Friday, June 21, 2002 | 9:54 a.m.
Francisco Alejandre can remember when a Saturday night dance was the biggest cultural event for Hispanics in Las Vegas.
"Ten years ago, a few hundred people at a club was about all there was," said Alejandre, associate editor of El Mundo, Southern Nevada's oldest Spanish-language newspaper.
Since then, the local Hispanic population has more than tripled and is at least 70 percent Mexican.
The passions of many will be focused on the 14,700-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night for the highly anticipated featherweight rematch between Mexican countrymen Eric Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Scott Ghertner, MGM MIRAGE director of sports and promotions, said Hispanic fight fans from Las Vegas and other areas are showing fervent interest in the bout.
If it's as good as their first one here two years ago, they are in for a treat. Morales was awarded a disputed split decision over Barrera in an action-packed fight that many boxing writers called the fight of the year.
"We have definitely seen a large Hispanic contingent," Ghertner said. "There are a lot of Hispanics from Southern California and Mexico City who have made the trip for the fight, as they did when (Morales and Barrera) fought in Las Vegas in 2000. We anticipate a sellout."
Along with the thousands who filled area casinos to watch Mexico's World Cup soccer matches this month -- the Orleans hosted about 6,500 for last Sunday's Mexico-U.S. game -- the fight is an indicator of local Hispanics' growing social and economic influence, Alejandre said.
"This event is definitely an example of the power we have to generate mass events," he said.
The fight is also a measure of certain idiosyncracies of Mexican culture and its love of boxing, according to observers of the sport and its fans.
"To understand the way Mexicans see this fight, you have to look back to the last fight between the two (in February 2000)," said Efrain Martinez, sports commentator with Univision, one of two national Spanish-language networks.
"Before that fight, people were divided on who they were for. On the one hand, Barrera was seen as a possible successor to (former world champion) Julio Cesar Chavez. In Mexico, people are always seeking an idol, and boxers in particular are seen as a symbol of overcoming odds and poverty to become someone. So Barrera was that.
"But at the same time, he's from Mexico City, the capital, has more education than Morales, speaks some English and insisted on calling Morales 'an Indian,' which is an insult in Mexico. So here in Las Vegas, where most of the immigrants are working class, people didn't like that.
"Then when Morales (won by) decision, fans thought Barrera was robbed because of (Morales' promoter) Bob Arum's influence with the boxing world. So ever since, Barrera has been seen as a victim, the underdog. In Mexico, we also always identify with the underdog and root for him."
Barrera has a 54-3 record with 39 knockouts, while Morales is 41-0 with 31 KOs. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds, but there is no title at stake.
Whoever wins Saturday, tens of thousands of Mexicans in the region will enjoy a few hours of felicidad (happiness), Martinez said.
"For us, soccer and boxing are a magical way of forgetting our problems. Give us that, and we're happy," he said.
The local pay-per-view ban has been lifted, and the card will also be shown by closed circuit at various local sites. It will be shown in the Orleans' Mardi Gras ballroom (admission $35).
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