By Matthew Hurley

On the night of Saturday, May 20th, Rocky Juarez, stepped into the ring to face off against one of the truly great fighters of the last ten years.  Juarez, a 2000 US Olympic silver medallist, was not back-handedly dismissed by writers and fans when it was announced he would fight Marco Antonio Barrera, but few envisioned the sterling effort he would put forth that night.  It was a classic example of young, up-and-comer, gritting his teeth against the wily old veteran and proving his worth. 

The fact that he didn’t get the decision, he didn’t even get the draw that was originally announced at fights end, didn’t really matter because the young kid from Houston, Texas knew in his heart that he had arrived.  Rocky Juarez is not a braggart, he never intimated any arrogance prior to his fight with Barrera, but afterwards there was a keen sense of a man willing to push himself to even further heights because he had finally come to believe that he truly is as good as he always thought he might be.  That confidence still did not spill over into arrogance but his belief in himself was evident at the post fight press conference.

“I feel I won the fight,” he said in that quiet voice of his.  When speaking with reporters it was his calm tone that led you to believe that he knew he was only going to get better.  “I pushed the fight,” he insisted, never raising the level of his voice.  “I took over in the second half.  I made the adjustments and I proved myself.  Barrera is a great fighter, but I won.”

Indeed many of those writers and fans that wondered if Juarez had enough skills to topple the great Barrera believed he had done enough to win.  The fight was that competitive and that close.  It demanded a rematch.  To Barrera’s credit he felt the same way.

“It’s only right that we fight again,” he acknowledged.  “I was comfortable with the draw when it was announced because it was a very tough fight.  Juarez is a very good fighter and he earned a rematch.”

The first bout was fought in two parts.  The first act saw Barrera establish himself against a rather tentative Juarez.  That seemed only appropriate, as this was Rocky’s first real step up in terms of quality of opposition.  Any boxer would be hard pressed to find a more formidable opponent than Marco Antonio Barrera.  It was what happened in the fight’s last seven rounds that turned the contest into a dramatic test of wills.  Juarez took over and used his physical strength to muscle Barrera around the ring and sting him with punishing blows that had a clear effect on Marco. 

But, like the grizzled veteran he is, Barrera stole a round or two near the end with guile, finesse and experience.  The originally announced draw seemed a just decision and Barrera was completely content with it.  Fifteen minutes later it was changed to a split decision victory because of incorrect scoring tabulation (what else is new?) for Barrera and that was when the fighter in Juarez reemerged.  Quite clearly, he felt insulted.

The Juarez team, respectful of Barrera and his accomplishments, played their cards close to the vest, hoping that with Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao tied up until their November rubber match, that “The Baby Faced Assassin” would grant them a rematch.  And that’s just what Barrera did.  It’s a rematch he may not have wanted because he knows it will be yet another war of attrition and the future hall-of-famer, just like his arch rival Morales, is getting long in the tooth.  But again, just like Morales, his pride will not allow him to walk away with a presumed blemish on his record. 

A fighter’s greatness is often determined not just by wins and losses but by whom he fought and how many times he challenged the best boxers that revolved around him.  Barrera is such a fighter.  And so, on September 16th at the MGM Grand the old lion will climb into the ring to defend his WBC Super Featherweight title against the young tiger who gave him all he could handle in their first go around.

Oscar De La Hoya, who is promoting the bout through his Golden Boy Promotions®, of which Barrera is involved, understands what is at stake.  “The first fight was a war.  Marco wants to prove that he did beat Rocky the first time around and that he can do it again.  Rocky wants that belt.  He wants what Barrera has been.  This rematch is going to be another war.”

At some point every great champion reaches the pinnacle of his career and then either slowly, or quickly, falls apart.  Marco Antonio Barrera has not suffered the ignoble fate that former champion Donald Curry did.  Curry fell apart so quickly when it was thought that he was the very best in the sport that people still wonder what happened.  No, Barrera has aged quite well, but he has aged and with age comes aches and pains and the slowing of one’s step. 

It is interesting that despite their mutual animosity Barrera seemed genuinely disappointed by Morales’ loss to Pacquiao in their dramatic rematch.  Recently he said he would be rooting for “El Terrible” when those two fight again.  It’s not just because they are both Mexicans that Barrera feels this – it’s because Erik is of his era. 

He understands that time is running out and regardless of how well off he may be financially, a fighter as focused and determined as Barrera never truly wants to walk away from a profession that has dominated his life since he was a young boy.  He knows he only has a few big fights left in him.  He knows that he may only have just one left.

That’s what this rematch is all about.  Will it be the end of the road for a gallant old warrior or will he once again rise to the occasion and dazzle us with his brilliance?  Will the young kid, who once had delusions of fistic grandeur in his head, finally reach the ultimate goal and topple his hero?  Or will he be made to wait his turn yet again by a champion not quite yet ready to abdicate his thrown? 

When that bell rings September 16th we will have our answer.