"Laughable" Morales Knows What He's To Do

By Chris Curry

28.08.01 - The ferocious burning within the universally recognized World Featherweight
Champion, Marco Antonio Barrera is a controlled inferno, for the "Baby Face Assassin" is taking control of the Featherweight division and is going to call the shots.

Beaten victims Prince Naseem Hamed and Erik Morales who felt the fists of this "Mexican Macho Man" will have to wait until their time is called, to try and amend their pride and avenge their deeply wounded defeats.

Erik Morales who won their fight of the year on paper, but lost in reality, may have to dig deep inside and admit the truth that's haunting him, that he did lose against Barrera. Their rematch negotiated for a possible May 4th 2002 date, may not happen, with Barrera saying "It may not happen until he recognizes that he lost the first fight, On my side there's no problem. I only ask that he recognize that he lost, nothing else." Barrera strongly believes Morales won the decision as he was the fighter being groomed by promoters and the television networks in America and that Morales was to face Naz in a mega fight. But Barrera landed the mega fight with Naz and became the first man to inflict defeat on the Featherweight Superstar, in style.

Barrera said of the day after the Morales fight, that he felt normal, he thought Morales punched really hard, but he doesn't, that he'd been sent to the canvas against fighters who supposedly carried no power, but Morales could not do it and he was not as "Terrible" as the press and his nickname claimed, but "Reible" (laughable).

Barrera has hinted at a Prince Naseem Hamed rematch sooner, Barrera said he enjoyed frustrating Hamed and that he had no answer to his fight, and would bring something different to the fight each time and employ a different strategy to beat the Prince for a second time and that it would be better to face Naz first because it's a more interesting fight and brings more money. Morales who lost credibility when he fought Guty Espadas for the WBC title and defending against Injin Chi, both fights closely won, Espadas disputed, Barrera said "He's not the same fighter anymore, I took something out of him".

Prince Naseem Hamed, who's due to announce his comeback fight on HBO in London, rumoured November 10th against Spaniard Manuel Calvo, who holds the European Featherweight Title with HBO preferring a tougher test against South African, Mbulelo Botile, former IBF Featherweight World Champion, who won the Title from former Hamed foe, Paul Ingle who gave Naz eleven hard rounds before being stopped. Botiles victory left Ingle collapsed in the ring and taken to hospital, where a blood clot was removed from his brain. Botiles first defence saw him lose the Title to American Frankie Toledo, one of Barrera's victims. Either fighter Naseem should knock out in Style, I'd Rather see Naz go for a Champion first like Toledo for the IBF Title or Gainer for the WBA Title, it would give him a little more credit back beating a currant Champion.

Marco Antonio Barrera's next fight is on September 8th against former WBA Super Bantamweight Champion, Enrique Sanchez, a rival amateur who beat a young Barrera in a three round decision in the late 1980's, Sanchez should not get so lucky now against the battle hardened World Champion Barrera, as a true professional of 12 years, he's taking this fight very serious, but you can't help but look past it onto greater fights, There's so many other Champions Barrera can fight and add to his "Macho Mexican Greatness", like Gainer, Toledo, Pablo Chacon and Marco hinted at Clarence "Bones" Adams as well, Barrera said "I did not see the Adams, Ayala fight, but if its like people say and he was robbed, we have something in common, something really good to fight for". A fight I'm sure the Boxing World would love to see.

"Sanchez is a very tough fight, a former World Champion" Barrera said, a fight he's only thinking about now. We, the Boxing public know Marco Antonio Barrera's pedigree and this fight is a stepping stone to Greater things for this Proud World Featherweight Champion and if Morales wants to be apart of the Great things to happen he knows he has to dig deep inside and come to terms with his loss or Prince Naseem Hamed is going to get his shot first and the other list of fighters on the "King of the Featherweights" hit list.