Erik "El Terrible" Morales vs Marco Antonio Barrera: Who Really Won the Trilogy?

[elmersalsa]

Erik "El Terrible" Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera are two of the greatest fighters out of Mexico's great boxing tradition. Both to me are top 100 greatest fighters pound per pound of all-time without a doubt. Both were magnificent warriors that gave everything they had inside the ring.

When it comes to compare the two about their hall of fame careers, it is so evenly-matched in terms of accomplishments.

For starters, both started with a bang. Barrera won his first 43 fights. Morales won his first 41. Both of them also debuted at the professional level at young age. Morales started at 16 years of age. Barrera at 15.

Both won multiple titles.
Both had long careers.
And both also fought the best fighters of their era. In their records, they got similar common opponents.

Plus, both fought each other 3 times and started making their stardom at super bantamweight.

To you, who really won their trilogy? Some say Barrera. Some say Morales. But, in your own words, who was the better fighter of the two?

Who was the most accomplished? Morales beat guys that Barrera could not beat. Barrera had more fights. Morales was the better champ at 122lbs. Barrera was better going up in weight classes to some. Morales won 4 world titles in 4 weight classes. Barrera won 2.

So, this topic got three questions really.
1. Who won the trilogy?
2. Who was the better fighter between them?
3. Who do you rank above the other in the top 100 pound per pound all-time boxing greats?

[Onetimeonly]

Morales 2-1
Morales by a hair
See above

Not long ago Morales wasn't in your top 100.

[Tuan_Jim]

In all three fights, the other guy should have had his hand raised

[DrDuke]

1. Who won the trilogy?

Barrera. Won 1 and 3.

2. Who was the better fighter between them?

Barrera.

3. Who do you rank above the other in the top 100 pound per pound all-time boxing greats?

Tough question. Apart of their head-to-head matchups, it's Morales, but Barrera's two wins over Morales himself probably give the edge to Barrera.

[elmersalsa]

I have not seen fight #3 between them but, I read the reports that it was a cut-clear win for MAB.

So, if that is the case, the trilogy in my view is 1-1-1. The first fight, I scored it a draw at 114-114. And I scored it twice. The second fight I had the fight 117-114 for El Terrible.

If I had to pick who won the first fight, I will edge it for El Terrible. It could go either way. The fight was that close.

[elmersalsa]

Morales 2-1
Morales by a hair
See above

Not long ago Morales wasn't in your top 100.

I know. I had a change of heart this time. Greatness was in front of me and I did not know it. El Terrible was indeed a great all time pound per pound great. He belongs in the top 100 best. The same was with the great James "Lights Out" Toney. He was not on my original list, but boy, how could I miss somebody that was so great? And Toney is one of my favorite fighters.

[Duran1970]

114-114 score means you didn't count the knockdown in the 12th..?
Even if it was iffy

[elmersalsa]

114-114 score means you didn't count the knockdown in the 12th..?
Even if it was iffy

Exactly.

[elmersalsa]

114-114 score means you didn't count the knockdown in the 12th..?
Even if it was iffy

Exactly.

Sorry, I meant if Barrera was awarded the knockdown in the 12th, in my scoring would have been a draw.

[Onetimeonly]

114-114 score means you didn't count the knockdown in the 12th..?
Even if it was iffy

Way beyond iffy, but I had Erik by a point counting it.im an admitted Morales fan boy but any fight with that much action I always laugh when fans act like there were any easy rounds to score. Lampleys orgasms made that a robbery, Erik clearly won fight 2.

[Counter-puncher]

Lampleys orgasms made that a robbery,

one of the clearest ever robbery-by-commentary cases

[nickcat0]

I preferred watching Morales, and although Barrera won the head to head 2-1; on my scorecard I thought Morales was robbed in the 2nd fight.

Therefore I voted Morales.

[margaret thatcher]

2-1 barrera for me

[chrisjs1985]

Barrera better and won head for head. I scored him the winner 7-5 but with a real case of 8-4 in fight I & II, but fight II I scored Morales 7-5 but a case for 6-6. Barrera got the better of it when he fought with urgency. I think he got his tactics wrong early.

Both great fighters. I prefer Morales but I regard Barrera as the better fighter. But it’s close.