Three fights, all of them going the distance, all of them taking place in Las Vegas. And each of them reaches a quite brutal level of violence. We are talking about the 122, 126, and 130-pound wars that vicious Mexican enemies Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales engaged in, from 2000 to 2004. It was 20 years ago today when Barrera and Morales faced each other in the hugely demanded rubber match. Once again, the action did not disappoint.
Fight one, which took place at 122 pounds, was perhaps the most savage, unrelenting war of the series. Morales won via disputed decision; the fight instantly elevated to all-time great status. The rematch simply had to happen. And so it did, the following June, up at 126 pounds. This time, in what could be referred to as the most civilized fight between the two, Barrera boxed smart. He won the decision, and Barrera was perhaps most pleased that his face was “clean” after the 12 rounds.
The third fight might have been the best in terms of skill, heart, ferociousness, and passion.
The two Mexican warriors who had experienced wholly different formative years, hence their very real dislike, even disdain for one another, met at 130 pounds. And this time we might just have witnessed one of the truly greatest fights of all-time. As special, as shockingly thrilling as their first fight was, Barrera and Morales perhaps gave us their best stuff in the deciding battle.
Dubbed ‘Once and For All,’ the third fight saw Barrera dish out a beating to Morales over the course of the opening half of the fight. Morales was beaten to the punch, he was made to look slow, and Barrera was inflicting damage. But as is the case in all great fights, the tide was to change. Morales came on strong in the second half of the fight, “El Terrible’s” right hand now landing on Barrera’s head. It was, all of a sudden, a close fight. And both men dug in accordingly, refusing to let victory slip away.
Rounds 11 and 12 might have to rank as some of the best rounds of boxing we have ever been treated to. These two modern legends dug into the fires of hell as they scorched each other with venomous shots to the head and body. It was electrifying. It was the sport of boxing at its very best. The toe-to-toe warfare was awesome to behold…..and then came the decision. Who had won the fight, the series?
The third war proved to be the closest of the trilogy, but Barrera edged things, just – the scores being 115-113 and 115-114 for “The Baby Faced Assassin,” the third judge scoring it dead-level at 114-114.
There would be no fourth fight (as there was, unfortunately, in the case of what might have been called the greatest all-Mexican trilogy, this between Rafael Marquez and Israel Vasquez), and Barrera was the king of the world.
20 years ago today, we just might have all born witness to one of the very best fights that ever took place.
Viva Mexico!
