Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Orlando Canizales - 122lbs

Canizales could have been a possible match-up for Marco Antonio Barrera during the mid-90s had Canizales overcame Junior Jones when those fought in 1996. I feel both combatants have a lot of similarities in the way they fight, but obviously Orlando wouldn't be operating at his best weight, and he'd be slightly past his prime. How is the fight won? Personally, I don't feel a Canizales victory is out of the realms of possibility. Marco was still a bit raw during this time, whereas Canizales had a great deal of experience, and technical ability in abundance.

Opinions of the classic?

 

The man was never stopped in over 50 professional fights, I'm not convinced Marco had the firepower to do it either. What makes you think Orlando gets stopped in this fight?

 

As I understand it, Marco Barrera had already won a title eliminator down at Super Flyweight but decided to move up rather than chase a title. You see, Marco was far too good a fighter to have been considered green as a Super Bantamweight. He was rarely troubled before he ran into Gold Medalist Kennedy Mckinney, fighting on the very first Boxing After Dark telecast. It was a hell of a fight, but Marco would have lost if he had chose to box in my opinion. His jab was a non existent weapon at this point in time, whereas Mckinney was actually controlling the early going with his. Marco had to step inside and land hard shots, and that changed the fight.

Thanks for the insight. I tend to favor Marco on points, his explosiveness and hand speed at that point in time was spellbinding, and Orlando, for all of his strengths, was not an elusive target. It'd be very competitive though, Canizales was not a spent force and did a lot of things better than Marco when we're considering offensive skills. He had the punch placement to land on Marco repeatedly, and he hit bloody hard down at Bantamweight, I don't think it's out of the realms of possibility that Marco gets hurt in this fight.

 

Marco had more than enough firepower to get respect, but all of his knockouts at 122lbs were as a result of accumulation. Sure, he knocked out the likes of Espinoza and Zuniga, but neither of those fighters were really top 10 contenders let alone anywhere close to being the calibre of Canizales. It's interesting actually, I later said that Marco's right hand wouldn't really come on until post-Jones, but a lot of his one punch knockouts actually came from the right hand, those two included.

That said, I don't see Canizales getting stopped here. It would take a real lights out puncher like a Zarate or Gomez to do that.

 

I don't know whether that's true or not, but Marco wasn't all that dirty of a fighter. There were a few instances he lost his composure, but he was no Agapito Sanchez or an Andrew Golota. If he wins it will be as a result of his skills and heavy hands.

 

A 4 pound difference is not to drastic. Orlando came very close to winning a title at Super Bantamweight on two occasions, and it was against very good competition in Vasquez and Jones. I just don't think we can write Orlando off against a raw Marco Antonio Barrera, after all of his experience and his own technical ability.

 

Now that's a factor I'm willing to accept. Marco could conceivably bully Orlando in the ring, but he'd have to eat counters if he did. Both were terrific body punches, and so very similar in how they threw fast compact punches in combination. I love them both. Marco's strength could prevail, certainly.