Who will win....Barrera or Khan ??

[Quixall]

Who will win....Barrera or Khan ?

This fight is quite interesting on many levels. Firstly, we have Khan, who up to now has had a less than spectacular start to his pro career. He has't been fighting any genuine lightweights with real quality, but plenty of journeyman and quite a few blown up super-featherweights, most noptably, Gary St.Clair and Michael Gomez. Khan has not yet won either the Britsish or European titles and has been put on the deck three or four times by fighters not renound for any punching power and been knocked out by a virtual unknown. Having been in the process of "rehabilitating" his style, for the last few months, under the tutelage of Freddoe Roach and having had one fight against a nobody in that time, Khan, less then two fights after getting knocked out by an unkown, is about to fight against a recent p4p three time champion, who as recently as 2007, took Marquez and Pacquaio the distance.....Marco Antionio Barrera.

It seems to me that Warren could be running out of patience with Khan, now that he has the three olympians on his books and is eager to see what Khan really has to offer. Warren is very good at timimg fights and this could be the best time to take on Barrera, with him now fighting at lightweight and turning 35 years of age. If Khan beats a slightly faded or even shot Barrera, then he will have beaten a "name" fighter, that not long ago went the distance with Marquez and Paquaio and on the back of doing that, would no doubt lead to an eventual title shot for Khan, within 12 months. If Khan does'nt beat a slightly faded Barrera, then Warren has his answer, that Khan will not be able to mix with world class fighters.....

So the questions are....

How wise is Warren and Roach for putting Khan in against Barrera, particularly, so soon after his knock out defeat to Prescott ? How shot or faded is Barrera ? Can his fights with Marquez and Pacuaio in 2007 give any true indication of what he has to offer as a 35 year old lightweight ? Is this a stepping stone for Khan or a key fight for Barrera and an evetual fourth world title challenge ?

More importantly......Who will win ??

I'm interested in your thoughts....

Quixall

[n1ebf]

MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA.

[Hagler2002]

Khan will smash him to bits, its a mismatch

[n1ebf]

BARRERA!
BRING ON THE TRUMPETS!!!

[Hagler2002]

BARRERA!
BRING ON THE TRUMPETS!!!

Yep a 35yr old fighter who has looked utterly shocking in his last two fights against Mexican road sweepers, has yet to fight above 130lbs at world level and is getting in with a fighter who offensively is World class and is HUGE at the weight, Khan will stop him inside 5 rounds

[Quixall]

BARRERA!
BRING ON THE TRUMPETS!!!

Yep a 35yr old fighter who has looked utterly shocking in his last two fights against Mexican road sweepers, has yet to fight above 130lbs at world level and is getting in with a fighter who offensively is World class and is HUGE at the weight, Khan will stop him inside 5 rounds

I have to say, that i too thought Barrera looked shot, when i saw recent footage of his last fight. He looked slow, out of shape, no real speed or more importantly power and basically looked a shadow of the Barrera that we were used to seeing. I think you have a point about about Khan's speed, because i too think it wil cause Barrera problems and he will also be the smaller guy......

Before i saw that fight, i was edging towards Barrera, but having seen the last fight, i think in all honesty, Barrera is shot. Nothing in that last fight convinced me that Barerra is just sligtly faded, he looks 50% of the fighter he once was and i can't see him doing very much....

[Spud]

I wrote this in reply to Stu Jones on another thread -

Stu - Your post deservesa reply.

I honestly feel strongly about the outcome of the fight.

I will state again MAB is one of my all time boxing heros and I simply cannot understand why he feels compelled to fight Khan other than money!!! - I also cannot understand the money side of things when it was only recently he was a partner at Golden Boy & he has been in some massive fights which surely should have paid a nice some.

But lets get onto the fight - its the longevity of MABs career and the superb but importantly hard fights that he has been in that makes me severly question what he has left other than the desire to balance the books at the bank - For me MAB is one of those fighters who falls into the cateogory when he loses what he had he will go down hill fast - that for me is the biggest reason why I see him losing the fight against Khan.

Secondly - MAB used to be a lightening quick puncher - but never a single conscusive one and as such the naturally bigger Khan should be able to take MABs more solid punches if he stands around long enough for MAB to be able to land them - I honestly believe MAB has aged quickly.

Then thirdly - lets speak about Khan - and lets be honest here - offensively Khan is good to watch - he is naturally bigger than MAB and has a bloody good range of punches which suggest to me he could put MAB under pressure quite early in the fight - the question I have about Khan is whether he punches himself out of gas. But nonetheless he is very very good on the front foot when he has fighters under pressure.

I completely agree with anyone who questions Khans chin - he clearly has problems there - but come on - is MAB with the ageing factor and not being as quick as he was going to be the opponent who is quick enough and strong enough to stop Khan in his tracks - I do not think so.

Finally - for all his faults - Mr W arren is a very shrewd operator which has whether people like it or not a top promoter - in addition his Matchmaker - Dean Powell knows his stuff - ask yourself this - why on earth would they put Khan into a fight like this - unless they were very confident - or yes you could put it the other way - they want their man to lose to save the expense of paying over the odds purses for Khan??

Every angle I look at this fight leads me to believe Amir Khan will stop MAB and look very good in doing so - when in reality despite MABs status as a legend of the ring - SN & Team Khan have got Khan in exactly the right time to face MAB - and they simply have to be congratulated for doing so

Trust me - I would love MAB to win - I would love to see Mr W arrens face if it were to happen - but alas - I just cant see it happening!!!

As for the exact round - for me it depends on how respectful or nervous Khan is - if he airs on the side of caution then it will be a stoppage in the later rounds - if he starts strongly then I concur with whoever says Khan inside 5 rounds.

It all depends on how confident Khan is.

[n1ebf]

why 5 rounds if it's such a mismatch??

i'll say this...MAB is a 4 or 5 time world champ no doubt....AK hasn't so much as picked up a Brit title along the way and has a bad KO defeat on record.

For the life of me I don't know why MAB wants to fight Khan. I don't think Khan will ever possess the quality to achieve half of what MAB has achieved.

Furthermore, I haven't watched MAB in a couple of years.....maybe since he got that draw that turned out to be a win an hour later...(Rocky Juarez??) So I don't know how he's punching thesedays. I've also heard he is or plans to be a lawyer when he retires, so on top of the multiple world titles, hardly fighting out of financial necessity I imagine. Ego?? love of the sport, doesn't like golf?? I have no idea of Barerra's motivation to take this fight.
I just have a feeling that he will possess sufficient fitness to school Khan. Sure, people know about Khan's speed and weaponry, and you certainly won't find me on here bringing them into question. I don't even necessarily think Khan has a bad chin. I've even read that Marco Barrera has a steel plate in his skull, I dnt know whether it's true but can't inagine someone getting passed to box over here with that.
I just think as long as MAB is physically fit enough to box, which I think he will be, he will have enough experience to frustrate Khan and ultimately beat him.

[Chambers2]

Khan on points IMO

[Spud]

For the life of me I don't know why MAB wants to fight Khan. I don't think Khan will ever possess the quality to achieve half of what MAB has achieved.

I agree - but you then have to mention the word "money" - that might have something to do with it.

Even if MAB were to knock out Khan inside a round - it will not even make a stir on the world boxing scene!!!

MAB is in a lose/lose situation here - other than money!!!

[Hagler2002]

why 5 rounds if it's such a mismatch??

Chavez-Haugen was a mismatch, it went 5 rounds, Cotto-Gomez was a mismatch, it also went 5 rounds, it does happen you know

[Coco]

MAB early

[WildWaylon]

Barrera looked terrible against Pacman. He just couldnt deal with the speed. Khan has speed and size advantage and that is what they believe will get him the win. Khan could win by outpointing MAB, keeping the fight at long range. I just dont think it will happen that way though. I think Khan will grow in confidence and try to take Barrera out with a flurry of punches around the middle of the fight and get nailed. Barrera is a wise old dog and isnt comming here to be a stepping for Khan to get a title shot. He can take shots and knows he can weather the storm during the first few rounds and beat Khan when he gets careless. That was Prescotts gameplan but he didnt have to wait, Khan got careless in the first round. MAB knows he cant match Khan for speed so he will use his defense and play the waiting game. He still has the big punch and be it to the head or body he knows Khan cant take either. Barrera to win about the half way mark. Barrera isnt the fighter that fought and beat Naz but he doesnt have to be this is Khan who isnt even the best in his country. Barrera is slower nowadays but he isnt shot and at 35 with all the fights hes had, he cant be the great champion he was. Barrrera is a very intelligent man and he doesnt have a massive ego either, and he knows how he can win the fight. He wants a crack at the LW title and needs to do a bit of cleaning up first. Khan does have a massive ego and sees the fight in Calzaghe/Jones terms but he is in for a shock.

[BAMBI]

franki warren via cash money!!

[observer1]

Barrera is on the decline, but Khan is still on the learning Curve.

IMO, Barrera should take it easy

[Hutchie]

this shouldent even be happening

its a joke

barrera will stop kahn inside 6

[ALI]

I hope Barrera wins, i'm really not a fan of Khan. Nothing personal, just think he's very over-rated.

Barrera looked shot-2-sh*t in the second Pacquio fight, his reactions were slow, his power was not there, he just looked a shadow of himself. Still, i cannot envision Khan busting him, Khan's to much of a pussy for that, but he could outbox him and outpoint him. We'll see!

C'mon Barrera!

[Bard of Boxrec]

I don't understand why so many people view Barrera as 'shot to shit'. Can you honestly look at his fight with Sammy Ventura, and see a fighter on his toes, still showing good artillery and movement, still with a good defense, and say that he's 'shot to shit'?? He hardly took anything in those 4 rounds and he didn't have any real physical advantages over the other guy. Not to mention that who the hell could go the distance with Pac if they were that far gone? Even at a relatively slow pace?

Obviously, he has seen better days, but he was clearly far from finished. He dictated the fight and won easily. What more can you ask?

Against Khan, all Barrera needs to do is show the same movement, the same patience. Khan can talk all he wants about his speed and how he's improved and how he's ready. When he gets in the trenches with Barrera he'll see what world class really is.

Barrera in 5 after negotiating his way through a lot of Khan flurries, picking his shots, and systematically taking Amir apart.

[Autobarn]

Somehow, this isn't even exciting to think about. It should be but I can't believe it's happening unless Khan has massive advantages i.e. size, location, age. It's the equivalent of the last Kindelan fight: bring him over when there's nothing left.

Barrera hasn't bene the same since the epic with Marquez. His last great moment was when after getting absolutely battered, he dropped Marquez with that perfect counter right. There were 4 or 5 more hard rds after that and MAB faded out of it. And he was never the same again. In the Pac rematch he showed some class but no fire at all, no urgency.

If Khan is all that, he should have beaten Prescott and should be taking on guys like Romanov, Anthony Peterson, Katsidis in world title elims. Significantly he isn't.

Khan v Barrera cannot be happening unless Khan is almsot guaranteed to win it.

[Bard of Boxrec]

Autobarn that should be the case but remember, it's sh*t or bust for Warren in difficult times. He managed to secure a fight with Barrera and decided to strike while the iron was hot so he could justify the PPV nonsense. We all know how the ante has been upped with the money situation and the faint whiff of outrage about bad matchmaking, especially with the growth of Hayemaker. Frank has been back into a corner, simple as. If he had a choice to match Khan with more stiffs and the public would have continued to fall for it he would have. They won't any more, so it's risks or nothing.]

I also think that Khan having already lost made the decision easier for Frank.

[Quixall]

Autobarn that should be the case but remember, it's sh*t or bust for Warren in difficult times. He managed to secure a fight with Barrera and decided to strike while the iron was hot so he could justify the PPV nonsense. We all know how the ante has been upped with the money situation and the faint whiff of outrage about bad matchmaking, especially with the growth of Hayemaker. Frank has been back into a corner, simple as. If he had a choice to match Khan with more stiffs and the public would have continued to fall for it he would have. They won't any more, so it's risks or nothing.]

I also think that Khan having already lost made the decision easier for Frank.

I totally agree with that Riddick.

[Twinkle Toes]

The desperation to keep this fight on the original date looks suspect to me.

Khan will win this fight.

[MightyWarrior]

The desperation to keep this fight on the original date looks suspect to me.

Khan will win this fight.

Yep, FW will have been desperate to keep this match on after seeing Barrera's last fight - he probably thinks he was watching an old fighter, slowly falling apart at the seams, and he's got to get his boy in their before it's too late.

Of course he knows Khan is an accident waiting to happen, and will likely get chinned in 4 or 5 fights time, but he'll be hoping to cash in with a world title shot before the inevitable happens.

Khan's size and reach advantage, along with his speed, youth and heavy hands, should see him break down Barrera here.
Obviously it's always thin ice with Khan, and Barrera is a cagey old fox, but Khan's even got the built in fail safe advantage now of MAB having a cut eye that will likely bust open too.

[Asterix]

I think Khan will win.

[Bard of Boxrec]

and he's got to get his boy in their before it's too late.

Do you mean before the cut fully heals or before Barrera took another fight or something? Barrera is only going to get older.