16.11.03 – By Ben Yap: In a very exciting boxing match, Manny Pacquiao the reigning IBF Super Bantamweight Champion from Santos City, Philippines knocked out Marco Antonio Barrera, the Featherweight Champion with a terrific display of punching power. The fight took place in San Antonio, Texas.
Round One: Both fighters boxed cautiously until Pac was knocked down by Barrera. Pac claimed he was not hurt and indeed in the replay you could see that it was in fact a slip.
Round two: Pac began landing good combinations to the head and body which would typify the entire fight, with Pac being the busier fighter. Midway through the round,Pac begain to score well and started raining shots through Barrera’s porous defense.
Round three: Pac landed a big left hand and Barrera went down. Pac then attacked Barrera with great combinations, and Barrera came back with fire power of his own. This round was a true classic, it was indeed a boxing war. Pac finally backed Barrera to the ropes and landed combinations to the head and to the body. Barrera looked hopelessly confused out there, and had no answers to the speed of Pac.
Round four: Barrera was composed again and jabbing. Pac missed a body shot. Finally Pac attacked and again had Barrera on the ropes. Barrera continued to show good heart and fought back. The fourth round I scored even.
Round five: A left hook by Pac started the round. Pac attacked Barrera’s body. He was out hustling Barrera on the inside and Barrera did not know how to respond to the swarming style of Pac. Barrera ended the round with a good combination however.
Round six: Pac started the first round again by landed a big straight left. Barrera however fought. Pac was not letting up and fought back with tremendous heart, finally Barrera is knocked down by a left hook. He was able to get up but took more punishment as Pac finished the round strongly with combinations.
Round seven: Barrera landed 2 good right hands to begin this round. Pac came back and took the fight to the ropes where he attacked Barrera with combinations. Barrera complained of a head butt so the referee asked Barrera’s corner if they would let him continue. So the fight continued. Pac attacks Barrera, Barrera continued to fight back. This round had very good action as well.
Round eight: Barrera was still not ready to give up despite the fact that Pac was beating him. Pac again swarmed Barrera with fast combinations, and helplessly Barrera held on.
Round nine: Pac looked a bit tired as Barrera attacked. Finally Pac attacked and Barrera held. Barrera landed a right hand on Pac as the referee was breaking them up from a hold. The shot did not faze Pac and the referee took some points away from Barrera.
Round ten: A big left by Pac and Barrera was holding once more. At this point in the fight, Barrera begain to suffer a brutal beating. He no longer was fighting a compitive fight, as he was just standing in and getting punched silly by Pac. Barrera was now on his toes boxing and moving. He was making Pac miss, but he was getting clocked too many times.
Round eleven: Pac started out by immediately attacking Barrera with such viciousness that it was obvious he smelled blood and wanted to end the fight in this round. The action started with a good one-two combination by Pac, such combinations that he had landed many times throughout this exciting fight. Barrera, badly shaken, gallantly continued to attempt to weakly fight back. Barrera boxed on his toes whilst Pac continued to press the action. Pac then unleashed a flurry of punches and Barrera went down again onto his knees. Barrera got back up, but Pac pinned him against the ropes and unleashed a torrential storm of combination punches which led his corner to throw in the towel at 2:56 minutes of the 11th round.