Morales Wants To Do Away With Barrera 'Once And For All'
By Sean Stowell
(November 12, 2004) Photo © German Villasenor
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Since their last meeting in June 2002, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera have been on different paths. On November 27, those paths will cross for a third and final time.
In their first bout, Morales won a disputed decision, and Barrera won a similarly disputed second bout. Since that last matchup, Morales has gone 6-0, while Barrera has gone 2-1. Morales has an edge in the level of competition he has fought since that time as well, having taken on Paulie Ayala, Eddie Croft, Fernando Velardez, Guty Espadas, Jesus Chavez and Carlos Hernandez. He defeated Croft, Velardez, and Espadas by knockout.
Barrera on the other hand defeated Johnny Tapia by decision, and knocked out Kevin Kelley in the fourth. He then lost a disastrous fight to Manny Pacquiao before coming back and stopping Ayala in the 10th. Of course questions lingered about whether or not Barrera was shot. He answered that with his performance against Ayala, but whether or not he is the same Barrera we saw two times before against Morales is another question.
One of those people is Morales's father, Jose, who questioned the necessity to fight Barrera for a third time.
"He saw what we both have done since our last fight," Morales said during a recent media conference call. "I've fought and beat guys like Hernandez and Chavez and he gets knocked out by Pacquiao. My father didn't think it was a good time to fight him. He thought Barrera should fight better guys then fight me again, so it would be a bigger fight.
"I've always respected my father's position, but I've always chosen my own fights, and I will be there on November 27."
Morales (47-1, 34 KOs) said the reason he's fighting Barrera (58-4, 41 KOs) is plain and simple, "the people want to see it."
The people may want to see it, but Morales definitely wants a clear decision this time around. While the decisions in the first two fights were disputed, he'd like nothing more than a decisive victory over his tormentor from Mexico City. The bitterness between the two stems from their very different upbringings in Mexico. Barrera is from an affluent family where he was studying to be a lawyer before his boxing career took hold. Morales comes from the poor border town of Tijuana which sits just south of California. He was born in a building owned by his father which served as the family's home and as a boxing gym.
Before their second bout the fighters had a brief tussle during a press conference in which Morales called Barrera a slang term for a homosexual and Barrera called Morales an 'uneducated Indian.'
So with all the bad blood in the past, will the two ever become friends? Even Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier can be cordial to one another now.
"Being friends is overrated," Morales said. "I just don't even deal with that when it comes to him."
One thing he will have to deal with the criticism he is sure to face should he not win by dramatic KO ala Pacquiao.
"I'll be criticized if I don't KO him like Pacquiao and I will be criticized if it goes the distance," he said. "If I see an opportunity to knock him out, I'll go for it, and I'll be a lot happier if I am able to knock him out."
Also, there is the money factor. It is one of the bigger money fights for fighters fighting at 130 pounds. While financial terms were not disclosed, Top Rank vice president Todd DuBoef did say money was a huge factor in this rubber match.
"Economically both fighters have a lot to gain," he said. "The people have been asking for this. It's unfinished business."
They will be fighting for the WBC and IBF super featherweight titles held by Morales. Rumors are floating around that win or lose Barrera plans on going back down to 126, a plan that Morales says seems typical of his opponent.
"Some people don't like challenges," Morales said. "He's supposed to be smarter than me, so I don't know what he's doing."
Morales feels he will be much more productive at 130 pounds, as he is only focused on preparing for his opponent, not just making weight. He told the assembled media that he is stronger at this weight and he will be able to move more inside the ring.
"Fans will see an Erik they have never seen before," Morales said. "The people wanted to see this and I think we should get it all over with."
Morales-Barrera III will be shown on HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, November 27.
By Sean Stowell
(November 12, 2004) Photo © German Villasenor
Send this page to friend Give us your feedback
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since their last meeting in June 2002, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera have been on different paths. On November 27, those paths will cross for a third and final time.
In their first bout, Morales won a disputed decision, and Barrera won a similarly disputed second bout. Since that last matchup, Morales has gone 6-0, while Barrera has gone 2-1. Morales has an edge in the level of competition he has fought since that time as well, having taken on Paulie Ayala, Eddie Croft, Fernando Velardez, Guty Espadas, Jesus Chavez and Carlos Hernandez. He defeated Croft, Velardez, and Espadas by knockout.
Barrera on the other hand defeated Johnny Tapia by decision, and knocked out Kevin Kelley in the fourth. He then lost a disastrous fight to Manny Pacquiao before coming back and stopping Ayala in the 10th. Of course questions lingered about whether or not Barrera was shot. He answered that with his performance against Ayala, but whether or not he is the same Barrera we saw two times before against Morales is another question.
One of those people is Morales's father, Jose, who questioned the necessity to fight Barrera for a third time.
"He saw what we both have done since our last fight," Morales said during a recent media conference call. "I've fought and beat guys like Hernandez and Chavez and he gets knocked out by Pacquiao. My father didn't think it was a good time to fight him. He thought Barrera should fight better guys then fight me again, so it would be a bigger fight.
"I've always respected my father's position, but I've always chosen my own fights, and I will be there on November 27."
Morales (47-1, 34 KOs) said the reason he's fighting Barrera (58-4, 41 KOs) is plain and simple, "the people want to see it."
The people may want to see it, but Morales definitely wants a clear decision this time around. While the decisions in the first two fights were disputed, he'd like nothing more than a decisive victory over his tormentor from Mexico City. The bitterness between the two stems from their very different upbringings in Mexico. Barrera is from an affluent family where he was studying to be a lawyer before his boxing career took hold. Morales comes from the poor border town of Tijuana which sits just south of California. He was born in a building owned by his father which served as the family's home and as a boxing gym.
Before their second bout the fighters had a brief tussle during a press conference in which Morales called Barrera a slang term for a homosexual and Barrera called Morales an 'uneducated Indian.'
So with all the bad blood in the past, will the two ever become friends? Even Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier can be cordial to one another now.
"Being friends is overrated," Morales said. "I just don't even deal with that when it comes to him."
One thing he will have to deal with the criticism he is sure to face should he not win by dramatic KO ala Pacquiao.
"I'll be criticized if I don't KO him like Pacquiao and I will be criticized if it goes the distance," he said. "If I see an opportunity to knock him out, I'll go for it, and I'll be a lot happier if I am able to knock him out."
Also, there is the money factor. It is one of the bigger money fights for fighters fighting at 130 pounds. While financial terms were not disclosed, Top Rank vice president Todd DuBoef did say money was a huge factor in this rubber match.
"Economically both fighters have a lot to gain," he said. "The people have been asking for this. It's unfinished business."
They will be fighting for the WBC and IBF super featherweight titles held by Morales. Rumors are floating around that win or lose Barrera plans on going back down to 126, a plan that Morales says seems typical of his opponent.
"Some people don't like challenges," Morales said. "He's supposed to be smarter than me, so I don't know what he's doing."
Morales feels he will be much more productive at 130 pounds, as he is only focused on preparing for his opponent, not just making weight. He told the assembled media that he is stronger at this weight and he will be able to move more inside the ring.
"Fans will see an Erik they have never seen before," Morales said. "The people wanted to see this and I think we should get it all over with."
Morales-Barrera III will be shown on HBO Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, November 27.
