Barrera versus Morales trilogy
Encyclopedia
The Barrera versus Morales trilogy is one of boxing
's most famous fight trilogies, involving two of Mexico
's most revered boxers, Marco Antonio Barrera
(nicknamed "The Baby Faced Assassin") and Erik "El Terrible" Morales
.
super bantamweight
champion in the mid 1990s. Morales, from his part, was undefeated and he had won the WBC
super bantamweight title, knocking out Daniel Zaragoza
(being the first person to do so) in eleven rounds in 1997. Promoters soon began arrangements for a bout between the WBC and WBO super bantamweight title holders.
, in Las Vegas
and was televised on HBO Boxing
. Morales was declared winner by a split decision, with scores of 115-112, 114-113 and 113-114 and captured the WBO Super Bantamweight title. This bout was named as Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year for 2000.
This is often described as the most tactical fight of the trilogy. Nevertheless, there were plenty of punches, but with Barrera fighting a more technical approach, Morales opted to use heavier punches, punching Barrera to the canvas in the 7th with a blow to the abdomen. Barrera was nonetheless declared the winner by a unanimous decision, with scores of 116-112 and 115-113 and captured the WBC Featherweight title.
division. Morales had gone on to win the WBC title in that division after defeating Jesús Chávez
and Barrera had lost recognition as world boxing champion after being defeated by Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao
, so he moved up to the Super Featherweight division to challenge Morales.
The fight took place on November 27, 2004 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Barrera was declared the winner and new WBC Super Featherweight champion by a majority decision, with scores of 115-113, 115-114, and 114-114. This bout was named Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year for 2004.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
's most famous fight trilogies, involving two of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
's most revered boxers, Marco Antonio Barrera
Marco Antonio Barrera
Marco Antonio Barrera Tapia is a Mexicanprofessional boxer. He has won numerous world titles in three different weight classes; he is a former two-time WBO super bantamweight , WBC, Lineal, & The Ring featherweight , and WBC & IBF super featherweight champion...
(nicknamed "The Baby Faced Assassin") and Erik "El Terrible" Morales
Erik Morales
Érik Isaac Morales Elvira is a Mexican professional boxer. He is the first Mexican born boxer in history to win a world title in four weight classes and is the current WBC Light Welterweight Champion...
.
Background
Barrera had been the WBOWorld Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
super bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....
champion in the mid 1990s. Morales, from his part, was undefeated and he had won the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
super bantamweight title, knocking out Daniel Zaragoza
Daniel Zaragoza
Daniel Zaragoza was a Mexican professional boxer. Known as "The Mouse," Zaragoza a popular champion in the Super Bantamweight division throughout the 1980s and 1990s.-Amateur career:...
(being the first person to do so) in eleven rounds in 1997. Promoters soon began arrangements for a bout between the WBC and WBO super bantamweight title holders.
First bout
The first bout took place on February 19, 2000, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and CasinoMandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is a 44-story luxury hotel casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International. Five floors of the main hotel building are occupied by the five-star and AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas...
, in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
and was televised on HBO Boxing
HBO Boxing
HBO World Championship Boxing is a sports television series, premiering in January 1973 that has shown a number of significant boxing events in the last three decades....
. Morales was declared winner by a split decision, with scores of 115-112, 114-113 and 113-114 and captured the WBO Super Bantamweight title. This bout was named as Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year for 2000.
Second bout
The second bout took place on June 22, 2002, in MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas. After the impact their first fight had on many of those that saw it, their second fight was made a Pay Per View event.This is often described as the most tactical fight of the trilogy. Nevertheless, there were plenty of punches, but with Barrera fighting a more technical approach, Morales opted to use heavier punches, punching Barrera to the canvas in the 7th with a blow to the abdomen. Barrera was nonetheless declared the winner by a unanimous decision, with scores of 116-112 and 115-113 and captured the WBC Featherweight title.
Third bout
The third bout of the trilogy was fought at the Super FeatherweightSuper Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
division. Morales had gone on to win the WBC title in that division after defeating Jesús Chávez
Jesús Chávez
Jesús Auerelio Chávez is a Mexican professional boxer in the Lightweight division. He is the former NABF, WBC Super Featherweight and IBF Lightweight Champion.-Personal life:...
and Barrera had lost recognition as world boxing champion after being defeated by Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
, so he moved up to the Super Featherweight division to challenge Morales.
The fight took place on November 27, 2004 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Barrera was declared the winner and new WBC Super Featherweight champion by a majority decision, with scores of 115-113, 115-114, and 114-114. This bout was named Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year for 2004.