Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera first met on November 15, 2003, in a fight that “Pac Man” dominated, and despite being knocked down in the first round, he dominated, winning by eleventh-round TKO. On October 6, 2007, the rematch took place in Las Vegas and Big Fight Weekend are taking you back to fight night.
Manny Pacquiao Defeats Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas
Manny Pacquiao vs. Barrera II Recap
This wasn’t as one-sided as the first fight between these two legends, but the speed and accuracy of “Pac Man” ensured he was victorious once again. The speed of the Filipino ensured he was always one step ahead of his opponent, which meant he was getting his shots off and avoiding many of Barrera’s attacks.
Read More: Marco Antonio Barrera Seals Victory Over Prince Naseem Hamed in ‘Playing With Fire’ Showdown
When the fighters got close, Pacquiao got the better of the exchanges, ensuring – he controlled the pace of the fight. The footwork of “Pacman” was also a key aspect of this fight, helping him control the distance and vary his attacks.
The frustration of Barrera was evident in the eleventh round when he was deducted a point for hitting “Pac Man” on the break. The deduction was ultimately insignificant as the final bell sounded and the judge’s scorecards read 118-109 x2 and 115-112 all favouring Manny Pacquiao, awarding him the WBC International super featherweight title.
To hear the Barrera-Pacquiao nostalgia and more from the “Fight Freaks Unite Recap Podcast” with Dan Rafael and TJ Rives, click the play button below.
Post Fight Quotes
Following the fight, Barrera spoke and announced his retirement: “Honestly, this is my last fight,” said Barrera. “He had very good defense, and it was hard to break through,” added the Mexican legend. Barrera did go on to fight five more times, going 4-1.
Read More: Unveiling Five of Mexico’s Greatest Boxers: Champions of All Time
“Pac Man” also reflected on the fight and said: “I was careful in this fight. He’s still a good fighter.” He continued: “I was just lucky in the first fight that it happened like that.”