RINGSIDE LA WITH JOHNNY ORTIZ   BARRERA-MORALES… “MEXICAN WORLD WAR III”

          Tonight on HBO PPV, only one of the two brave warriors will emerge with the bragging rights as to which one is the superior Mexican fighter…”The Baby Faced Assassin” Marco Antonio Barrera or Erik “El Terrible” Morales? 
 

With one win apiece, the two bitter rivals will be prepared to dig as deep as they have to in order to emerge victorious as they put their animosity for one another on hold as they, along with their fierce pride and everything they have accomplished up until now, put everything on the line when they step into the ring to face one another for the third and possibly the last time.
 

During a press conference promoting their second fight, Marco Antonio confronted Erik about something he had said that was in reference to his manhood, when Eric confirmed it; Marco Antonio nailed him with a left hook.  Erik later said that if he had known how Barrera would respond, he would have hit him first.  After the fight, won by Barrera, Marco Antonio, walked up to Morales and said, “It is over” he had tried to put their feud behind them and although Erik replied “OK,” he hadn’t forgotten that Marco Antonio had suckered punched him.  He was quoted as saying, “there are some things you never forget.”
 

Their previous two wars and the hostility that has been brewing between the two make this third fight one of the most anticipated fights not only in Mexico, but the entire world of boxing.  Marco Antonio Barrera seemed to be the clear winner in their first brutal confrontation, it was not to be, Erik Morales was declared the winner.  This of course made a second fight even more alluring.  As they did in their initial meeting, Marco and Erik left nothing to the fistic imagination as they went at it tooth and nail.  The bitterly contested affair seemed to end in favor of Morales.  Just as Barrera seemed to win the first fight and was declared the loser, Morales got a taste of the disappointment Barrera had suffered when he saw Marco Antonio get his hand raised in a fight he was sure he had won.
 

Since they last fought, Erik has won his last six fights including a Jr. Lightweight unification bout with Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez.  He beat Famoso in a very hard twelve round fight.  The fight before Hernandez, El Terrible beat and won the WBC Jr. Lightweight crown in another great fight with Jesus Chavez.
 

Marco Antonio has had four fights since their last epic battle.  He has won three and lost one, the defeat coming at the hands of Manny Pacquiao.  He was stopped in the eleventh round of their fight.  The Barrera of the Pacquiao fight was not the Barrera you will see tomorrow night.  I am not making any excuses for Marco Antonio, but I happen to know that prior to their fight, Barrera went through some serious changes.  For one, he had to break a great camp due to the Big Bear fires.  He underwent a hard managerial change, a change that saw him break a long relationship with his manager Ricardo Maldonado.  He also had another very strenuous, personal problem in Mexico that had to completely take its toll on his mental state.  A fighter has to go into a fight both physically and mentally ready.  I take nothing away for Manny Pacquiao; he was ready and deserved the win.  But in all honesty, if they were to fight again, I would pick Marco Antonio to beat him.  The Barrera you saw in the Ayala fight is the Barrera who would beat Pacquiao who is a strong fighter, but he is a one handed puncher who relies on his big left hand.  But that is another fight; Marco Antonio has his hands full tomorrow night with Erik Morales.
 

Although the fight odds are close, Erik has to be the favorite going in.  He has only lost one fight in his career and has moved up in weight since he last fought Barrera.  He has had two fights at 130 pounds, beating two very good champions in Chavez and Hernandez.  Marco Antonio will be moving up four pounds in his challenge of Morales.  The weight will not be that much of a factor; Barrera and Morales are both fighters who started out at 122 pounds.  Marco should have no problem with the weight difference.
 

It is very hard for me to go against Marco Antonio; I know that most of the fight people I have talked to are picking Morales.  I sometimes have a tenancy to let my heart get in the way of my head.  Over the years, I have had a very good relationship with Marco Antonio, he has been on my radio show many times and I have been in his company at different functions.  I like to think that we are good friends.
 

          I like Erik Morales, I have also had the pleasure of being in his company on several occasions, Erik is an extremely polite, humble young man. 
 

          This is a fight that is definitely up for grabs, it may come down to who wants it the most.  Although I know Morales will be the betting favorite, I have this gut feeling that Marco Antonio will fight the fight of his life enabling him to win the bout.  Then again, I have to be realistic, the fight being a Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotion and Morales being under a promotional contract to Bob Arum, it makes him the house fighter.  With the recent resentment between Top Rank and Golden Boy, who knows what will transpire?  Nothing that happens in a Las Vegas fight will surprise me.  Look what happened with the first two decisions.
 

Make no mistake about it, this is what boxing is all about, it is a fight fan’s dream, the kind of fight that only comes along once in a great while.  It will feature two already legendary Mexican fighters who are so very evenly matched.  One good break could turn the fight into either one’s favor.  It has “Fight of the Year” written all over it.  If you profess to be a fight fan, this is a must see kind of fight.
 

          I do not have to go into statistics or records, throw everything out the window, this fight speaks for itself, three minutes of action every round, blood, sweat and heart is what is required for this fight…no one else need apply.  “The Baby-Faced Assassin” and “El Terrible” have given everything they have in preparing for this fight; it is a shame someone has to lose.  I only hope that after it is all over, they will both respect one another and make peace outside the ring.  Marco Antonio and Erik will forever be linked in boxing lore.  Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales are the very best Mexico has to offer…I hope Mexico doesn’t mind that we here in America have adopted them.
 

          SHANE AND WINKY…A REPEAT PERFORMANCE

          I wrote last week that Winky Wright was too big, too strong for Shane Mosley.  Winky made an easy fight hard.  He was sailing right along in the early rounds; his right jab was on target and cooking.  I even thought that if he kept it up he might stop Shane in the late rounds.  He might have if he hadn’t pulled such an idiotic stunt.  He had the fight well in hand going into the fifth round when he decided to give Shane a couple of freebies at his chin.  Shane not only took advantage at the willing target, he landed a good right hand and a left hook.  It’s a good thing Shane didn’t carry his power up with him when he decided to test the waters at the Jr. Middleweight limit.  Even so, he momentarily rocked Winky.  The stupid display of foolishness only served to give Shane the confidence he had been lacking in the early going.  With renewed vigor, Shane fought a much better fight.
 

          Winky’s corner laid into him and well it should have, you never, never give your opponent a free shot at your jaw.  Every trainer and former trainer watching the fight must have gone bananas, I know I did.  Remember when the professional amateur Ricardo Mayorga gave Tito Trinidad a ticket to his chin when he put his hands down to let him hit him?  I couldn’t believe someone could be so stupid; it totally backfired on the idiot.  Tito Trinidad has heavy hands.  He staggered the hell out of Mayorga.  It was the beginning of the end for Ricardo.  With that stunt, he signed his own death warrant.  From then on, I knew it would only be a matter of time.
 

          A while back down San Diego way, Nate Campbell, a highly rated Super Featherweight contender, was having his way with Robbie Peden, he too thought he would show his opponent what a great chin he had.  Nate dropped his hands in the same manner as Winky and Ricardo had done; Robbie stepped in, set himself and threw a huge left hook that knocked Campbell out.  This method can only get you hurt or KO’d.  Winky had better thank his lucky stars Shane isn’t a big puncher at 154 pounds.  Even so, he still could have been knocked out if Shane had hit him on the exact spot that turns your lights out.
 

          Regardless of the display, I scored the fight big for Winky.  Shane fought a better second half, but I still had him losing the fight by at least six rounds.  The guy who scored it a draw must have been on his way to see the Wizard.
 

          Shane Mosley is still a terrific fighter; I would like to see him go back down to welterweight.  Oscar De La Hoya, another great fighter is giving serious thought to returning to the welterweight ranks.  Oscar, like Shane, doesn’t have the power in the higher weights.  Oscar is very smart, Shane is adamant about staying at 154.
 

          Of the two, I think Oscar could in all probability, still do well at the Jr. Middleweight limit.  They have both been great champions; we wish them well in whatever they decide to do.