By Carlos Irusta


RODRIGO BARRIOS, the WBO super featherweight champion, is waiting for his battle against number one contender, Janos Nagy, to take place at the Staples Center in California on May 20.


“When I was told about the postponement, I quit La Pampa, but not the training. I returned home. I miss my little daughter, I miss my wife, and I miss the school. I am studying. I want to learn about management in sports for the future. I am not the crazy guy the people think. I know all the time I am out of home is for my future and the future of my family. I know I must train hard, very hard. But I love, too, to go with my little daughter to school in the mornings”


Barrios is called “The Hyena” for his laughs, full of sound and happiness, He is a little serious now.


"Some days ago I felt blue… I remember last year, when my wife lost a baby in coming, he was a boy, you know? It was a very sad moment for me, but I kept training for Anchondo, because it was a world title fight. So, well... I won; I am the world champion. To be a world champion requires work, concentration and guts. I have guts. Nagy is a good boxer, but I will kayo him, because I will put pressure on him, I will be very fast for him, so I must defeat him, to fight at Los Angeles is very important for me, is to fight on USA again, a big market, big money."


Francisco Valcárcel, president of the WBO, told Barrios that Hamed is returning to the ring, so he wants to fight him.


“Bring me The Princess, hahahahaha, hahahahaha”, he said to Valcarcel. “I will destroy Hamed, too”.


But when talking with BoxingScene, Barrios was began to get serious.


“You know, I can defeat Hamed, but I am afraid people will say I beat an old-timer. He is not in his prime, like Marco Antonio Barrera, but who cares? I must fight, and win. And if I defeat Hamed, he could be a very important name in my career” (Hamed, as was published in BoxingScene, has legal problems stemming from a car accident, and will serve time in jail).


Barrios laughs thinking about Hamed. “He is a strange guy, they call him The Prince, but for me is the Princess, hahahahaha."


The day of training is over in the Argentine Boxing Federation gym, and he must go to school.


“I want to learn, I must think about my future. I am 28 years old, it could be more attractive for me to become world champion when I was younger, but this is all I have. I am proud of my belt. And after defeat Nagy, I want The Princess....hahahahahahahaha”