Marco Antonio Barrera-Amir Khan To Move Forward on March 14

[Dave Rado]

Okay, worst case scenario: Barrera is going into the fight with scar-tissue

No, worst case scenario: Barrera isn't properly prepared because he gets little or no sparring, due to the need to wait for the the cut to heal before starting to spar.

I'm very disappointed, and I don't understand Barrera's motives. He could have just had it put back 2 weeks. I would like Khan to win, but not in a meaningless fight, and if Barrera doesn't prepare properly, and if it shows, then a Khan win would be fairly meaningless. (A Khan defeat would probably end his career whatever happens).

IMO the people who totally write off Khan are underestimating Roach.

[Dave Rado]

I can’t see Barrera bullied into anything. He’s financially secure and he doesn’t have to worry about his legacy. In my mind this can mean several things:

1) The cut wasn’t as bad as it was made out to be.
2) Barrera realizes that the sooner the better for this fight both due to his age and where Khan is at in his career.
3) Maybe Barrera wants Khan and his team to think that he’s injured and didn’t train properly. Maybe he wants to lull them into thinking this will be an easy fight. Who knows….

1) I don't see how any cut that required stitches could heal in time for Barrera to be able to prepare properly, with sparring?

2) A two week postponement wouldn't make any difference from that point of view.

3) They won't be lulled - Roach is a consummate professional.

So I'm completely confused about why he didn't ask for a postponement.

If it's just that he's complacent and thinks he'll win easily then he deserves to lose.

[Phatfarm1980]

I can't believe people actually think barrera is being forced into this fight on the 14/3. Would it really hurt barrera if he had pull out? Errrrrr no. It'd hurt khan more.

Khan doesn't have a weak chin, he has no chin! Any sort of power punch that lands flush will probs put him down. How much can roach do with his defence?

[Sttuddahboy619]

Does anyone have pics of MABs cut??? How bad is it?

[STEELHEAD]

No, worst case scenario: Barrera isn't properly prepared because he gets little or no sparring, due to the need to wait for the the cut to heal before starting to spar.

I'm very disappointed, and I don't understand Barrera's motives. He could have just had it put back 2 weeks. I would like Khan to win, but not in a meaningless fight, and if Barrera doesn't prepare properly, and if it shows, then a Khan win would be fairly meaningless. (A Khan defeat would probably end his career whatever happens).

IMO the people who totally write off Khan are underestimating Roach.

i wish they moved it back too.
maybe they'rs no other immediate date opened
at that arena.
maybe barrera is thinking like me.
that its an easy big money fight! and to get it while he can.

there must be a bazzilion hamed fans that are going to go to this venue.

[Puntoyhauf]

Roach can only teach Khan defenses and offenses, Roach can't give Khan another set of chin. MAB may not be in his fighting prime but for sure Barrera would land a punch. I don't know why this fight isn't moved, maybe Barrera knows that he's experienced enough to handle Khan's style.

Khan is gaining more advantages now, what he can do with it? we just have to wait till fight time.

[Dave Rado]

i wish they moved it back too.
maybe they'rs no other immediate date opened
at that arena.
maybe barrera is thinking like me.
that its an easy big money fight! and to get it while he can.

there must be a bazzilion hamed fans that are going to go to this venue.

Warren was willing to postpone, although obviously he didn't want to. It's true that a postponement would have been complex, because of (a) the undercard (two WBO world title fights), (b) Roach's availability (he'll be training Pac as well by then, and (c) 15,000 tickets already sold, and some of the ticket holders might not be able to make the revised date, and would then be pissed off. Nevertheless Barrera could have postponed by a couple of weeks if he'd wanted to, and I imagine he would still have made as much money had he done so; but he chose not to.

[Chrismart]

Im glad its going ahead as iv already sorted hotel rooms in Manchester for the 14th.

I was glad when Warren said there would be no replacment fighter, as Barrera was a big reason i bought a ticket.

[Dave Rado]

Roach can only teach Khan defenses and offenses, Roach can't give Khan another set of chin. MAB may not be in his fighting prime but for sure Barrera would land a punch. I don't know why this fight isn't moved, maybe Barrera knows that he's experienced enough to handle Khan's style.

Khan is gaining more advantages now, what he can do with it? we just have to wait till fight time.

Being chinny isn't as simple as you say. Ali had the reputation of being chinny in his early career, but in his late career he had a superb chin. Hopkin's chin has never been tested even though he's 44, because he's never been hit flush by a big punch.

Factors that affect punch resistance include stance, ability to roll with punches, ability to block or partially block punches, good head and foot movement so that punches don't land flush, and sturdy legs (I'm sure I've missed some, but the point is, there are lots of factors that can be worked on which do affect punch resistance).

Before Khan joined Roach he was never taught the basics, and Roach has been working on all of the above with him. The most visible change is Khan's body - he's lost a lot of weight off his back, and gained a lot on his legs.

Also, Pac has been hitting Khan with lots of power punches in sparring (obviously not as hard as if it were a real fight, but still power punches); and according to Roach Khan's been taking them fine.

[madhatter]

i kind of have a feeling barrera is going to pull in a couple of weeks time and they will draft in another fighter for khan, because as someone said it is a hard card to delay two weeks with the two title fights and other fights on the card. it is the sort of trick i wouldnt past warren and king.