Further reflections on Pacquiao/Barrera II

[ßringer]

Since I watched the fight live I'd had the opportunity to watch it two more times to get further impressions about what I witnessed.

First off I am deeply saddened that this will be remembered forever as Barrera's last fight. I'm also saddened that so many people have come out of the woodwork to take any opportunity they can to attempt to degrade Marco both personally and professionally.

I realize Barrera did not fight the fight any of us thought he was going to, it was neither a war nor a technical battle. But the majority of the critics are focusing solely on Barrera, and ignoring the fact that Pacquiao did not deliver the good either. Barrera was not the only fighter in that ring who failed to deliver any kind of excitement at all, Pacquiao also did.

So many of Pacquiao's supporters and members of his camp and the boxing press were banking on Pacquiao to knockout the legend Barrera early. He failed to do so in the same fashion that Marco failed to do anything he promised to do.

Coming into the fight Pacquiao fans were promised a brutal knockout for Manny, and Barrera fans were promised a stunning technical performance. Nobody got what they wanted in this fight.

Instead what we saw was Pacquiao's inability to catch Barrera with anything solid while chasing him around the ring all night, and Barrera's inability to let his hands go.

This fight was a bomb, pure and simple. The only positive thing to come out of it was that A.) I did not have to pay $50 to see it. and B.) I got to see one of my all time favorites in the ring one last time, even though it was about as entertaining as watching paint dry.

Criticism follows every fighter and there's certainly no shortage of critics on this message board. It's no secret I'm a Barrera fan and I was highly disappointed in Marco's behavior and fight plan on the night of the fight. Upon further reflection I do not feel disappointed anymore, but at peace with Barrera's legacy.

In this fight, both men won, and all of the fans lost. Manny Pacquiao won because he got another technical victory over a Mexican legend. Marco Antonio Barrera won because this fight was never about the technical victory for him, but rather the moral victory. "If I can just last 12 rounds, I will have proven all of the naysayers wrong." was his M.O. He even said it to Larry Merchant after the fight.

The fans lost because we didn't see anything, there was no fireworks, just one or two small sizzles as the curtain closed on another legendary boxing career.

I just wanted to point out that criticism goes both ways, and Pacquiao should be getting it as badly as Barrera is now. I wouldn't go as far as some on here, by calling a legend like Barrera a "*****". Keep in mind that he still had the balls at age 33 with eroded reflexes and power and having had a brain operation, to get in the ring with a guy as fierce as Pacquiao and use his wits just to survive.

But what does it say of Pacquiao as well? For a guy as highly regarded as he is in this sport, to not be able to KO an aging fighter whom he detonated 4 years ago, let alone land anything solid or even hurt Barrera?

Disgraceful fight on both fighter's parts. It takes two to tango, that's all I'm saying.

[$ LegenD $]

i bet u that when pac decides to call it a career HE WILL NOT go out like mab......

[ßringer]

i bet u that when pac decides to call it a career HE WILL NOT go out like mab......

Probably not but Pacquiao has also not suffered the beatings Barrera has nor had a brain operation. And if Pacquiao decided to go out like Barrera did I couldn't hold it against him. I can't punish a fighter who's given me as much as Barrera has for deciding to be smart and preserve his health. That would make me no different from a barbarian.

[Dynamite Kid]

Since I watched the fight live I'd had the opportunity to watch it two more times to get further impressions about what I witnessed.

First off I am deeply saddened that this will be remembered forever as Barrera's last fight. I'm also saddened that so many people have come out of the woodwork to take any opportunity they can to attempt to degrade Marco both personally and professionally.

I realize Barrera did not fight the fight any of us thought he was going to, it was neither a war nor a technical battle. But the majority of the critics are focusing solely on Barrera, and ignoring the fact that Pacquiao did not deliver the good either. Barrera was not the only fighter in that ring who failed to deliver any kind of excitement at all, Pacquiao also did.

So many of Pacquiao's supporters and members of his camp and the boxing press were banking on Pacquiao to knockout the legend Barrera early. He failed to do so in the same fashion that Marco failed to do anything he promised to do.

Coming into the fight Pacquiao fans were promised a brutal knockout for Manny, and Barrera fans were promised a stunning technical performance. Nobody got what they wanted in this fight.

Instead what we saw was Pacquiao's inability to catch Barrera with anything solid while chasing him around the ring all night, and Barrera's inability to let his hands go.

This fight was a bomb, pure and simple. The only positive thing to come out of it was that A.) I did not have to pay $50 to see it. and B.) I got to see one of my all time favorites in the ring one last time, even though it was about as entertaining as watching paint dry.

Criticism follows every fighter and there's certainly no shortage of critics on this message board. It's no secret I'm a Barrera fan and I was highly disappointed in Marco's behavior and fight plan on the night of the fight. Upon further reflection I do not feel disappointed anymore, but at peace with Barrera's legacy.

In this fight, both men won, and all of the fans lost. Manny Pacquiao won because he got another technical victory over a Mexican legend. Marco Antonio Barrera won because this fight was never about the technical victory for him, but rather the moral victory. "If I can just last 12 rounds, I will have proven all of the naysayers wrong." was his M.O. He even said it to Larry Merchant after the fight.

The fans lost because we didn't see anything, there was no fireworks, just one or two small sizzles as the curtain closed on another legendary boxing career.

I just wanted to point out that criticism goes both ways, and Pacquiao should be getting it as badly as Barrera is now. I wouldn't go as far as some on here, by calling a legend like Barrera a "*****". Keep in mind that he still had the balls at age 33 with eroded reflexes and power and having had a brain operation, to get in the ring with a guy as fierce as Pacquiao and use his wits just to survive.

But what does it say of Pacquiao as well? For a guy as highly regarded as he is in this sport, to not be able to KO an aging fighter whom he detonated 4 years ago, let alone land anything solid or even hurt Barrera?

Disgraceful fight on both fighter's parts. It takes two to tango, that's all I'm saying.

great post MAB is one of my all time great fighter's and you have just summed up my feeling s about his legacy/career and this fight well done ,

[JaNnO]

Great post but I disagree with some of what you had to say.

It takes to to tango but if the partner is not willing to dance, there can never be a tango. In the same token, if a runner runs faster than you do, you won't ever catch him while he's running away from you.

I'd say not all fans lost like you said or wanted others to believe. In fact the true boxing fans were happy that Marco came out of the fight with his health intact. He seemed to be happy with the outcome and his fans should be happy for him. As for Manny, most of his true fans were satisfied that he has evolved as to be a more and mature fighter and proved he's got the ability to box whenever he needs to to win a fight.

[ßringer]

Great post but I disagree with some of what you had to say.

It takes to to tango but if the partner is not willing to dance, there can never be a tango. In the same token, if a runner runs faster than you do, you won't ever catch him while he's running away from you.

I'd say not all fans lost like you said or wanted others to believe. In fact the true boxing fans were happy that Marco came out of the fight with his health intact. He seemed to be happy with the outcome and his fans should be happy for him. As for Manny, most of his true fans were satisfied that he has evolved as to be a more and mature fighter and proved he's got the ability to box whenever he needs to to win a fight.

Barrera was not running all night, he was just fighting at angles. He was always on the right side of Pacquiao, Pacquiao didn't want to engage enough to score the KO. The same way Barrera didn't want to engage enough to give himself a chance to win.

I'm a true boxing fan and I'm happy Marco still has his health, I'm merely stating that everything this fight was billed as was not the case. It was neither a war nor a technical battle, and it disappointed almost everybody. As for Manny's boxing abilities, I'd hold off on that assumption until he rematches Marquez.

[THe TRiNiTY]

i bet u that when pac decides to call it a career HE WILL NOT go out like mab......

No, and he probably wont have the legacy Barrera has overall, either.

[joepal]

Since I watched the fight live I'd had the opportunity to watch it two more times to get further impressions about what I witnessed.

First off I am deeply saddened that this will be remembered forever as Barrera's last fight. I'm also saddened that so many people have come out of the woodwork to take any opportunity they can to attempt to degrade Marco both personally and professionally.

I realize Barrera did not fight the fight any of us thought he was going to, it was neither a war nor a technical battle. But the majority of the critics are focusing solely on Barrera, and ignoring the fact that Pacquiao did not deliver the good either. Barrera was not the only fighter in that ring who failed to deliver any kind of excitement at all, Pacquiao also did.

So many of Pacquiao's supporters and members of his camp and the boxing press were banking on Pacquiao to knockout the legend Barrera early. He failed to do so in the same fashion that Marco failed to do anything he promised to do.

Coming into the fight Pacquiao fans were promised a brutal knockout for Manny, and Barrera fans were promised a stunning technical performance. Nobody got what they wanted in this fight.

Instead what we saw was Pacquiao's inability to catch Barrera with anything solid while chasing him around the ring all night, and Barrera's inability to let his hands go.

This fight was a bomb, pure and simple. The only positive thing to come out of it was that A.) I did not have to pay $50 to see it. and B.) I got to see one of my all time favorites in the ring one last time, even though it was about as entertaining as watching paint dry.

Criticism follows every fighter and there's certainly no shortage of critics on this message board. It's no secret I'm a Barrera fan and I was highly disappointed in Marco's behavior and fight plan on the night of the fight. Upon further reflection I do not feel disappointed anymore, but at peace with Barrera's legacy.

In this fight, both men won, and all of the fans lost. Manny Pacquiao won because he got another technical victory over a Mexican legend. Marco Antonio Barrera won because this fight was never about the technical victory for him, but rather the moral victory. "If I can just last 12 rounds, I will have proven all of the naysayers wrong." was his M.O. He even said it to Larry Merchant after the fight.

The fans lost because we didn't see anything, there was no fireworks, just one or two small sizzles as the curtain closed on another legendary boxing career.

I just wanted to point out that criticism goes both ways, and Pacquiao should be getting it as badly as Barrera is now. I wouldn't go as far as some on here, by calling a legend like Barrera a "*****". Keep in mind that he still had the balls at age 33 with eroded reflexes and power and having had a brain operation, to get in the ring with a guy as fierce as Pacquiao and use his wits just to survive.

But what does it say of Pacquiao as well? For a guy as highly regarded as he is in this sport, to not be able to KO an aging fighter whom he detonated 4 years ago, let alone land anything solid or even hurt Barrera?

Disgraceful fight on both fighter's parts. It takes two to tango, that's all I'm saying.

Yet you will say that Floyd-Baldomir was beautiful. Stop the hating man.

FYI, Pac didnt promise a KO. And he DID hurt Barrera, that's why MAB hit him on the break, to destroy the momentum.

[ßringer]

Yet you will say that Floyd-Baldomir was beautiful. Stop the hating man.

FYI, Pac didnt promise a KO. And he DID hurt Barrera, that's why MAB hit him on the break, to destroy the momentum.

Where the hell did that come from, and why do you think I'm a Mayweather nuthugger? Obviously you've never read any of my posts on here and are making some sort of broad generalization, don't.

[joepal]

Where the hell did that come from, and why do you think I'm a Mayweather nuthugger? Obviously you've never read any of my posts on here and are making some sort of broad generalization, don't.

OK, for you to say that the rematch was boring you absolutely have to say that Floyd-Baldo fight was the stinker of the decade, simply because the rematch was a MILLION TIMES BETTER than Floyd-Baldo.

So is Floyd-Baldo the most abominable fight in history? If you say no, dont frigging complain about the rematch. You cant have it both ways, otherwise your credibility goes down the drain.