Manny Pacquiao VS Marco Antonio Barrera
October 7th, 2007 by plankton22Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer - The Pacquiao Files
Writer: Francis Ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera opening ceremonies and introductions
Oct. 07, 2007 11:52:00
ROUND one of the highly anticipated rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Marco
Antonio Barrera, the main event of the Will to Win card, got underway at the
Mandalay Bay Hotel in
Las Vegas
.
Pop singer Kyla sang the Philippine National Anthem, one of three anthems sang
during pre-fight introductions. A Mexican recording artist and a
Las Vegas
entertainer belted out the anthems of
Mexico
and
United States
, respectively.
First to make his way into the ring after a montage of film highlights of
his previous bout and amid strains of a Mexican folk song was Barrera.
Pacquiao entered the arena next with a cut from his album as background
music, also preceded by video highlights of his previous bouts.
Popular ring announcer Michael Buffer introduced both fighters and uttered
his patented "Let’s Get Ready to Rumble" line before referee Tony
Meeks repeated his final instructions right before the opening bell sounded.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 1
Oct. 07, 2007 11:56:00
MANNY Pacquiao went inside Marco Antonio Barrera’s defense under the final
minute of the first round with a frenzy of combinations that however failed to
rock the Mexican icon.
But it was the highlight of the opening round that saw both fighters just
feeling each other out.
Barrera tried a few counter attacks that did not find their mark just yet.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 2
Oct. 07, 2007 12:00:00
MARCO Antonio Barrera showed perfect counter-punching in Round 2, tagging
Manny pacquiao with several jab-straight combinations to the head. Pacquiao
still was unable to find his range with Barrera utilizing the ring to stay out
of the way of the Filipino’s right jabs. Pacquiao still got a few combinations
in during the last 10 seconds in a mini brawl towards the end of the round.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 3
Oct. 07, 2007 12:04:00
Manny Pacquiao finally unleashes his pet left straight, finding its target
in Marco Antonio Barrera’s face in the middle of the round.
But Barrera, again flaunting counter-punching skills, managed to fire his
own signature right straight, forcing the Filipino to backpedal a little bit.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 4
Oct. 07, 2007 12:08:00
AFTER an idle minute at the start of the fourth round, both fighters started
mixing it up under the two-mintue mark in an exchange that got the crowd roaring.
Pacquiao finally started hitting with the right jab but Barrera still
managing to exhibit terrific counter-punching.
Barrera’s defensive game pland is also starting to unveil itself, with the
Mexican veering to Pacquiao’s right to stay away from the left straight, but
Pacquiao remedies the situation by launching his new weapon, a strong right jab
that found its mark.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 5
Oct. 07, 2007 12:12:00
BOTH fighters step up the heat and really start mixing it up.
Pacquiao scores early, sneaking in his pet left that snaps Barrera, but the
Mexican found his way back, managing to rock the Filipino with a vicious
uppercut.
Then the fight turns into a crowd-pleasing brawl as both fighters start to
hurt each other with furious combinations.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 6
Oct. 07, 2007 12:17:00
AFTER previous rounds that could have gone either way, Manny Pacquiao
finally put together a dominating round, unleashing powerful combinations in a
wild exchange that saw Marco Antonio Barrera leaning back into the ropes.
Barrera was actually the first to get a shot in, rocking Pacquiao with a
right counter-punch that seemed to hurt Pacquiao.
But Pacquiao came back hard and stung Barrera with a couple of left-right
combinations.
Pacquiao returned to his corner with his cornermen telling him to steady the
pacing of his breathing.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 7
Oct. 07, 2007 12:23:00
ACTION somehow tapers off, although Manny Pacquiao took control of the
seventh, mixing up combinations to the head with blows to Marco Antonio
Barrera’s right midsection.
Pacquiao’s corner told him to go for the right side more consistently going
into the eighth round.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 8
Oct. 07, 2007 12:24:00
Marco Antonio Barrera scored big in this round, unleashing a 1-2 combination
off a counter-attack after Manny Pacquiao left his face open.
Pacquiao tried to salvage the rounds with a right-left-right combination to
the head and, later in the right, a series of 1-2 combos that saw his pet left
hitting Barrera’s face.
But Barrera came back towards the end of the round.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 9
Oct. 07, 2007 12:28:00
MANNY Pacquiao had Marco Antonio Barrera against the ropes twice in this
round, but each time, the Mexican warrior wisely sidestepped a possible
barrage.
Pacquiao unleashed combinations here and there, putting the 1-2 out in an
effort to wear down Barrera, who seemed content to settle into
counter-punching.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 10
Oct. 07, 2007 12:32:00
MARCO Antonio Barrera applied pressure early but failed to sustain it,
allowing Manny Pacquiao to come back each time.
Pacquiao tries to cut the ring size by engaging the Mexican in a
closed-quarters type of brawl, but Barrera sidesteps the tactic, consistently
stepping out of the Pacman’s range.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 11
Oct. 07, 2007 12:37:00
MANNY Pacquiao cuts Marco Antonio Barrera under the right eye and pressures
Barrera, rocking the Mexican hard and almost knocking him out.
A wicked series of right-left combinations sends Barrera wobbly, and the
Mexican suddenly turns to a dirty trick, striking Pacquiao’s head while they
were being broken off a clinch by referee Tony Meeks.
A visibly hurt and wobbly Barrera is stripped of a point.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao-Barrera Round 12
Oct. 07, 2007 12:48:00
MANNY Pacquiao fought a controlled but aggressive 12th round, holding off
Marco Antonio Barrera’s last-ditch effort to turn the match around.
Pacquiao fought the 12th like he did the first, except that he no longer
left himself as open to Marco Antonio Barrera’s attack.
Barrera, sensing he needed a knockout, tried in vain to find an opening to
get it, but couldn’t get past Pacquiao’s jab.
Pacquiao continued to engage Barrera despite being comfortable ahead on
points, showing just how conditioned he was for this match. Barrera survived
the round and the match went to the scorecards.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao scores unanimous decision
Oct. 07, 2007 12:54:00
WITH the match going to the scorecards, Manny Pacquiao won a unanimous
decision over Marco Antonio Barrera in their Will to Win rematch at the
Mandalay
Bay
hotel in
Las Vegas
.
The judges scored the bout for Pacquiao overwhelmingly, with two of them
giving the Filipino a 118-109 edge and another handing Pacquiao a 115-112
victory.
This coverage saw it at 117-114 infavor of Pacquiao.
Posted by : francis ochoa
Pacquiao survives late foul punch, beats Barrera
Oct. 07, 2007 13:11:00
HE fought an aggressive but controlled match all throughout, nearly knocked
his opponent down and was on the receiving end of a foul punch in the 11th
round.
But through it all, Filipino ring hero Manny Pacquiao confirmed what
everybody knew all along. There was no way Marco Antonio Barrera was going to
beat him.
Pacquiao fashioned a clinical and overwhelmingly unanimous decision victory
over Barrera, holding onto the WBC international superfeatherweight belt and,
more important, retained his vise-like grip on his division by sending the
revered Mexican icon to retirement on a loss at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in
Las Vegas
.
Pacquiao actually almost floored Barrera in the 11th round, uncorking a
wicked flurry of punches that had the Mexican wobbling and clinching.
It was while referee Tony Meeks was breaking the clinch when Barrera struck
a foul punch, hitting Pacquiao in the head and dazing the Filipino for a moment.
Meeks sent both fighters to the corner and deducted a point off Barrera.
"Even before the fight, I knew he was going to box, that’s why I
prepared hard for that," Pacquiao told a television reporter after the
victory.
Two judges saw it 118-109 for Pacquiao, while one judge gave Pacquiao a
winning score of 115-112. This coverage scored it 117-114 for the Filipino.
A known slugger, Pacquiao showed great restraint against Barrera, who made
it clear that he would rather box than engage Pacquiao in a brawl.
Although the Filipino ring sensation tried to mix it up in close battle all
throughout the match, Pacquiao also showed he could box, staying on top in
every furious exchange.
Barrera tried to win it through the scorecards, patiently using his jabs and
the ring space to force the judges to decide the match, but he could not keep
up with Pacquiao’s combinations and the speed by which the Pacman threw them.
"I moved all the time with my jabs," Barrera said in a television
interview. "[But] he (Pacquiao) threw so many combinations."
Barrera said he was happy he managed to stay on his feet until the final
bell.
"I was disappointed with the result, but that’s sports," he said.
And then he announced that this was going to be his last fight.
"I am finished," he said.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, has one more name to get to cement a claim
nobody seems to be contesting anyway: That of being the best super
featherweight in the world.
Waiting on the wings is a possible rematch with reigning world champion Juan
Manuel Marquez, who fought Pacquiao to a controversial draw after getting
knocked down thrice in the first round.
Pacquiao has previously beaten Erik Morales twice and carved out wins
against Jorge Solis and Oscar Larios. Barrera and Larios were the only ones who
avoided getting knocked out by the Pacman.
Posted by : francis ochoa
