Marco Antonio ''The baby faced assasin '' Barrera shows up: ------takes ''El Terrible'' Morales WBC 130 title in third fiery dance.
Top Rank / Golden Boy Promotions / HBO Pay-Per-View results from the MGM Grand Arena 11-27-04.
By German Villasenor @ ringside.- All photo: German Villasenor.
In the main event, Marco Antonio Barrera (58-4, 41 ko's) faced the defending WBC Super-Featherweight champion Erik Morales (47-1, 34 ko's) for the third time, having split the first two in controversial decisions.
To our furtune, the old version of Barrera made more appearances in this third go around, mixing some counterpunching in spots to outbox, outbrawl and take away Morales 130 WBC belt via a 12 round 114-14, 115-114 and 115-113 majority decision.
Barrera, who looked much ''thicker'' than Morales, and who did not look as ripped as in the previous day weigh-in, nonetheless showed in this, his first fight in the weight class, that he was in supreme shape, and that he would need as Morales can take it and dish out as best as anyone in the sport. Barrera started fast, usinga fast jab and right hands to offset the cracking uppercuts coming his way by Morales, When in close, Barrera did not shy away from clutching and often hitting each other while in close. By the end of the fifth round, it looked as if Morales still did not find his rythm and sported bruised eyes and a bloody nose while Barrera showed some small scratches from the furious action between the fighters.
Reminicent of their legendary first bout, in exchanges, Morales was sent back against the ropes where a fire-fight ensued as he sought to fight his way off the ropes, Barrera would stand his ground when in a fire-fight, something which obviously influenced the judges at hand.
At the end of some of the later rounds, both fighters would clock each other after the bell drawing the attention of Kenny Bayless who was the third man in the right.
A very close fight coming into the championship rounds where split between the Mexican gladiators who banged away to the final bell.
Suspense filled the air, as after the announcer Michael Buffer announced the third score card, ''and''..
NEW resonated-superfeather weight champion alll the Morales supporters booed heavily, that a bigger chunk of the over eleven thousand fans in attendance.
Barrera thanked his team, his promoter Golden Boy Promotions and did not announced wether he would stay at the weight or go down to the featherweight ranks as stated before the bout, win or lose.
Barrera did say that he would gladly fight Morales one more time, but his immediate plans would be decided after a vacation and several deserved meals for the now also three time mexican world champion in three divisions.
An angry Barrera chastised Morales who threw water in his father face in the ring, to which Morales said he did so, after claims of Barrera's father cussing the proud Tijuana fighter in the ring.
Morales on his part, told the media at hand that he felt he won the bout, and did not feel quite right in the bout until after the fifth round for some reason, at which point he started to press the issue. ''El Terrible'' stated he would be back in the hunt for bigger and better things down the line.
Marquez stops Pastrana in rematch.
The
IBF and consensus world Bantamweight king Rafael Marquez (33-3,
30ko's) took on the wily ex-champion Mauricio Pastrana (31-5-1,
21 ko's) in a rematch of their late 2003 meeting at the Staples Center
in Los Angeles CA.
The valiant Pastrana chose to try and match power punch to power punch, something which left his face lacerated and swollen due to the heavy leather landing in return. After a particularly vicious exchange in the eight round, the fight is called off in Pastrana's corner as the bruised fighter can no longer continue.
Larios defends 122 title for eight time.
The
WBC Super-Bantamweight kingpin Oscar “Chololo” Larios
(54-3-1, 35 KOs) faced off vs the WBC's #1 mandatory, Nedal “Skinny”
Hussein (35-2, 21 KOs) whose first loss was to the ''Pacman'' Manny
Pacquiao.
The Guadalajaran Larios came out gunning in the fight, but soon settled for for a high work rate boxing match taking a lop sided 118-110, 119-109 and 120-108 unanimous decision
Hussein showed power when landing, but what looked to be a lack of consistency, poor footwork and virtually no head, nor waist movemnt was made to order for Larios whose workrate easily took round after round.
''Hussein was very strong and hit very hard, so I had to win the fight smartly'' stated Larios in the post presser. ''Iwant Pacquiao next'' added the reigning champion.
Calderon puts on boxing clinic; toys with Fajardo in title fight.
The
WBO Mini-flyweight champion, the southpaw Ivan Calderon (21-0,
4ko's) retained his title by outfoxing Carlos Fajardo (12-5-1,
8 ko's) over the distance.
The wily southpaw Puerto Rican champion, probably the purest boxer in the sport easily outlanded his opponent with 6 to 1 shots, as Calderon often left his challenger missing wildly by moving away, blocking shot with his shoulder as he fired sharp shooting combinations which, while did not hurt his opponent were rattling-scoring shots.
Fajardo lost a point in the eleventh round due to a low blow.
Scores: 120-107,118-109 and 119-108
In other results, the ''Ghost'' Kelly Pavlik (23-0, 20 ko's) defeated Ross ''The boss'' Thompson (12-5-1, 8 ko's) in an eight round Supermiddle weight bout.
The red-hot Lightweight Almazbek Raymkulov AKA ''Kid Diamond'' (19-0, 11 ko's) stopped the one time world lightweight title challenger Lamar Murphy (29-10-1, 20 ko's) with a spectacular combination off the ropes in the fifth round.
The cruiserweight Gyorgy Hidvegi advanced to (4-0, 3ko's) by stopping Salah Zabian (5-5, 4 ko's) at 1:07 of the fourth round in a scheduled six rounder.
2003 boxingladiators.com