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Barrera and Marquez were able to hold onto the WBC and duck Pacquiao for two years?
In January 2006 Manny Pacquiao beat Erik Morales in a final eliminator and became #1 contender and the mandatory challenger for the WBC Super Featherweight title. This was also a first defence of his WBC International title which he'd won in his previous fight.
Marco Antonio Barrera had made the second defence of the WBC title, and unified it with Robbie Peden's IBF title in September 2005. Barrera vacated the IBF soon after but hung onto the WBC title. However, his next fight was not against mandatory challenger Pacquaio.
His next defence came 4 months after Pacquiao became mandatory, against Rocky Juarez. Juarez's most recent dealings with the WBC had been losing a fight for the Interim title in the division below, around the time Barrera beat Peden. As it happened, Juarez gave Barrera a competitive fight which was announced as a draw before being ammended to a Barrera SD. An immediate rematch happened for whatever reason and Barrera won a lot clearer.
Meanwhile Manny defended his International title 2 more times, against Oscar Larios and a rematch with Erik Morales, avenging an earlier loss. Then instead of finally facing his mandatory, Barrera dropped the title to Juan Manuel Marquez. In the meantime Manny defended his International belt again, against Jorge Solis.
So now, Manny was still mandatory, JMM held the belt and Barrera had been dethroned. So surely the JMM-Manny fight happened? Not quite. Manny was forced to wait again, whilst Rocky Juarez was given a third shot at the title. Barrera finally agreed to face Manny though, losing a clear decision.
Finally, in March 2008, 26 months after becoming mandatory challenger, Manny Pacquaio fought for and won (disputedly) the full WBC Super Featherweight title. In the time between Manny had 4 fights, the title was defended 4 times, 3 of those times Rocky Juarez was the challenger.
A strange anomaly.
If Pacquiao had got his shot in Spring 2006, he'd have been a belt hold in a division with no rush to move up. That same year Edwin Valero captured the WBA World title. What a fight that would have been. The IBF title went through purgatory for a few years being held by fringe level fighters. The WBO was captured by a prime Joan Guzman in the summer of 2006. Another mouthwatering prospect of a fight.
Instead the belt was held hostage by Barrera and Marquez, in what is perhaps most aptly described as the Rocky Juarez horror show.
Marco Antonio Barrera had made the second defence of the WBC title, and unified it with Robbie Peden's IBF title in September 2005. Barrera vacated the IBF soon after but hung onto the WBC title. However, his next fight was not against mandatory challenger Pacquaio.
His next defence came 4 months after Pacquiao became mandatory, against Rocky Juarez. Juarez's most recent dealings with the WBC had been losing a fight for the Interim title in the division below, around the time Barrera beat Peden. As it happened, Juarez gave Barrera a competitive fight which was announced as a draw before being ammended to a Barrera SD. An immediate rematch happened for whatever reason and Barrera won a lot clearer.
Meanwhile Manny defended his International title 2 more times, against Oscar Larios and a rematch with Erik Morales, avenging an earlier loss. Then instead of finally facing his mandatory, Barrera dropped the title to Juan Manuel Marquez. In the meantime Manny defended his International belt again, against Jorge Solis.
So now, Manny was still mandatory, JMM held the belt and Barrera had been dethroned. So surely the JMM-Manny fight happened? Not quite. Manny was forced to wait again, whilst Rocky Juarez was given a third shot at the title. Barrera finally agreed to face Manny though, losing a clear decision.
Finally, in March 2008, 26 months after becoming mandatory challenger, Manny Pacquaio fought for and won (disputedly) the full WBC Super Featherweight title. In the time between Manny had 4 fights, the title was defended 4 times, 3 of those times Rocky Juarez was the challenger.
A strange anomaly.
If Pacquiao had got his shot in Spring 2006, he'd have been a belt hold in a division with no rush to move up. That same year Edwin Valero captured the WBA World title. What a fight that would have been. The IBF title went through purgatory for a few years being held by fringe level fighters. The WBO was captured by a prime Joan Guzman in the summer of 2006. Another mouthwatering prospect of a fight.
Instead the belt was held hostage by Barrera and Marquez, in what is perhaps most aptly described as the Rocky Juarez horror show.
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