[Boxing] Marquez defeats Barrera

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 03.26.2007

All-action fight goes the distance

Last Saturday night, Marco Antonio Barrera defended his WBC Super Featherweight title (130lbs) against former WBO Featherweight Champion, Juan Manuel Marquez. The two produced an action packed yet tactical warfare on each other that left their fans wanting more. In the earlier rounds it was Marco Antonio Barrera that controlled the fight with his jab and ring generalship. He was able to slip and roll through Marquez' punches and it seemed that Barrera was in control of the fight. In round 7, Marquez hurt Barrera with a straight right hand that buckled his knees and momentarily stunned him. It was a right hand that Marquez had begun to land with more frequency and he had Barrera along the ropes looking for the knockout. Then towards the end of the round, one of the most controversial and moronic calls by a referee saw Barrera catch Marquez with a right hand that dropped him to the canvas (both gloves touched the canvas), but as referee Jeff Nady did not signal an official knockdown, Barrera his Marquez cleanly once again to the side of the head. This prompted Nady to take a point away from Barrera for hitting Marquez while he was down (which can be done as it is a foul), but then inexplicably calling the obvious (and proved by replay) knockdown a no-knockdown. This 3 point swing caused a huge discrepancy in the score cards later on.

As the fight continued, both men fought toe-to-toe and never let up. Marquez, whom is known as a late-starter, poured it on late in the fight to even out the fight. In the end, Marquez was awarded a unanimous decision and the 130lbs title by scores of 118-109, 116-111 and 116-111. The real story however is that instant replay, which is now being used by the state of New Jersey, should definitely be given a chance throughout the country as it would have clearly shown that the knockdown was legit and could've changed the complexion of the scorecards and ultimately the winner.