BARRERA CALLS ON OLD SKILLS IN KAYOING AYALA

Marco Antonio Barrera, in a bout he dared not lose, handled Paulie Ayala tactically at long and short range en route to a10th round knockout Saturday in the Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson with HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” televising.

The former world featherweight champions viewed the outdoor action as the crossroads in their dominating careers but Barrera, 30, Mexico City, Mx., took full advantage of his superior punching against Ayala, 34, Ft. Worth, Tx.,who was hard to discourage in this elimination bout scheduled for 12 rounds.

Long hailed as the world’s premier boxer-puncher, it was the most significant comeback outing for Barrera, whose pro credentials were 57-4, 40 KOs reaching back to1989.

Though some of Ayala’s counters were off target in the early rounds, he never stopped trying in absorbing Barrera’s pressure with gloves up. Mexico’s resurging icon roused the crown in the fifth round when he snapped Ayala’s head back with a heavy right uppercut. An instant later referee Pat Russell correctly ruled Ayala had slipped at mid-ring. In the sixth and seventh rounds, Barrera scored on double combinations to the head and body.

Barrera began to load up in the eighth round with a five punch volley that dropped Ayala near the ropes. The tough Texan did not appear hurt but Barrera floored him again with a left and two rights shortly before the bell.

The beginning of the end came in the 10th round when Ayala was shaken by a right-left and left-right. There was a delayed reaction as Ayala pitched forward on his knees but not before Barrera dug deep with a tremendous left hook to the ribs, prompting the referee to cancel the action at 2:34 without giving a count.

Barrera, unmarked, was clearly pleased in talking with HBO’s Larry Merchant before leaving the ring, “I feel great and very comfortable with this fight. That fight in November with Pacquiao was an off-night and I had put it out of my mind. I guess you could say I was a hard-headed Mexican. That’s why we prepared the best we have ever prepared in Mexico and then six weeks in Big Bear (Ca.),” Barrera said through an interpreter.

“We knew what to expect from Ayala, who would be intense and come to fight. As always, Paulie was very brave and showed a lot of courage. He was very game. Even though I knocked him down twice, I still thought he had a lot left. I didn’t want to risk anything. This was my first fight in Los Angeles since 1996 and I wanted to look good for the fans I still have here.”

Bob Arum, in this co-venture with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, didn’t make anything official but the indication is strong he would like to pair the Barrera-Ayala winner with WBC junior lightweight champion Erik Morales of Tijuana, Mx.

However, before that can happen Barrera will have
to be among the spectators July 31 at the MGM Grand Garden where Top Rank has Morales, (45-1, 34 K0s) in an unification bout with Carlos Hernandez, (40-3-1, 24 K0s), the IBF junior lightweight champion from El Salvador.

Of course, Morales-Barrera is a super natural among naturals when it comes to rematches. The original was Feb.19, 2000 when Morales won a 12-round split decision at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. In the return June 22, 2002 at the same venue, Barrera posted a 12-round unanimous decision, handing Morales his only pro defeat.

Arum did say there is a possibility of matching Barrera with Korea’s Injin Chi, the WBC lightweight champion, (27-2-1,16 K0s) later in the summer.

Ayala, who lost a decision to Morales in November, 2002 in what he considered his last significant fight, had no excuses about his showing against Barrera.

“Marco was exactly what we expected him to be...a great fighter as he was a great champion. I wasn’t hurt on the first two knockdowns but on the last one in the 10th round, he caught me with a hook very hard in the ribs. I just couldn’t get my breath, That ‘s when I decided to take a knee but my corner said they weren’t going to let me take another shot like that.”

Barrera and Ayala were on the same page in declaring this was a fight neither fighter could afford to lose and retain their contender-ship in mega-money bouts.

“Barrera can be the ultimate test for any young fighter. He is versatile in the ability to adapt. We all know he is a tremendous puncher to the body or the head. And very strong, plus many assets. I know I have to fight the perfect fight. This is my defining fight---I’m not looking ahead,” said Ayala before the first bell with no reference to his future.

Going in, Barrera had much to prove that his greatness had not deserted him after being a shocking upset victim last Nov.15 in San Antonio, Tx, where Philippines sensation Manny Pacquiao annihilated him in 11 rounds.

Ayala and his wife, Lonnie, whose maiden name was Barrera, were at ringside that night and got a message his future opponent had things on his mind that left him totally unprepared for the heavy-hitting Pacquiao. Ayala, with a 34-2, 12 KOs resume since 1992, felt he would be facing the superb skills of the legendary Latino when they met and prepared accordingly.

‘What I expect is a very hungry Barrera, not the guy that fought Pacquiao. He will be trying to go through me. I expect it will be a great fight for me to win,” Ayala said at the final media conference. The popular Texan was never more correct.

Ayala’s quick southpaw style didn’t distract Barrera
working smartly behind the jab as the former dipped behind head and shoulder feints trying to get inside.

“We all knew Barrera was a great champion and a great fighter. He has always been versatile in the ability to adapt. There was never any question he is a tremendous puncher to the head and body. And very strong, plus many assets. I know i will have to fight the perfect to win. This is my defining fight---I’m not looking ahead,” said Ayala before the first bell with no reference to his future.

TAYLOR, EX-OLYMPIAN, RETIRES RAUL MARQUEZ

Jermain Taylor is threatening to surface as the biggest boxing prospect out of Little Rock, Ark., after the way he handled former IBF junior middleweight champion Raul Marquez Saturday prior to the Barrera-Ayala main event in Los Angeles.

Taylor, 25, a bronze medalist in Australia’s 2000 Olympics, had too much style and size to retain his WBC Continental Americas middleweight crown with a ninth round knockout over Marquez, 32, Houston, Tx., who announced his retirement after the bout as stopped.

While improving his resume to 21-0, 16 KOs, Taylor immediately started talking about higher profile bouts and larger purses.

“Marquez has already fought all the top guys and since I have just got past Marquez, I say it’s now time for a top-five guy or an even bigger name to be looking my way because I’ve earned getting this far,” Taylor reflected.

Taylor, working well on the outside or inside with combinations to the head and body, kept the pressure on but had to remain alert like in the fourth round when eager Marquez scored well with a left-right-left to the head.

Taylor was cut over the left ear in the fifth round when the fighters banged heads but it wasn’t a factor as the former Olympian scored well with solid rights to Marquez’s head. Taylor also dropped Marquez in the sixth round with a combination. In the seventh through the eighth rounds. Taylor’s effective offense moved Marquez as he pleased.

Marquez’s offense was little more than clutching and holding in the ninth round as Taylor’s double jabs kept him on the road to a shutout until referee Jack Heath stopped the mismatch at the end of the ninth round.

“i got cut over my left ear. My jab wasn’t working early, so I started catching Marquez with solid right hands. This fight could have gone 12 rounds because I like to get the experience of distance fights, so I’ll be ready when the day comes for major championship fights.”

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas and a contributor to Ringsports.com and other sports publications and websites).