06.06.08 – By Shaun Brown: Over the seventy fight career of Marco Antonio Barrera it’s not too difficult to pick out some memorable fights. His three wars with Erik Morales and his schooling of Naseem Hamed will live long in the memory, but in February 1996 he was involved in the first of his many classics with Kennedy Mckinney..
Barrera entered the fight as the WBO Super Bantamweight champion having successfully won it almost a year earlier from Daniel Jimenez, a former conqueror of Britain’s Duke Mckenzie.
This was the flagship of HBO’s Boxing After Dark series and the question being asked was how good was Barrera? No-one from HBO or those who were in the area that night could have dreamed how good the fight would prove to be.
Whilst the attention was all on the up and coming Mexican, former 1988 Olympic Gold medallist Mckinney was entering the ring as the former IBF Super-Bantamweight champion and at thirty-years old there was not going to be many more title shots on the horizon. This was his last chance saloon.
Prior to the fight things had become heated between the two, with Mckinney questioning the calibre of opponents and lashing out at the champion promising victory. Ugliness ensued when Barrera punched the challenger and bedlam broke out. The scene was set.
The Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California seated a partisan crowd in favour of Barrera. If Mckinney did have fans in there they certainly could not be heard over the chants of BA-RRE-RA!
From the opening bell it seemed like events at the press conference had stoked the fire of Barrera. He was eager to make a statement within the first minute of the fight landing some big right hands and although his style during the first three minutes was at times wild, he had certainly laid down his marker. Mckinney was trying to use his effective left jab but the marauding Barrera ensured it would be ineffective at the beginning.
The following three rounds saw Mckinney use his natural abilities to good affect. His jab began to work, his corner ordering him to double up on it and make Barrera fight on the back foot.
Mckinney would carry out the instruction to the frustration of Barrera. The Mexican wasn’t interested in a technical fight. He wanted to unload and get into a war. Barrera’s corner at the end of the fourth round told him bluntly “you’re getting jabbed to death”. He had to take the fight by the scruff of the neck as he did in the first.
As the fight wore on the pace was beginning to tell, particularly on Mckinney. Thirty-years old is no age, but fighting at such a small weight and with the ferocity of the opponent in front of you wearing you down it was he who showed early signs of wear and tear during the sixth. His corner must have been incensed when he seemed to ditch the sensible plan of boxing on the outside to infuriate Barrera. Mckinney wanted to trade punches and go toe-to-toe with Barrera. Both men had their successes during the fiery exchanges but as in Chavez v Taylor 1 the power of the Mexican seemed to be slowly breaking him down. A swollen and tired Mckinney trudged back to his stool at the halfway point knowing that this was only the beginning of the battle.
At the beginning of this fight it seemed likely to be a test of the veteran’s skill against the youngster’s will. It was becoming clear to see that the youngster’s will, hunger and power was beginning to overwhelm the veteran.
Ironically Mckinney got back to using his skills during the round where he got knocked down. It began when Barrera got backed up from a straight right but within a blink of an eye he came back with a right to the face and a left to the body that saw Mckinney go down with a minute remaining of the round. With the American now in trouble the Mexican sensed a stoppage. His pursuit was relentless and another knockdown came when Barrera landed another right. Would Mckinney survive the three knockdown rule?
By getting on his bike and pawing his jab he saw out the remaining seconds of the round. The macho tactic of getting too close and standing his ground was beginning to drastically backfire.
At the beginning of the ninth Barrera went looking for his weary opponent. Mckinney was trying to stay out of harm’s way, regain some composure and gather some momentum for himself but there was nowhere to hide. A vicious looking combination sent Mckinney down again, although it did seem like he was looking for a breather from Barrera’s onslaught. On his stool at the end of round nine the ring doctor came over to check on him. After an extended break Mckinney came out resorting back to the tactic that had served him so well earlier in the contest, fighting on the outside.
He displayed courage and a veteran’s resolve which showed even more when two big rights reminded Barrera he wasn’t going to go away just yet. Mckinney must have thought back to his fight with South African, Welcome Ncita when he was knocked down twice but still came back to win the IBF Super-Bantam title.
The 30-year-old proved his power had not relinquished either in the eleventh when a swinging right and a slightly off balance Barrera saw his glove touch the canvas. The argument from Barrera was that a slip had occurred but the punch had enough in it for an eight count, although a slip only seconds later did partially prove his argument. The thousands of Barrera supporters roared their man on disbelieving what was happening. Their hero had the fight won – it would surely not be lost now.
The referee, Pat Russell, seemed to get caught up in the moment during the final round when Mckinney obviously tripped but it was deemed a knockdown and when a body-breaking left hook which sent him to the canvas received no eight count. However, Barrera would not be denied and with youth eventually overcoming experience, a peach of a right sent Mckinney down for the final time in the fight. Afterwards the referee had even commented on the challenger’s heart and he was right to. Mckinney showed not only heart but skill, desire and a lot of courage. Not many men would have stood up to the attacks that was dished out to him that night.
Whilst Mckinney would defeat Junior Jones for another world title, a man that Barrera would lose to twice. It was Barrera who for the next twelve years would win titles at two different weights and spoil fans with fights that will live long in the memory.
However that Friday night in Inglewood will always be remembered as the fight that showed the world how good Marco Antonio Barrera was.