PLANET FOOTBALL, SPORT & MUSIC

Throb · Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:07 pm Marquez sees off Barrera in Vegas

From BBC Sport

Juan Manuel Marquez claimed the WBC super featherweight title with a unanimous decision over fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas.
Barrera put Marquez down in the seventh round with a stinging right, only for referee Jay Nady to signal it a slip.

And there was more controversy when the champion was then docked a point for landing a punch with Marquez still kneeling on the canvas.

Marquez recovered and fought hard to take a 116-111 116-111 118-109 verdict.

But three-weight world champion Barerra, 33, was furious with the outcome.

He said: "We fought like true Mexicans but I did the necessary things to win. They were bad judges. I won the fight and I don't know what happened."

Barrera, referring to his point deduction added: "I never connected with the punch because I knew he was down. He hit me four times below the belt and I never said anything."

The explosive fight ended with both men bleeding badly - Barrera from his left eye and Marquez from his right - and both raising their arms in victory.

Marquez, also 33, and an ex-WBA and IBF featherweight champion, admitted that they should meet again to settle the rivalry more conclusively.

"Barrera is a great champion," he said. "He deserves a rematch."

Gavin · Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:00 pm

It was a decent fight and the scorecards were a bit harsh on Barrera it was a closer fight than they had it IMO. However Barrera would have beaten Marquez clearly a few years ago and is sadly past his best. It would be better for him to retire than go for a rematch. I know the two are similar ages but in truth Barrera has been there and done it so many times and maybe Marquez just has that bit of hunger that Barrera has lost.

Shatners Bassoon · Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:12 pm

Not so sure about beating him a couple of years ago, as the fight with Paquiao showed, it depnds on how Barrera is before the fight and how he fights it.

Throb · Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:27 pm

Deffo bean in some wars, those fight with Morales were epics and he never shirked a fight either, fighting his best mate Jonny "La Vida Loca" in the ring. 69 pro fights he has had now.