Beaten Barrera blames ref, judges

Monday, March 19, 2007 | 7:24 a.m.

Marco Antonio Barrera and his camp are right in one respect.

Saturday night's super featherweight title fight, which challenger Juan Manuel Marquez won by 12-round unanimous decision, was compelling enough to warrant a rematch.

Barrera's wrong about something else.

The three-time world champion's griping notwithstanding, Marquez deserved to emerge as a clear winner on the judges' scorecards in the WBC 130-pound championship bout at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Barrera wasted no time in making his displeasure known after losing by counts of 118-109 and 116-111 twice on the judges' cards. The Sun's scorecard also had it 116-111.

"There were bad judges," Barrera (63-5, 42 KOs) said in the ring afterward. "I won the fight. I don't know what happened."

Later, Barrera praised Marquez for his heart and talent, but added: "As a boxer, as a fighter, I say I can't fight with the judges. I can't fight with the referee. I know in my heart I won tonight."

Then there was this nugget from Barrera: "I think they weren't judges of boxing. They might have been judges of a soccer game."

In fact, Marquez used his aggression, combination punching and an occasional series of stinging right hands that snapped Barrera's head back to show he was the better man in the first meeting between the veteran Mexicans.

Barrera, who has reinvented himself as a complete boxer in contrast to the old-model, one-dimensional slugging Marco Antonio of years past, seemed to be employing a strategy of trying to steal each round with a late flurry of activity.

He couldn't overcome Marquez's resistance.

"Nothing was given to me," Marquez (47-3-1, 35 KOs) said. "I earned it. I fought my fight, I did my job and the judges did their job. I'm happy with the result."

Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Barrera, called for a rematch and said he's working on securing one for the weekend of Sept. 16, Mexico's independence day.

Barrera, who has acknowledged he's nearing the end of his superb career, said he wants to take a vacation and relax before thinking about a rematch.

Marquez said he'd be agreeable to doing it again - although another big fight could be in store for him if Barrera declines.

"If Marco Antonio Barrera wants a rematch, of course," Marquez said. "I'm glad to accept that rematch. I think Marco Antonio is a great fighter. I'd take that rematch right away. If not, then Manny Pacquiao can be next."

Barrera was also upset about the fight's electrifying if controversial seventh round, in which he was penalized a point on the scorecards.

Although it appeared as if Barrera knocked Marquez down toward the end of the round, abruptly shifting the round's momentum after an impressive rally by Marquez, referee Jay Nady ruled the fall a slip.

Channeling the spirit of Roy Jones Jr. against Montell Griffin, Barrera then wound up and delivered a right hand to Marquez's head as Marquez was kneeling on the canvas. Nady deducted a point for the infraction, further angering Barrera.

"The referee should have been doing his job," Barrera said. "I'm a fighter. I see blood, I go after him. I go after my fallen prey. If the referee would have done his job, broke us apart, held us apart, it never would have happened."

Because Marquez ended up winning by a wide margin, the point deduction did not directly play a role in the result of the fight.

The manner in which Marquez handled the incident, as it was happening and afterward, marked him as the true winner of the night in every way.

"When I was down, he hit me," Marquez said. "He hit me hard. That's something no athlete (should) do. This is a sport. But I got up, I got up well and I could continue. ...

"Even though he says the ref doesn't stop him (so) he can still throw punches when the other guy is down, I mean, that's not right. But I wanted to prove I could win this fight the right way. I could have stayed down, won it the easy way, looked for a disqualification. But I wanted to win it the clean way, and I did."