Breaking down Pacquiao-Barrera
LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao already has one win over Marco Antonio Barrera, but Barrera is bent on evening the score when they fight in a 12-round super featherweight bout Saturday on HBO pay-per-view from Mandalay Bay. Here is what each man must do to win:
Keys to victory | ||
PACQUIAO’S KEYS | BARRERA'S KEYS | |
1. Throw the hook: Pacquiao is a southpaw and tends to get left-hand crazy. But trainer Freddie Roach has worked hard at improving his right. Knowing Barrera will probably jab a lot, the hook will be a critical weapon for Pacquiao. | 1. Rough him up: Barrera knows all the tricks and should use them to make it a physical fight. | |
2. Force the pace: Pacquiao is younger and undoubtedly in better condition. He should force Barrera to fight at a fast pace and not let him get into a comfort zone where he can find built-in rest periods | 2. Jab, jab, jab: The best way to neutralize Pacquiao's speed advantage is to keep a hard jab pumping at him. | |
3. Avoid the ropes: Pacquiao should keep the fight in the center of the ring where his hand and foot speed will be more pronounced. | 3. Close the distance: Barrera should not allow Pacquiao room to throw his powerful left. | |
4. Back him up: Barrera is much better when he's the one who is moving forward. | 4. Uppercut: Pacquiao tends to punch wide when he's in an exchange and he's frequently open for an uppercut up the middle. | |
Rating the fighters | ||||||
The following chart compares Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera on a rating of 1 to 10 in several categories heading into their 12-round super featherweight fight Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center: | ||||||
CATEGORY | PACQUIAO | BARRERA | IOLE’S SKINNY | |||
Punching power | 10 | 8 | Each possesses the ability to seriously hurt the other. | |||
Jab | 7 | 9 | Barrera's jab is one of his best weapons. | |||
Body attack | 8 | 9 | Both like to head hunt. | |||
Speed and quickness | 10 | 7 | Barrera will spend a lot of time inside concentrating on the body. | |||
Defense | 7 | 7 | Pacquiao is among the fastest fighters in his division. | |||
Chin | 10 | 10 | Given the punchers they've been in with, neither man's beard is in question. | |||
Stamina | 10 | 8 | Pacquiao looks like he could compete in a triathlon. | |||
Ring smarts | 8 | 10 | Barrera is one of the game's most intelligent fighters. | |||
Corner | 10 | 6 | Pacquiao's Freddie Roach is a superstar while there has been upheaval on Barrera's side. | |||
Intangibles | 7 | 10 | Barrera wants it badly and there are questions if Pacquiao is truly focused. | |||
Total | 87 | 84 | Pacquiao is stronger, faster and in better shape. It will be a competitive fight for a while, but expect Pacquiao to take over in the middle rounds and stop Barrera late. |