Morales-Barrera trilogy scorecards

FIRST FIGHT


BARRERA: 1,2,3,8,9,11,12
MORALES:4,5,6,7,10

7-5 Barrera

Tough rounds to score sometimes, I think 3 and 7 could have gone either way, but they got one each, so cool. The knockdown was bs, but I still don't think Morales did enough. I think he got nailed down in the eleventh and the twelfth.



SECOND FIGHT

To me, Morales won this one pretty clearly. I just think that Barrera's strategy was all wrong, he's not going to take rounds from Morales going away and jabbing, the range is all wrong, it plays to Erik's greatest strength, and the energy he's conserving isn't going to be worth it in a 12 round fight. I think that Morales's wobbly legs come the 12th vindicate a strategy like that in a 15 round fight, and maybe helps to underline the difference between the two distances and the reasons having the longer distance might be important.

I really enjoyed Morales in the tenth, which is the highest level i've seen him fight at. That Morales really could trouble anyone in history, he controlled the action with three different styles and dominated a Barrera who was basically in the middle of a scorecard rush, having won three of the last four and about to win both the final rounds. He kept flat feet except when he had to and basically perfected his type of boxing for three minutes.

He looked disorganised again in the 11th though and got the **** knocked out of him in the 12th.

MORALES: 1,2,3,4,5,7,10
BARRERA: 6,8,9,11,12

7-5 MORALES

Certainly not a robbery but a bit of a head-scratcher. I guess they're all even for me anyway, I just have it the other way around...looking forwards to the third.



THIRD FIGHT

I think Morales at times showed a tactical naivety in the fight, but it may have been simply about his stamina and conditioning. There were snatches of rumours that he wasn't properly motivated and all that there. It's strange though, because you feel he knows what needs to be done after the first two.

Barrera's handspeed sure shows through as now legitimately superior in this one, he also looks a good deal smoother. Morales has to get into him to break that up and give himself a chance at the rounds. In the end I had him doing that, just enough to salvage a draw. But I have no qualms with the official verdict really, I think you could justify just about any close card here.

MORALES:2,4,7,8,11,12
BARRERA:1,3,5,6,9,10

6-6

Interesting that Morales pulled out the last two (eleventh is arguable) for the first time. Maybe his stepping off the gas in the mid rounds isn't a mistake. Only he'll know what he had left.

So, I have it 1-1-1 and don't agree with the judges once




I think the third one is the most interesting one, and although I have it a draw, I think it underlines why Barrera would go 2/3 with Morales officially more often than not. He's faster, he's a better composite puncher and although Morales is busier, Barrera can contest Morales rounds with harder punching and a generally superior offence. Because he's also the cuter of the two, he should be capable of outscoring Morales over 36 rounds. Morales has to work to take rounds, and that's just the harder bag, especially as it is demonstrated that he doesn't have prohibitavely more stamina than Barrera, even if he does indicate that he has more. That is, he is not equal to Barrera in freshness despite his higher workrate - he needs to deliver upon a style his body can't quite cash. There are short spells in the fights when Morales gasses a bit and Barrera immediatley becomes sharklike, dangerous looking...

Fascinating trilogy, probably overated as a blood and guts showdown, but very layered. Lots is going on. There are spells in the fight that don't look like they belong in the fight.

Morales in round 10 of 2 looks lethal, a genuine killer at the weight. That was a bit of a perfect storm for him though.


Thoughts on the trilogy? Any more scorecards?

 

Boom!

 

Just watch them ***, none of your lip.

 

Yeah, third fight, scored it twice, got a draw twice.

 

It's funny that the way we watch fights down the years has changed. Old time fight films used to be rare. When I was a kid we had about thirty fights between us. Now, if a fight isn't available in good quality...guys get sad. Pretty cool.