Manny Pacquiao vs. Marco Antonio Barrera: The Legendary Boxing Match in 2003
It was boxing’s most anticipated match-up of the year, Manny Pacquiao vs. Marco Antonio Barrera. The Boxing world had been waiting for this fight for over a year, ever since many rumors told that they would both be fighting on the same card. Though many consider boxing an old sport, the manny pacquiao vs barrera match in 2003 showed that boxing has plenty left in the tank with their electrifying showdown at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Backgrounds of the Two Boxers
Before we talk further about this legendary boxing match, it’s a good idea to talk about the background of each boxer. Manny Pacquiao is a Filipino boxer and actor. Boxing has been a significant part of his life, after being taught how to box by his father when he was just 12 years old.
He’s currently the WBO Welterweight Champion and is one of boxing’s most popular fighters in history. In 2009, ESPN listed him as the #57 greatest pound-for-pound fighter. Aside from that, he was also one of the co-boxers in the movie “The Fighter” with Mark Wahlberg.
Manny Pacquiao Boxing Record: 57 wins, five losses, and two draws. He’s won world titles in seven different weight divisions (from super bantamweight to light-middleweight). On the other side, we have Marco Antonio Barrera. He is a Mexican boxer who’s also a four-time world champion in three different weight classes. He is the youngest Mexican boxer to win a world title, at only 20 years old when he won it during his fight against Angky Angkota for the WBO Super Bantamweight Title. In 2001, Barrera defeated Erik Morales. This event was named Boxing Fight of the Year by The Ring.
The Showdown and the Fight
The fight was held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, November 15th, 2003. It is considered to be one of the biggest all-action fights ever seen in boxing history. This match did not disappoint. It lived up to its hype and expectations! But, how was the fight? Boxing fans will remember it as the fight of the century.
Pacquiao vs. Barrera was a fight to remember with so many back and forth exchanges between both fighters. Boxing fans were also treated with two knockdowns in Round Three and Four, plus another four knockdowns in round five alone! Pacquiao would end up losing if it were not for the “tie” rule. Boxing purists and experts alike will never forget this fight as one of the best seen in boxing history!
The Aftermath of the Fight
What happened to the world of boxing after this legendary match? Boxing fans were treated with more great fights, such as Oscar de la Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad and the rematch of Pacquiao vs. Barrera. Boxing had become a “must watch” sport after this match! While some considered boxing dead ever since, it is not entirely true: Boxing has been alive and well in 2015 thanks to legendary battles like Pacquiao vs. Barrera in 2003.
It’s hard to see which way the fight would go. Pacquiao was a promising new boxer, but Barrera had been an undefeated world champion for over six years and hadn’t lost in nearly two decades; he also sported a record of 53-2-0 with 40 KOs. Nevertheless, Manny won the match by unanimous decision (this is boxing, after all). The judges’ scorecards were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112 – not even close! What do you think? Did we witness history, or did we get robbed?
