Hmmm thought this sounded like a very interesting match. Just reminds me why I haven't posted in a year.
Barrera was bigger (same day weigh in he was probably 132) and v just good enough to get by this one. Hell hit the hittable escalera, box him a little when the going gets tough, and walk away with a close decision.
The issue of weight isn't as cut and dry as you make out. Barrera, at 132, isn't big at all. I'm sure he'd rather make 130 lbs on the day than dry out to 122 24 hours before, only to re-hydrate up again. It's unlikely that Escalera, himself, scales in at exactly 130, hours after the weigh-in.
I think 126 Barrera was probably 132, least on fight night. The junior lightweight version was probably 136 or so. Anyway forget that-barrera was just better and Escalera in no way resembles a stylistic foil.
For this match-up, I'm going with the very best version of Barrera, who, as you know, scaled around 132 pounds on fight night. He was able to do this through the years, despite title runs in 3 different divisions. In fact, against Peden, he was trained to a "t", and did not put on any additional weight between the weigh-in and the fight. Like I said, take both of them at their approximate primes, have them weigh in at the 130-pound limit, and I guarantee Barrera will have a much better time at it.
Escalera wouldn't back down, but Barrera would mostly beat him up with boxing, body punching, and some rough stuff. Alfredo would have his fiery rallies, fighting back with his death defying resolve like he did, but Barrera would win imho.
