Tuesday, April 8, 2003 | 9:33 a.m.
As the best fighter in the world at 126 pounds, Marco Antonio Barrera is in a position where he has to protect himself. He has been in some big fights and others of equal importance await.
But first up is a Saturday fight with Kevin Kelley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in which Barrera is an overwhelming favorite.
He's a minus 1500 in the sports book at the host casino, with Kelley a plus 1000.
But Barrera has been a pro fighter since 1989 and has 59 fights under his belt, so he knows better than to look past a former two-time world champion.
"We will not be overconfident," he said through an interpreter. "That has already happened to me before."
He was referring to two losses to Junior Jones, one in Tampa in 1996 and one here a year later, in which his undefeated record and the perception of invincibility were taken from him.
"I was thinking those fights (with Jones) would be easy for me and look what happened," Barrera said of back-to-back setbacks that were the result of him being unable to avoid Jones' right cross.
Barrera, 29, has bounced back to win 13 of 14 fights, most of which have come against top-flight opposition. Only a loss to Erik Morales, which has since been avenged, has interrupted an impressive streak that also includes victories against luminaries such as Naseem Hamed and Johnny Tapia.
Barrera is 56-3 with 39 knockouts and has altered his style from brawler to tactician over the years.
Kelley, 35, is 54-5-2 with 36 KOs and has said a victory against Barrera would likely allow him to achieve a lifelong goal, the boxing Hall of Fame.
"We're going to box him and be smart," Barrera said. "He's a great fighter and an aggressive fighter and he's coming to win.
"This isn't an easy fight. He has vast experience and a powerful punch. We've focused on those and haven't overlooked any details.
"At this time of my career I'm not taking anyone lightly."
Both fighters are in Las Vegas, with Barrera having arrived Monday from his training camp in Big Bear, Calif.
Kelley, who lives in Las Vegas, says he's up to the challenge and expects Barrera to be at his best.
"There aren't any secrets in this fight," he said. "We both can bang (but) the only advantage I have is being a southpaw, which is something he's going to have to deal with.
"He has all the pressure on him."
That pressure includes Barrera possibly landing a future fight with fellow Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Other significant fights available to him are rematches with Morales and Tapia, or a fight with another current champion, Derrick Gainer.
Kelley is keeping a positive attitude in spite of the betting line and the commonly held belief that he's at the end of his career.
"Motivation is when everybody gives up on you and you challenge yourself," he said. "I need to finish up what I started; it's like I've never reached my full potential.
"I'm motivated and I know what I'm doing. I'm training to fight the best featherweight in the world."
And that featherweight will be looking for his first knockout victory in more than a year, or since he flattened Enrique Sanchez three fights ago.
"I can still punch," Barrera said, and here's a fight where his handlers will be counting on him to prove it.
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