Barrera plans to open gym in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera plans to open a gym in Manila and hopes to co-promote cards featuring Mexican and Filipino fighters here and in his country as a way of creating opportunities for future world champions.

Barrera’s Filipino friend Jeff de Guzman said the Mexican spoke with Manny Pacquiao on the phone during his recent four-day visit to Cebu to witness WBO lightflyweight titlist Donnie Nietes’ defense against challenger WBO minimumweight king Moises Fuentes at the Waterfront Hotel Pacific Ballroom in Lahug last Saturday.

“Manny invited Barrera to Sarangani but Barrera couldn’t go,” said De Guzman. “Barrera arrived in Cebu on Thursday and left Sunday morning after the fight because of a commitment with Azteca TV. Barrera will be back in one or two months to sit down with prospective partners for his boxing project. He’s looking forward to doing business with Filipinos and he knows how important it is to be connected with Manny.”

Barrera intends to broker an exchange of Filipino and Mexican fighters. His stable lists at least 23 up-and-coming Mexican fighters within the age range of 21 to 25. One of his fighters is Fuentes whom his older brother Jorge manages. “Right now, Barrera has fighters ready to come over and face guys like Boom Boom Bautista and Genesis Servania,” said De Guzman. “He saw the crowd in Cebu and believes there is a market for exciting fights.”

ALA Promotions chairman Tony Aldeguer, whose son Michael manages Nietes, welcomed Barrera’s plan as an opportunity for Filipino fighters to gain global exposure. “That only goes to show how nice a people we are and I am sure he has seen a lot of Filipino talents after watching fighters like Manny, Nonito Donaire, Brian Viloria and Nietes,” said Aldeguer.

Fuentes was paid $40,000 for the fight against Nietes so bringing in top-caliber Mexican warriors isn’t prohibitive if Barrera and Filipino promoters tie up. “Barrera wants to give Filipino fighters a fair shake,” said De Guzman. “He noticed that most Filipino fighters stay only three or four days in Mexico before a fight and that’s not enough time to acclimatize to the high altitude. If he’s involved in bringing Filipino fighters to Mexico, he’ll make sure they’re in town at least 10 days before a fight. It’s not the same with Mexican fighters coming to Manila because there is no high altitude to get used to.”

Barrera has a lot of respect for Filipino fighters particularly as he was twice beaten by Pacquiao. He compiled a record of 67-7, with 44 KOs, and his only loss by stoppage was to Pacquiao in 2003. Barrera battled only one other Filipino, former world champion Jesus Salud whom he halted in six in 2000. The only fighters to beat Barrera were Pacquiao twice, Junior Jones twice, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales and Amir Khan. He stopped Jose Arias in two rounds in his farewell fight in Guadalajara in February 2011. During his 22-year career, Barrera held the WBO superbantamweight title thrice, the WBC/IBO featherweight belts and the IBF/WBC superfeatherweight championships. He began his career with a 43-0 start.

Barrera, 39, didn’t raise a howl when Nietes retained his crown by a majority draw with Fuentes but expressed his disagreement with the decision to WBO Asia Pacific chairman and fight supervisor Leon Panoncillo. The Fuentes group earlier tried to strike out Filipino Danrex Tapdasan from the judges panel, citing the possibility of partisanship, but Panoncillo upheld the appointment approved by WBO president Paco Valcarcel of Puerto Rico. Panoncillo told Barrera it was a close fight and could’ve gone either way, justifying the draw. Panoncillo assured Barrera it was not a hometown decision.

Barrera reportedly told Michael Aldeguer he thought Fuentes won by at least a four round margin. The ALA Promotions president, however, said Nietes deserved to win because he scored the more telling blows and displayed superior ring generalship. Barrera said if ever there is a rematch in Manila or Cebu, he will insist on three neutral judges. Tony Aldeguer said Barrera or anyone in Fuentes’ camp has no business making demands because the appointments are made only by Valcarcel. Barrera didn’t push his protest, saying “that’s part of boxing” with a shrug of the shoulders. He wouldn’t want to jeopardize plans of partnering with Filipino promoters for future projects.

Barrera said Fuentes learned his lesson from the draw with Nietes. “Next time, Fuentes won’t leave the outcome in the hands of the judges,” said Barrera, quoted by De Guzman. “He’ll make sure he knocks out Nietes if ever there’s a rematch.” But it won’t be easy tagging Nietes who proved an elusive target most of the way in boxing Fuentes from a distance. Nietes has never been stopped in carving out a 31-1-4 record. His only setback was to Indonesia’s Angky Angkotta by split decision in Jakarta in 2004. Angkotta was the same fighter whom Servania halted in seven in the Nietes-Fuentes undercard last Saturday.