By Miguel Rivera
Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera has revealed that he received a proposal to fight Oscar Larios in 2003.
Barrera turned the fight down, because he saw Larios as 'a friend.' Instead of Larios, he was given the option of fighting an unknown up and comer named Manny Pacquiao.
The fight took place in November of 2003 and put Pacquiao on the map with the boxing world and the HBO televised audience. He dominated and punished Barrera for eleven rounds before the fight was waved off by the Mexican boxer's corner.
He never very little about Pacquiao and his strengths as a fighter.
"[Pacquiao] was an unknown. I remember the situation very well, because I was asked if I wanted to fight 'Chololo' Larios, who is from Guadalajara, or Manny Pacquiao? But 'Chololo' is my friend, my brother...how could I fight with him? I regret having made that decision because he gave me the beating of my life," Barrera told ESPN Deportes.
"He had very impressive speed. I remember I was just recovering from a punch, I turned and then four other punches came down and the same thing happened to Oscar de la Hoya [when he was stopped by Pacquiao in 2008]."
In October of 2007, Barrera fought Pacquiao again, now at super featherweight, and although this time there was no knockout, Marco once again failed in his attempt to beat the Filipino star.
"It was very different because Pacquiao did not feel as strong as he was in the fight," Barrera said. "What is clear is that I lost, but to Manny Pacquiao who is one of the best in the history of the boxing world."
Pacquiao returns for what he claims is the final fight of his career on Saturday night, against Tim Bradley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
