Did Pacquiao beat a prime Barrera?

[Outwest Exp 355]

Barerra was 29 years old. When pacquiao fought him.

Barrera was simpy outgunned and outfought in that fight even if its 5 years earlier i still favor pacquiao due to so much speed.

Yes but Barrera turned pro at like 15.

[AllEyesOpen]

Yes but Barrera turned pro at like 15.

True and Barrera and Morales had destroyed each other's prime, they just had enough skill to fight on.

I wouldn't say he would have won but it would have been an epic battle anc very close.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Meh, wouldn't say "just". He beat Hamed 2 years prior.

And he "beat" Morales a year prior but most people felt he lost.

I think athletically he defintely wasn't at his peak, but skill wise he was. You could argue that the combination of being slightly past it physically but still close to his best combined with his vast improvements technically and skill wise that he was at his peak. Still arguable though.

IMO Barrera looked better in 2001 than he did in 2003.

That may be true about 2001 compared to 2003.. I just felt that period of barrera's career at feather he was his best... Not the green 122 guy getting stopped by junior, or the 130 guy fighting Juarez n pedan..
When manny beat him, barrera was featherweight kingpin and considered a top p4p guy

[ELPacman]

Barrera looked like a beast against the other fighters but it's because they let him be a beast. Styles make fights, and Pac is just a bad matchup for fighters like him and Morales. Pac wins best when opponents willing to trade with him and open up, and both them were great at that so they gave Pac plenty opportunity.
On the other side, I do feel Barrera took Pac very light as I believe it was Pac's first or second fight at 126lbs and he probably thought the same as most Pac's opponents. He was too small and it would be an easy win. Take that against an opponent determined out of his mind, and it doesn't make a great outcome for Barrera.

[IronDanHamza]

That may be true about 2001 compared to 2003.. I just felt that period of barrera's career at feather he was his best... Not the green 122 guy getting stopped by junior, or the 130 guy fighting Juarez n pedan..
When manny beat him, barrera was featherweight kingpin and considered a top p4p guy

There's no doubt he was better in 2003 than he was in the 90's.

If he wasn't at his peak in 2003 he was still very close. But like I said I thought 2001 he was better.

[IronDanHamza]

Barrera looked like a beast against the other fighters but it's because they let him be a beast. Styles make fights, and Pac is just a bad matchup for fighters like him and Morales. Pac wins best when opponents willing to trade with him and open up, and both them were great at that so they gave Pac plenty opportunity.
On the other side, I do feel Barrera took Pac very light as I believe it was Pac's first or second fight at 126lbs and he probably thought the same as most Pac's opponents. He was too small and it would be an easy win. Take that against an opponent determined out of his mind, and it doesn't make a great outcome for Barrera.

Considering a past it Morales beat Pacquaio comfortably I would disagree about him being a bad style match up.

[-Antonio-]

He was close enough. His prime was probably around 2000-2001. Pac would have always beaten MAB though.

I think people need to realize that any left hand heavy fighter around Pac's size would have lots of issues. He's so dangerous when you can't keep him honest with a quality straight right.

[Boxfan7819]

Considering a past it Morales beat Pacquaio comfortably I would disagree about him being a bad style match up.

Comfortably? That was a straight war. The only person to beat pac comfortably was floyd

[lightsout15]

That was prime barrera, but I think he underestimated pac a bit and had a bad camp. I think it's a tough fight stylistically for barrera even at the top of his game. I noticed that the only guys who had success against pac were the ones who had a good right hand( em, jmm, floyd) , the fighters who relied more on their lead hand whether a jab or a left hook(odlh,cotto,mab) couldn't beat him.

[lightsout15]

He was close enough. His prime was probably around 2000-2001. Pac would have always beaten MAB though.

I think people need to realize that any left hand heavy fighter around Pac's size would have lots of issues. He's so dangerous when you can't keep him honest with a quality straight right.

Just saw your post, i absolutely agree about the right hand being the key to controlling pac.