By Rick Reeno

The time is finally here, "The Baby faced Assassin" Marco Antonio Barrera is moving up to 130 pounds to take on Mexican rival Erik "El Terrible" Morales. This will be the third meeting between the two men. The first meeting was held at 122 pounds, the rematch happened at 126 pounds and now they meet for the final time at 130 pounds.

Each fighter holds a win over the other, most observers felt that each man deserved to lose the fight they won. Barrera admits that 130 is not his natural weight class and Morales says that he has never felt better at 130. Morales puts up his WBC super featherweight title against Barrera in this fight.

Morales is a heavy favorite in the fight and many are picking him to knock Barrera out. Morales has looked nothing less then a top pound for pound fighter since his loss to Barrera in 2002, he took on top fighters and beat them impressively. Barrera fought less then impressive opposition and when he stepped up in class, he was dominated by Manny Pacquiao on route to a TKO loss. Some say Barrera has the number of Morales, others say that this fight will be the end of the road for Barrera. Only one of them will be known as best Mexican fighter on the planet, within a few hours we shall find out which fighter gets the rights to that title.

The Round by Round Coverage has officially started. Remember to reload this thread often.

In the pre-fight hype for the fight, Barrera said that fighting at 130 is a big risk, but he wanted to fight Morales again. Morales said that he will be looking for the knock out in this fight. Morales says that even though he is fighting at 130 now, he has to work very hard to make the weight.

Barrera's trainer said that Marco will use the same pattern as the second fight, Barrera will use his legs and movement. Morales expects a combination of the first two fights, he sees boxing match at first and a war to break out at some point down the line.

Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Roy Jones Jr. are doing the play by play.

Undefeated WBO mini-flyweight champion Ivan Calderon vs. Carlos Fajardo is up first, this bout is in the 105 pound weight division.

Calderon has come in on fight night weighing 112 pounds.  Fajardo has come on fight night weighing 118 pounds. Fajardo said that he walks around at 122 and it was very hard to make the weight for the fight.

Neither fighter getting much of a positive reaction from the crowd.

Round 1 - Calderon with some bodyshots. Both guys moving and jabbing to try and set up big shots. Both men are in the southpaw stance. Big left hook by Calderon. Calderon jabbing, landing the hook and moving to the side to give Fajardo no chances to counter. Good right by Calderon on the cheek of Fajardo. Hard right hook by Calderon. Fajardo is very slow at this weight. Calderon is using great movement to school Fajardo. Easy round for Calderon. 

Round 2 - Calderon starts jabbing. Fajardo landed two punches in the last round. Calderon just moving and jabbing to the body and head. Big right hook by Calderon. Calderon pushes Fajardo to the ground, gets a warning. Big straight right by Calderon. Fajardo is just totally mismatched by here. Calderon with a huge bodyshot. Low blow by Fajardo, gets a warning. This could be a long fight, Calderon only has 4 KOs as a pro. Calderon making Fajardo miss and pay with good right hands.

Round 3 - Jabbing to the head and body by Calderon. Huge right by Fajardo, Fardo shook a bit. Fajardo landing the left hand to the body, but Calderon's movement is just too fast for him. Fajardo is cutting the ring off a bit better. Calderon with a combo to the body. Both men trade good counters. Another low blow by Fajardo, another warning. Right hook by Calderon, countering under Fajardo's left. Jabbing by Calderon. Big missed shots by Fajardo. Good right by Calderon. Three rounds in the bank for Calderon.

Round 4 - Fajardo trying to throw some bombs, but missing. Big right by Calderon. Another big right by Calderon. Another right by Calderon, too bad he has no power of this fight would be over by now. Four punch combo by Calderon. Good left-right combo by Calderon. Another big right by Calderon. Calderon is just too fst and too good for this guy. Calderon with a four round combo to the head and body. Another low blow by Fajardo, gets another warning. None of these low blows have been serious. Another round for Calderon.

Erik Morales has just arrived to the arena. 

Round 5 - Fajardo misses a big shot. Fajardo missing about 6 punches in a row. Calderon boxing him silly at this point. Good left by Calderon, moves to the side to allow no counters to get off. Huge right by Calderon. Fajardo keeps chasing and keeps missing. What a right by Calderon, knocked Bajardo's head back. Another big right by Calderon. Now a big left by Calderon. Another round for Calderon.

Round 6 - Fajardo has only landed 23 punches so far. Missed left by Calderon. Uppercut by Calderon. Fajardo is trying, sensing he is far behind, but too slow to catch Calderon with any shot. Fajardo's face is getting puffy. Calderon is jabbing and moving. Big left by Calderon. 5 punch combo to the head and body by Calderon and he moves away from any counter. Fajardo with a left to the body. Calderon with a left. Calderon with another round.

Round 7 - HBO is questioning why this fight was put on the pay per view card. Calderon is jabbing and moving. Big right by Calderon. Another right by Calderon. Fajardo keeps coming forward but too slow to land a big punch. Both guys jabbing. Crowd is starting to boo the fight. Merchant says these kind of fights make the fans dislike the lower weight classes under 110 pounds. Big left by Calderon. Another round for Calderon.

Round 8 - Calderon jabbing and moving. Calderon is just making Fajardo miss to the point where the fight is not even the slightest bit competative. Calderon with a huge right and moves away. Fajardo lands a left over the top.  Big right hook by Calderon. Crowd starting to boo very loud. Easy round for Calderon.

Round 9 - Both guys are jabbing. The two trade a few combos by both men. Fajardo wants to fight and Calderon not biting. Calderon is just landing at will. Both guys are now hugging. Another round for Calderon.

NEWSFLASH - There is a huge problem in the back between with Morales and Barrera over the brand of gloves to use for the fight. Barrera said he wont fight until the issue is solved.

Las Vegas rules state that fighters must wear the same brand of gloves. Barrera cannot fit into the japanese made gloves that Morales wears. Las Vegas told Barrera to make a cut in the glove so his hand can fit. The Morlales camp is protesting and saying that the cut in the glove is so big that it will give Barrera an advantage.

Round 10 - Calderon is unmarked, Fajardo's eyes are not in the best shape. Calderon is just moving, jabbing and making Fajardo miss plenty. Another round for Calderon.

Round 11 - Calderon is just boxing and moving, knowing that the fight is beyond in the bag and not taking chances. Calderon with some hard bodyshots. Good counter left by Calderon. Big left by Calderon. Fajardo appears to be totally defeated mentally. Calderon with a three punch combo. Fajardo missing a few shots. Elbow shot by Fajardo. Ref has had enough and takes a point away from Fajrdo this time. Calderon with a big right. 10-8 round for Calderon.

HBO just said that the glove issue is sloved, the piece cut out from the glove to make Barrera's hand fit will be taped to the back of the glove in order to make sure the gloves weight exactly the same.  

Round 12 - Fajardo is trying but too slow to catch up to Calderon. Calderon just toying with Fajardo at this point. Fajardo hurt by a right. Calderon landing some bodyshots. Calderon jabbing. The fight is over, the crowd is heavily booing and thank God the fight is over. Calderon in a pure one-sided blow out. My score has 120-107. HBO has the same score. Official scores coming up shortly. 

120-107, 118-109 and 119-108 for the winner and still undefeated, the WBO mini-flyweight champion, Ivan Calderon. Crowd boos.

Next fight up is Rafael Marquez vs. Mauricio Pastrana 2 fight . Both guys weighed at the limit of 118 for this fight. Marquez on fight night is 134 pounds, Pastrana is 129 pounds. HBO not sure why these guys are fighting again after Marquez already beat him a few fights ago.

Marquez says that Pastrana is one of the few fighters to go the distance with him and wants to knock him out. The IBF bantamweight championship of Marquez is on the line. Big cheers for Marquez.

Round 1 - Both guys start of boxing, exchanging jabs. Both guys look very big for 118, but then again they came in weighing like lightweights. Jabbing contest at this point. Mexico chant starts by the crowd. Left hand counter by Pastrana. Left hook by Marquez. Pastrana hurt by a big left. Pastrana almost goes down after 3 hard bodyshots. Huge Mexico chants start. Left to the body by Marquez. Now the crowd is getting hot and Marquez gets the round.

Round 2 - Both guys jabbing. Big left by Marquez. HBO says Pastrana has never been down or knocked out. Bodyshot by Marquez. Pastrana misses a few shots. They trade rights. Marquez jabbing. Crowd boos a little as the action gets a bit slow. Now the Mexico chant starts again. Both guys just jabbing. Marquez gets a low blow warning and the crowd boos. Good right hand by Pastrana, another right by Pastrana. Counter right by Pastrana. Marquez gets the second round.

Round 3 - Marquez has a scratch on his right cheekbone, nothing serious. Both guys start jabbing. Pastranan tries to throw a 6 punch combo. Marquez blocks them all and starts jabbing again. Crowd getting restless again, they want to see war tonight. Shots up and down by Marquez. Pastrana trying to jab to the body. Big left hook to the body by Marquez. Marquez with a big left upstairs. Pastrana hurt Marquez with a right, Marquez loses his balance and holds onto Pastrana. Marquez appears fine and the round ends. Another round for Marquez.

Round 4 - Cut above the left eye of Pastrana, both guys jabbing again. Good left by Pastrana. Cut was caused by a headbutt from the prior round and the cut is bothering Pastrana. Pastrana being very active, but Marquez keeps it a boxing match with his great jab. Right hand by Marquez, going after the eye. Pastrana with a right. Marquez with a left. Marquez with a huge left. Another round for Marquez, but so far a good fight.

Round 5 - Both guys start trading jabs. Pastrana tries a three punch combo and they get blocked. The jabbing contest continues in the center of the ring. Pastrana with a bodyshot. Straight right by Marquez. They trade bodyshots. Good right by Pastrana. Pastrana with another good right. Marquez with a good right. Three punch combo by Pastrana, two punch combo by Marquez. I will give Pastrana the round by a small margin.

Round 6 - HBO gave Pastrana the last round as well. Good right by Pastrana over the top. Marquez digging to the body and coming back to the head over and over. Mexico chant starts. They start an inside war and trade bodyshots. Big right by Marquez. They trade lefts. They are trading some more shots. Marquez to the body and to the head. Pastrana's eyes are swelling. Marquez's left eye is swelling. Marquez ends off with a good left hook. Another round for Marquez.

Round 7 - Both guys are now boxing in the middle and trying to land big shots. Marquez digs a left hand bodyshot. Marquez with a double hook. Good right Pastrana. Bodyshots by Pastrana. Right eye of Pastrana is almost closed shut. Marquez resumes the hard jab. They trade jabs and Marquez takes another round. 

Round 8 - Pastrana now reaching with his punches. Godo bodyshot by Marquez. They trade jabs. The face of Pastrana is a mess, swelled up like a melon. Crowd boos as the two men just move and jab. Marquez is chasing him down with the jab. Pastrana's right eye is closing, the left eye has a bad cut above it and Marquez is just pumping the jab and landing the bodyshots behind them. Pastrana is now running around, he gets hurt by some bodyshots. They are trading against the ropes, the guys are going to war. Pastrana lands a few good shots at the end. Crowd on its feet. Another round for Marquez.

Pastrana has hurt his arm. The doctor is in the corner and has stopped the fight. Marquez wins the fight by way of an 8th round TKO. Pastrana could barely see from either eye, said he hurt his arm so a very good stoppage by the doctor.

Marquez landed 207 punches to 89 punches for Pastrana.

In what should be a very good fight, Oscar Larios vs. Nedal Hussein is next. Hussein with only one loss on his record to Manny Pacquiao because of a bad cut. Hussein actually had Pacquiao down in the fight and was said to be winning the fight by some ringside observers. The Hussein camp claims that Pacquiao was down for 18 seconds from the punch, but the KO was robbed from them by a Filipino ref in Pacquiao's hometown.

Both guys weighed for the 122 pound limit, Larios is 134 pounds tonight. Hussein is 133 pounds. Roy Jones says that Hussein is one of the best body punchers he ever saw in the weight class.

Larios' WBC super-bantamweight championship is on the line.

The crowd is heavily on the side of Larios.

Round 1 - Larios starts off with hard shots on Hussein right off the bat. Beats Hussein against the ropes. Slip by Hussein, ref waives it off. Larios with a low bodyshot, gets a warning. Larios looks huge, Hussein misses a shot, lands a jab. Larios throwing some shots with mean intentions. Hussein with a bodyshot, Larios with a right. They trade bodyshots. Larios with a right, now working the jab. Hussein is starting real slow. larios misses two nig shots. Hussein with a good bodyshot. Round goes to Larios.

Round 2 - Larios jabbing and throwing big bombs behind them. Hussein with a good defense. Larios now landing uppercuts, three of them in a row. Good bodyshots by Hussein. Bodyshot hurts Larios, Larios coming back with shots upstairs.  Larios now moving backwards as the bodyshots are getting to him. Huge chants by the crowd for Hussein. Right backs up Larios, another right for Hussein. Big right uppercut by Hussein. Big right by Hussein. Larios has some beard.  Big round for Hussein.

Round 3 - HBO has the rounds split as well. They start jabbing. Larios throwing and Hussein blocking most of them. Good right by Larios. Right by Hussein. They are trading shots, Larios backing up from the Hussein bodyshots. They are throwing some bombs in this round. They trade bodyshots. Larios missing many shots here. Good right by Hussein. Very close round that I will give to Larios.

Round 4 - HBO gave Larios the last round. They start jabbing. Ref has had to break them apart a few times as both guys are trying to get inside. Crowd dislikes the holding. Mexico chant starts. Even though Hussein is blocking plenty of punches, Larios is just outworking him by throwing so many more punches and that is the difference in the fight right now. Larios with a good bodyshot. They miss some big shots. Larios beating on Hussein against the ropes as the round ends. Another round for Larios.

Round 5 - Larios just keeps throwing punches up and down. He doesnt seem to care if the punches are landing or not, he just keeps on throwing. They trade bodyshots inside. Left lands for Hussein. Larios is moving, boxing and blocking the Hussein bodyshot. Big bodyshot and left upstairs by Hussein. Larios with a right. They trade at the ten second mark. Larios gets the round.

Round 6 - Fenech yelling at Hussein to throw more punches. Larios starts off by throwing punches. Hussein starts landing the jab. Hard right against the ropes by Larios. Good jab by Hussein, Larios answers back with a few shots. Good left by Hussein, another left for Hussein. Right by Larios. Hussein starting to beat Larios to the punch. Hussein is taking the lead. Hussein takes a close round on my card.

Round 7 - HBO gave Hussein the last round as well. Larios is throwing plenty of jabs. Good bodyshot by Hussein. Bodyshot by Larios. The fight is now going back to the inside as both men try for the body. Good bodyshot by Hussein, Larios with a hard right. They trade jabs. Larios staying very busy by throwing many more punches, not all are landing but he is so busy that he is winning the rounds. Round for Larios.

Round 8 - Larios coming in to throw some big shots. Hussein is now trying to land some big shots. HBO said Larios has doubled the punch count of Hussein. The fight is on the inside again. Both men are jabbing. Uppercut by Larios, Right by Hussein. Good right by Larios. Hussein is getting frustrated and pushes Larios. Larios now going after the body. Larios throws about ten punches. Another round for Larios.

Round 9 - Larios is just a much busier fighter and keeps throwing. Hussein off balance and Larios lands a right. They are jabbing in the middle and now Larios is really working his jab. Hussein misses a big right hand. Larios jabbing and Hussein misses another right hand. Hussein to the body. Larios keeps throwing punches up and downstairs. Another round for Larios.

Round 10 - They start jabbing. Larios throwing many more jabs. Larios throwing about ten punches to every one punch thrown by Hussein. Hard bodyshots by Larios. Everytime Hussein tries to come in, Larios does the smart thing and ties him up. Another round for Larios.

Round 11 - Larios starts throwing to the body and the head. It's the same story with Larios throwing non stop shots. Good right by Larios. Hussein is landing up and down. Larios winning the fight on the inside and on the outside. Another round for Larios.

Round 12 - This is the final round and Hussein is not fighting like a guy who needs a knock out to win the fight. Larios has some gas tank as even the last round, he continues to throw many more punches even in the last round. Big right by Hussein. Larios now jabbing him. They trade a few shots at the bell. Larios gets the last round and an easy win on my card. HBO gave Hussein the last round.

i will say this, this has been a very hard undercard to sit through. Scores are coming up and the main event is the only fight remaining.

118-111, 120-108 and 119-109 for the winner and still champion, Oscar Larios.

Larios threw 897 punches to only 432 punches for Hussein.

The main event is coming up within a few moments. Morales is a 2-1 favorite by Las Vegas odds.

HBO has just stated that Erik Morales is weighing 143 pounds tonight , Barrera is only 132 pounds. Wow, what a weight advantage for Morales.

It is now time for the national anthems of Mexico and the Unites States. Both fighters look very ready in the back for this fight.

The arena is going wild as Marco Antonio Barrera makes it down to the ring. Mexican flags are all over the place.

Morales is coming down to the ring, arena goes wild again. 17-1 in title fights and 10 by KO. The lone loss is to Marco Antonio Barrera.

The judges for the fight Larry O'Connell, Jerry Roth and Paul Smith. The ref is Kenny Bayless.

Michael Buffer's LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE heats up the crowd. The crowd seems to be very split between both men by their reactions as both men are announced to the crowd. Here we go.

Round 1 - Crowd on its feet for the start of round one yelling and stomping. Barrera comes out going to work right away. Marco is leading with big power shots. Morales now coming on with lead shots. Uppercut by Morales, Barrera jabbing. Jab by Morales. They trade shots upstairs. Morales getting in close. Morales has redness on his nose. Barrera landing some hard shots all over the head of Morales. The crowd is going wild. Barrera is landing more hard shots upstairs. They trade jabs. Three punch combo for Barrera. Big round for Barrera.

Round 2 - They start off boxing. Barrera to the body. Morales jabbing. Marco jabbing. This crowd is loud as I have ever heard one. Morales and Barrera now trade power punches. Morales with ahard bodyshot. Morales landing a great jab. Morales taking over. Now Barrera with a big bodyshot, they trade jabs. Big hook by Barrera against the ropes. They are trading jabs and power shots in the middle. Bodyshot by Barrera. great uppercut by Barrera. The war begins as both men are trading bombs. Barrera with a huge shot, now Morales witha big shot. Crowd on its feet at the end of the round. What a fight so far. Round was very close, I gave it to Morales.

Round 3 - The two men are going to war once again. Barrera is getting off much better as he is landing big shots up and downstairs. Barrera moving much quicker and getting off better do to his speed. Morales much slower at the weight. Maybe the weight he put on was a bad thing as it is now another round for Barrera.

Round 4 - Morales now getting of with a few lead right hands. HBO thinks that the nose of Morales is broken. They start jabbing. Morales witha few huge power shots in response to a Barrera shot. Morales is bleeding bad from the nose. Morales trying to rally and Barrera is countering well with shots up and down on Morales. The right eye of Morales is starting to swell. Barrera with another big round.

Round 5 - Barrera is jabbing away and landing to the body of Morales. Barrera is now landing to the body of Morales and to the head. Barrera is now hammering Morales against the ropes. Another round for Barrera.

Round 6 - Barrera hammers him with more bodyshots, now with a great uppercut. Huge lefthook by Barrera and Morales' legs buckled. Barrera is beating Morales to a pulp right now. Left hook by Morales, Barrera with a heavier left hook. Another round for Barrera.

Round 7 - HBO has it 59-55 for Barrera. Morales trying to come forward but Barrera is busting him up and making Morales miss. Short counter by Morales. hard right hand by Morales. Barrera seems to be resting, they trade at the bell. Morales gets this round.

Round 8 - Big right by Morales, bodyshot by Morales. They are now boxing, but Morales is now staring to come into the fight. Action is slowing up. Barrera is landing bopdyshots, throwing several shots upstairs. Barrera is jabbing and countering well here. It was close, but I gave the round to Barrera.

Round 9 - HBO gave Morales the last round 77-75 for Morales. I have it 78-74 for Barrera. They are now boxing, crowd is hot and on it's feet. Barrera to the body and to the head, Morales trying to fight him off. Morales is now fighting from the outside. ref gives a warning to Barrera for hitting behind the head. Barrera lands a huge left hook another big left hook by Barrera. Morales getting desperate and trying to come on. Big right hand by Barrera and the two almost trade shots after the bell. They get broken apart. Big round for Barrera

Round 10 - HBO has it 87-84 for Barrera, I have it 88-83. They start boxing very slowly, Barrera with the jab. Morales's face is looking pretty bad, Barrera is clean. Big combos against the ropes on Morales. Morales is waiting on Barrera and it is losing him the fight. Barrera jabbing.  Barrera with a combo. Morales with big right. Morales keep pawing at his nose, it is bothering him. They trade big shots at the bell. Barrera gets another round on my card. HBO has Barrera getting it as well.

Round 11 - Barrera's corner telling him to throw everything on the table. HBO has it 97-93 for Barrera. I have it 98-92. Barrera pumpin the jab hard, now a hard right, now a left hook. Morales missing his shots, they are trading big shots in the middle of the ring and Morales is hurt to the head. Morales with a big shot to the body. Barrera is now stunnd as Morales lands a hard left hook.  Big shot by Barrera, uppercut by Morales. Barrera with another right. They are both throwing everything. Morales is coming on strong, Barrera going to the body. Morales is hurt again with a lefthook by Barrera. Another hard left by Barrera and it is now a streetfight. Round ends and Barrera gets it. Crowd on its feet like maniacs.

Round 12 - They are trading huge shots at the start, Barrera is hurt. Marco manages to stay on his feet. Barrera going to the body, now to the head. Both guys are tired. Barrera letting it all hang out. It is an inside war between both men. Morales now beating Marco and now Barrera coming back. Morales' eye is bleeding and so is his nose. Morales unloading on Barrera and now Barrera is going nuts and they are trading like madmen. The entire crowd is on its feet and the bell sounds. The Entire crowd and HBO crew is on its feet. WHAT A FIGHT, the best of the three in my opinion.

The official scores are coming up. HBO and myself have Barrera winning by a wide margin.

Paul Smith 114-114 a draw

Jerry Roth 115-114

Larry O'Connell 115-113

For the winner and NEW WBC junior lightweight champion of the world, MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA.

Thank you for everyone that came on BoxingScene to get the play by play of this fight. It was hard to do the play by play as this fight was just that good.