He's Back...Barrera Returns In Style

06/20/04
By Jim Amato

   I expected a better fight. When I first read about this match up I looked for a close win for Barrera. Paulie Ayala is a former champion and was still a world class boxer. The Barrera that was devastated by Pac-Man would have to improve to handle Ayala.
   Yes I know that Ayala was manhandled by Erik Morales. To me that was just a poor style match up for Paulie. Morales was just too tall for him. Erik used his height and power to keep Paulie at bay and dictate the pace of the fight. It was a tribute to Ayala's courage that he was able to last the distance.
   Against Barrera I felt that Ayala would be able to get his fair share of inside work done and keep the fight close. Maybe his body attack would break Barrera down in the late rounds and he would be able to pull out an upset victory. Wrong !!!
   Paulie Ayala did not fight a bad fight. Marco Antonio Barrera just fought a great one. Maybe Paulie is too small to compete evenly with Morales or Barrera. Take nothing away from Barrera, he fought the perfect fight.    It ended at 2:34 of the

tenth round after Paulie had been decked on more then one occasion. I gave Ayala only one round before the stoppage. Marco was that good. He set the tempo with his jab but his short stinging uppercuts and a wicked body attack spelled doom for Ayala.
If gameness won fights, Paulie would still be a champion.
Who is next on the Barrera dance card ? Will he take a return bout with Manny or opt to meet Morales a third time ? For Ayala it is time to seriously reflect on what direction his career is headed.