11.27.04 – By Wray Edwards: HBO’s unlisted replay of the first two fights between Mexico City’s Antonio Barrera and Tijuana’s Erik Morales was an invaluable prelude to tonight’s Mexican mayhem. Since both fighters are from the same country, there is no nationalistic or even ethnic dynamic in this final contest between the two great boxers. There are, however, two differences between them – one small and the other quite large. The often mentioned difference in social origins is incidental and insignificant.
The real difference to date, has been style. With Morales the long-range, outside boxer and Barrera the shorter range boxer on the edge of brawler, there is just enough of a difference to give great variety to their encounters. With the prospect that Barrera will again have more power and Morales will have more range, we can expect to see great efforts to compensate as in their previous two fights.
A brief review of the first two fights might be appropriate as an appetizer for tonight’s final feast.
I.
Their first fight (FEB. 2000), at Mandalay Bay, was for the WBC and WBO Bantamweight titles and was an absolute war. Both fighters slugged it out with each other on the very edge of disaster for twelve full rounds. Morales was given a marginal KD8 in the twelfth, but appeared to have gone down more from exhaustion than a punch, as the two roughed inside.
Both boxers were chopped up pretty good, with Antonio cut under the left eye and Erik bruised, battered looking, and swelling around the eyes. In terms of who got the most fearsome beatings from occasional combinations Morales clearly got the worst of it. This writer doesn’t often shout at the TV but those power combos by Barrera were classic and effective. As for general punch stats, and ring command, Morales may have kept an edge throughout.
Lampley went bonkers and everybody in the building saw the beginning if an historic rivalry. This first chapter between the two revealed how very interesting would be Antonio’s tactics to elude Erik’s reach, while adeptly working under it to deliver an effective body attack, balanced well with equally effective head shots as Morales retreated. Erik played off of these efforts by countering and scoring well, especially when Barrera missed and lost balance.
The judges issued a 114/113, 113/114, 115/112 split D in favor of Morales. To these eyes it seemed that Barrera had delivered more punishment and won a close decision. Whatever the outcome, it was a Boxing Match of two slightly differing styles which stands as a monument to the sport.
II
The second episode of this Latin bop opera was set in the confines of the MGM Grand in June of 2002 for the WBC Featherweight title. It could not possibly have been a more different contest. Perhaps remembering the pain and suffering of the first bout, Barrera came out on his toes and, for all intents and purposes, looked like he was trying to do a take-off of Morales’ long-range style. So, in a bit of a role reversal, the first half of the fight saw Erik chasing in on Barrera as he took occasional pot shots and generally backed up.
It was not until the sixth round that Antonio got flat-footed, leaned in, and began to deliver power and combinations reminiscent of the February 2000 melee. From that point on Morales was to experience a terrible beating of the face. His right eye was cut, bleeding and swelling shut. Having won five out of the first six Erik would have to survive Antonio’s realization that he might have waited too long to attack, and was in danger of doing too little too late.
Barrera also appeared to have been playing a game of letting Morales burn himself out, while waiting to crush him in the later rounds with his hoarded energies. Barrera again had Morales in really serious trouble two or three times, including one incident where Morales was virtually saved by the ropes. Erik, of course lost those rounds. Morales looked to have won two of the last six leaving him up over the completely unmarked, fresh-faced Barrera seven rounds to five.
As bad as Morales looked, this writer had him a close, but courageous and bloodied winner. In news reporting the rule is – “If it bleeds, it leads”. In boxing often the reverse is sometimes true. In this case classical scoring would have seemed to be in Erik’s favor. I was wrong again. Because of the raw action, subjective observations and closeness of these first two fights, very small differences in the minds of three humans determined the outcome. By 112/116, 113/115 and 113/115 Barrera was declared the WBC Featherweight champ only to vacate it almost immediately.
Of their first two, Antonio achieved the clearest victory by being awarded an unanimous decision. Recently though, Barrera’s record received a blemish caused by Philippine wild-man Manny Pacquiao in San Antonio. Both fighters were down and Antonio’s corner called a halt so Barrera would live to fight another day. Meanwhile, Morales has encountered and prevailed over some tough competition, as a Junior Lightweight, including Carlos Hernandez who was a much tougher test than Barrera faced in the person of Ayala, still at Featherweight.
With Barrera moving up to 130 pounds, this junior lightweight match up will, hopefully, produce a clear winner. Some feel that Morales has the better frame to take advantage of the extra five pounds of muscle, while Barrera’s optimum weight is 126. Considering the method of his victory over Erik, Barrera might conclude that his plan in the second fight was, and is, the way to go. Of course most boxing fans would prefer to see another tiger fight like the first one which had even hardened fight fans gasping in surprise.
The word hatred has been used between these two by many observers. To this reporter that has not seemed obvious. What we have here are two signature representatives of the Boxing World who demonstrate the essence of the sport. It is guys like this who have elevated the lower weight divisions to international prominence. Those who might be tempted to make faint praise of this by pointing out that it’s only because the Heavyweight Division does not have a current supermen, are mistaken.
The more fair-minded conclusion is that, though it has many problems, the Sport of Boxing is proving itself to be capable of evolving into a more broad-based enterprise. Gone soon, hopefully, will be the days of heavyweight chauvinism, isolated promoter monopolies, and corrupt sanctions. More than in any other sport, every match in Boxing is a set piece between two potential warriors who meet as individuals on a woven field of honor. No “team” dynamics prevail here, for the ministrations in the corners between rounds pale to insignificance when the bell rings. At that moment the hearts of two solitary men are tested to the limit.