By James Blears

Laying hurt and inflicting punches of spite on a friend cannot and isn’t ever much fun or a labor of love.

Yet is a few hours more two decent human beings who are really good friends will be in adrenalin overdrive pounding each other with venom and ferocity because super featherweight belts and a lot of money are at stake.

Anyone who knows the Barrera clan, appreciates what genuinely nice people they are. Robbie certainly does. Marco’s older brother Jorge- always mischievous with a marvelous sense of humor, but also good natured and kind.

Then there’s Marco’s Mum Rosa Maria who attends all his fights. She’s warm, generous and outgoing. Robbie Peden has recently met her and confirmed what a lovely person she is. Marco’s Sister Sandra is very similar.

Marco’s Father Jorge Senior is quieter, but always has a ready warm smile and a special greeting for a newcomer to the gym or an old friend.

Both Marco and Robbie have been sparring partners and Robbie was tough enough to take sixty rounds…or more and inflict a painful rib injury on the maestro.

Recent buddy buddy fights have been a lot less violent than Starsky and Hutch.

Lamon Brewster held back to win a split decision against Kali Meehen when he could have taken out quickly and clinically. The friendship factor was involved and Lamon nearly paid for it with his title. A friendly fight proved to be a very close fight.

Paradoxically Hasim Rahman didn’t have any such inhibitions in Kali’s next fight, savaging him to a devastating four round TKO, which has ended his career as a credible contender.

Yet when Hasim recently had to fight his great friend Monte Barrett, he couldn’t get the job finished. He rocked the lighter man badly several times, but failed to follow up, and you just knew in your bones that the ruthless clubbing finish was never going to come.

Yet kindness can take many different forms in boxing. Way back in 1939 Light Heavyweight John Henry Lewis needed a big payday. He was virtually blind in one eye and was starting to have trouble with the other.

His great friend, The Great One, Joe Louis obliged. Joe didn’t want to add to the problems his friend was already carrying, so he took him out fast via three knockdowns in less than a round. It was John Henry’s only knockout loss in 117 fights and he immediately and permanently retired a lot richer, thanks to a good friend.

Robbie Peden is in great health and tip top shape, so health or injuries are not a factor. But my gut feeling is that Marco Antonio Barrera will still try to get him out of there mighty quickly. Robbie has a heart as stout as an oak tree, and a wonderful self belief which has seen him become a world champion in his own right, in spite of a previous bad beating from Juan Manuel Marquez, which would have dejected and dispirited a lesser man . But he’s technically limited and easily hittable.

The longer the fight goes on the more dangerous Robbie will become. If allowed, he’ll slot into a groove, and then Marco might find himself stuck in a rut. So my expectation is an early fireworks display from Mr Barrera to finish the night early.

Marco who now lives in Mexico’s second city Guadalajara has this time done a lot of his training there. That’s different from his normal pattern. He owns a gym in Mexico City and usually starts there and goes on to altitude at Big Bear in California.

While the differing preparation makes me uneasy, Marco is far to professional to think it’ll be an easy job playing master to a pupil and giving that former tudent a liberal dose of stick. Robbie Peden has moved on and developed as a fighter in the last three years, and anyone who has tasted and savored championship success is an extremely dangerous opponent.

Robbie’s job is to avoid getting clobbered, soak up the superior boxing skills and come strong in the second half of the fight, hoping that all Marco’s wars will prove his Waterloo. Marco’s job is to get the job done quickly or problems will lie ahead.

Neither man will bad mouth the other, and I certainly won’t. But if pushed or shoved, I’d say Marco will win in less than six of the best.