By Johnny Ortiz

Following on the heels of another historic matchup of Mexican idols, the fight between champions, Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez, (Rafael is the brother of challenger, Juan Manuel Marquez), both Marco Antonio (63 W, 4 L, W/ 42 KO’s), and Juan Manuel (46 W, 3 L, 1 D W/35 KO’s) will have their jobs cut out for them if they are to provide the same excitement created by the aforementioned. 

“Fearless,” the promotional name of the WBC Super Featherweight title fight seems quite appropriate due to the fact that both Mexican champions have huge fighting hearts that they carry into the ring whenever they do battle, giving and expecting no quarter.   I feel the same way about this fight that I did when I wrote about Vasquez-Marquez, it will be a hard-fought, tactical fight that every fight fan should kick back, pop a few, and enjoy with their friends.  If I had to make a pick I would lean toward Marco Antonio, we became friends when I was doing my radio boxing show, I am proud to say that he was a quest on several occasions and always came across as a humble and proud champion. 

As champion, he has fought at the super featherweight limit five times while Juan Manuel will be moving up four pounds and testing the waters for the first time.  The weight should not have any bearing on the outcome, both are champions; they behave as champions and they fight as champions. 

Marco Antonio was quoted as saying during the media conference at the El Paseo Inn on Olvera St. in downtown LA before going to Las Vegas later in the afternoon, that his fight plan was to go toe to toe with Marquez and that he was ready to do it from the first round until the end of the twelfth round.

In a fight he expects to be competitive, he wants fight fans to expect to see the all-action Barrera from the past, not the ring technician they saw in his last fight with Rocky Juarez.  Marco, showing class respect for his opponent, also added that as a fighter, he is a big fan of Marquez, that he especially liked the size of his heart in his fight with Manny Pacquiao.  “Juan Manuel showed us in that fight what a Mexican fighter is made of, getting knocked down three times in the first round only to get back up each time and get right back into the fight at hand.” 

I must admit that I was astonished myself to see Juan Manuel pull off such a feat against the hard-punching Pacquiao.  I not only thought Marquez showed an extreme amount of bravado, but I thought he clearly did enough to win the fight.  Manny Pacquiao was lucky to come out of their fight with a draw. 

Mentioning Pacquiao, I read when he was asked as to who he thought would be the victor on Saturday night, he believed Barrera has the edge and had this to say:  “Marquez should put pressure on Barrera from the start, Barrera is one of the best ring technicians in boxing, in order for Marquez to win the fight, he needs to turn it into a brawl.”   By saying that Juan Manuel is a very good fighter of the top level, Marco Antonio has again voiced fistic respect for Marquez, the feeling is very mutual on the part of Juan Manuel. 

He thoroughly respects Marco Antonio both as a fighter and a man.  In the unfamiliar role of challenger, Juan Manuel was quoted as saying:  “There are no easy fights, you have to take every fight seriously, I think Barrera is not thinking about losing, but neither am I, I am very happy and I’d like to thank Barrera for taking the fight and making it happen.”  On Saturday night, you will have two exceptionally, great Mexican champions who will be leaving their admiration for one another outside the ring while adjusting to their fight mentality and ring plan once inside of it. 

I look for a tremendous fight between two genuine Mexican idols, two champions who each want to return to their beloved Mexico with the WBC Super Featherweight belt strapped around their waist.  There is really nothing like pitting two Mexican ring legends against one another, it is something in their enormous pride of country that makes them fight just a little bit harder, willing to go that extra mile, giving fight fans the kind of fight they all crave. 

Both Marco Antonio and Juan Manuel have said in their interviews that they feel it an honor to give the public a fight of this nature.

Marco Antonio in saying that he intends to be overly aggressive in going toe to toe for the full twelve rounds if need be, had better be on his toes defensively when he carries out his fight plan, Juan Manuel is one of the best counter punchers in boxing, it’s one of the things I have always liked about him. 

If he is on his game, he could catch an over aggressive Marco Antonio making a mistake.  They are both good punchers, as their records will attest.

I read somewhere that some boxing experts have been inclined to say that this is the greatest fight ever for Mexico, I agree that it has all of the ingredients to become a ring classic, but before we bestow the mantle of the very best, lest we forget, how about: Carlos Zarate vs. Alfonso Zamora, Reuben Olivares vs. Chucho Castillo, Lupe Pintor vs. Carlos Zarate, Rafael Herrera vs. Rodolfo Martinez, Rafael Herrera vs. Rueben Olivares, Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Erik Morales, and most recently, Israel Vasquez vs. Rafael Marquez?  There are a few more I could add, but I think you get the picture. 

I am sure the Barrera-Marquez will go down as one of the greatest, how can it miss, but the best?  It will have a lot of great fights to live up to, I saw them all, and I would not want to pick a winner.  One thing I do know for sure is that every fight fan is going to be in for a real treat Saturday night; this kind of fight does not come around very often.  “The Baby Faced Assassin” vs. “Dinamita”…may the best hombre win!”…Viva Mexico!!!!”

The fight will be presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Romanza Boxing

It will be telecast on HBO PPV at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

JOHNNY ORTIZ IS A MEMBER OF THE WORLD BOXING HALL OF FAME BOARD OF DIRECTORS, and A FORMER CO-OWNER OF THE LEGENDARY, WORLD FAMOUS MAIN ST.