Underdog Barrera plans to knock off respected Morales

Dean Juipe

Friday, Feb. 18, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.

With a stern expression all but glued to his face, Marco Antonio Barrera made it clear he's in a serious mood for his Saturday fight at Mandalay Bay with Erik Morales.

Barrera, once regarded as Mexico's rising star in boxing, has seen that distinction switch to Morales and he's in a position to do something about it when the two super bantamweights step into the ring for a fight many believe is certain to be memorable.

They're scheduled for 12 rounds with both Morales' World Boxing Council and Barrera's World Boxing Organization 122-pound titles at stake. A capacity crowd of 6,681 is expected in the hotel's scaled-back Events Center.

"I know what he can do and I know what I can do, and I'm sure I'm going to win," Barrera said Thursday, with Top Rank's Ricardo Jimenez serving as translator. "I'm in great shape and I won't have any excuses for this fight."

Appearing fit and looking no worse for wear despite several tough fights, the 26-year-old Barrera is the elder statesman in this attractive match. Nonetheless, he's a plus 300 underdog in the Mandalay Bay sports book.

Morales, 23, is a minus 400.

It's also a minus 130 that the fight will go the distance, and a minus 110 that it won't.

Barrera is 49-2 with 36 knockouts, while Morales is 35-0 with 28 KOs.

"I have to have respect for him because he's a good fighter," Barrera said. "Of course, in the ring you should respect everyone."

While Barrera said he will take a couple of rounds to see what Morales has in mind, he made it clear he does not want the fight going to the judges.

"I'm going to take it easy at the start and wait on him," Barrera said. "I want to see what he brings before I do anything.

"But he's a Top Rank fighter and it doesn't do me any good to go the distance with this guy. But the fact is, I don't think the judges will have anything to do with this one.

"One way or another, it has to end before 12 rounds."

With others in Barrera's camp expressing concern about one of the judges, Duane Ford, it's clear the native of Mexico City feels he has to win within the distance.

"I'm very motivated," Barrera said of facing his Tijuana counterpart. "We'll see what happens, but I'm feeling good and I expect to win."

Barrera has won six consecutive fights since back-to-back losses to Junior Jones in 1996-97.

Morales has a win over Jones as well as a victory over Wayne McCullough, who attended the final prefight press conference. He and Morales embraced upon meeting and McCullough said he thought his former opponent would win within eight rounds.

"Barrera will want to get in close but he doesn't move his head," McCullough said. "Morales has a solid and effective jab and I think that will be the difference. I know for a fact that he hits hard; he hits even harder than (Naseem) Hamed.

"His jab worked against me and I think it will work against Barrera."