as he once again steps into the ring to prove his greatness. The only problem is that he’s stepping hoping out of his weight class and stepping in against future Hall of Famer & fellow Mexican legend “the Baby Faced Assassin”.

Yep…we’re finally here folks. This could turn out to be one of the most exciting fights of the year. Marco Antonio Barrera (68 fights, 63 wins with 42 ko's, & 4 losses) once again proves why he is a shoe in for the rankings of Canastota, New York as he risks his record against one of the more dynamic fighters to come out of Mexico in years. Barrera himself has also garnered much praise and respect for being a champion of three weight classes…so the man is no slouch himself.

It’s really REALLY tuff to pick a favorite here due to the many varying factors of the match up.

Don’t try to front and say that you already know the outcome…because this one can change in any second of any round. Now…I gotta warn you all…while I respect ole’ Marco (Polo! Heh heh heh. Ahem…tip your waitress…I‘m here all night.) and think that he’s a great boxer, good for boxing, & blah blah blah…I aint rootin for the guy to win.

What can I say? I’m a J to M to the Is-M fan.

That being said…let’s get into what I have affectionately come to call…the Wackster’s Factors of the Fight.

Factors for and against Marco Antonio Barrera:

#1: Juan Manuel Marquez. This is an amazing match up…years in the making. Marquez himself being who he is will be one of the biggest factors of this fight. Marquez is an amazing technical boxer and he’s one hell of a counter puncher…it’s been years since Barrera has fought a fighter of his abilities. While Barrera is gifted, he’s easily pulled into unnecessary exchanges and fire fights that are more costly than beneficial. If Marquez comes in with a game plan instead of just trying to slap an exclamation on a statement by stopping Barrera…Marco will have a horrible night ahead of him. Marquez is just as capable of standing his ground in a war as he is in moving and shaking things up…I honestly believe that Marquez is Barrera’s match and that this is a bad fight for him to take. Now…all that being said…Marquez has already stated that he’s coming to knock Marco out…so…if that’s the case it equates to the edge being in Barrera’s favor.

#2: Age. While there’s still a lot of fight left in him…there’s no doubt that Barrera’s had some “war time” waged on him over the last few years. Going toe to toe and trading shots with Morales and Pacquiao takes it’s toll on you no matter who you are or how great you may be. Marquez is just the man to bring the war straight to Barrera…the question will be can he handle the abilities of Marquez.

#3: Power. Honestly…I see this being a factor in Barrera’s favor. Speaking of combatants, Barrera has stopped 42 soldiers in the field…dramatically if I do say so myself. While Barrera himself has been stopped…it’s been by one of the heaviest handed fighters of the featherweight game…the same very man that dropped Marquez three times during their encounter: Manny Pacquiao. That leads me to our next factor…


#4: Chin. Again…another factor that I see this being in Barrera’s favor. While Barrera has been stopped…it’s only been once in 68 matches. He’s gone toe to toe (as stated in Factor #2) with some show stoppers and he’s only been stopped one time. That speaks bounds for his chin. Huge factor. Huge.

#5: Experience. This is one that…well…I just don’t know about. Barrera’s got a mountain of experience compared to Marquez…but Marquez is a different type of fighter. I’ll leave this one open…but lean towards Marco just based on the fact that he’s seen pretty much everything out there…but he hasn’t seen Marquez…so I just can’t be secure with saying he’s got this one on his side.

Factors for and against Juan Manuel Marquez:

#1: Marco Antonio Barrera. He’s the biggest factor of all. While some think that Barrera is on the slide after his loss to Pacquiao & his questionable matches against Rocky Juarez back in 2006, I say that Barrera still has enough gas in his tank to make it a ruff night for my guy. Barrera has been in with some of the tuffest punchers from Super Fly to Super Feather. I gotta believe that he can take Marquez’s best. Edge to Barrera.

#2: Age. Although both men are the same age of 33 years old…Marquez is 33 years young compared to Barrera in Wacko’s opinion. Marquez’s style has always pushed him just out of harm’s way & his tactics have kept him from suffering some of the brutal battles that have defined Marco Antonio Barrera’s career…of course that is also one of the reasons that Marquez isn’t held in such high regard as Barrera. Like his style or not…he’s still less shop worn. Edge to Marquez.

#3: Power. Here again…this is a factor that I believe falls in Barrera’s corner. While Marquez does have power in both hands…he seems to do better when following a game plan instead of coming to the fight looking for a war. Barrera’s power will most likely shine over Marquez’s…so let’s just see how long my guy can hold out. I still say that if he goes into a trading match…he won’t like the outcome. Barrera’s power is underrated.

#4: Abilities. Truthfully…I see Marquez holding the advantages here. He’s slick and as I have already stated and as the man himself has already proven…he’s one hell of a counter puncher. If he stays sharp and uses the ring as he usually does…he’ll win this one down the stretch.

#5: Chin. Marquez has a damned fine chin. Pacquiao dropped him three times and Marquez got up off of the mat and took the fight to a draw. That speaks for itself…couple that with the fact that no man has ever stopped him…equal edge to Marquez. This could be a war of the chins. Heh heh heh.


Now…those are my factors…I‘m sure that you guys have others…maybe even points that hit the mark better than your loyal, loveable, drunken fight reporter…of sorts…all things aside…here‘s something that I want to toss out to ya‘s…read these two quotes & this should open the door for some free thinking and some seriously heated discussions.

"This is one of the most important fights of my career and I think I am going to knock out Barrera," said Juan Manuel Marquez. "Barrera has fought a lot, but I'm at the peak of my career and it is time for him (Barrera) to retire and for me to take the reign."

"Juan Manuel (Marquez) thinks he is going to knock me out, I'd like to see him try," said Barrera. "He (Marquez) is dreaming that he is going to win, but the difference will show that his dreams are not reality. Instead he should be training because I am going to shut his mouth with my punches not with words."

Nuff said babe.

These fwockers are coming to go to war.

So…as always…for those of you that are either to broke, willing to wait, or just to gotdam cheap to shell it out for Golden Boy’s PPV extravaganza…Wacko’s here for ya.

It’s time for us to break bread.

Head to the kitchen and break out the chips and salsa, toss the remote, pick your spot on the couch, plop down at your PC or just warm your lap with your laptop…but please, please, let’s not forget to pour up our poisons of choice…it’s fight night and the gloves are coming off.

Not really though…that was a bit overly dramatic.

As always…enjoy the matches and I hope you dig on the coverage. I’ll keep it as legible as I possibly drunkenly can.

Cheers…oh…and koneecheewah bitches.