MAKING IT RIGHT

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (INSIDE BOXING June 22, 2002) - Tonight the judges settled the score, turned a wrong into a right.  An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth, what’s good for the Goose is good for the Gander.

Like the first encounter between Marcos Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, we witnessed a grand battle.  The judges awarded the wrong contestant the victory.  In the rematch tonight we witnessed the same.

Somehow, it still does not feel right.

For the first 5 rounds of this fight Morales was a technician in the ring.  He backed up Barrera, scored with constant jabs and combinations.  It was not until the 6^th round that Barrera started to force the issue and connect with solid combinations and punches.

As it turns out the 7^th round was more damaging to Morales than any punch Barrera would throw.

A close round for both fighters as both evenly exchanged punches.  The difference was Morales lands a solid punch to the mid section of Barrera and Barrera falls to the canvas.  The referee rules a slip and waves off the knock down.  Had the fall be ruled a knock down, as the replay clearly shows a punch was made, this would have been a 10-8 round in favor of Morales.  Instead all three judges award Barrera the round.  A three-point swing in scoring.

The 9^th round Barrera comes alive and does the most damage to Morales as he connects with many power shots and combinations.

The 10^th round went back Morales’ way while Barrera comes out strong in the 11^th and final rounds.

When it was all over Barrera’s hand was raised in victory.

Judge Chuck Giampa scored the fight 116-112, while judges Mike Glienna and Duane Ford saw the fight 115-113 all in favor of Barrera.

The Fight did extremely well at the gate with paid attendance at 12, 709.

HBO Sports presents the exclusive delay broadcast of the Barrera vs. Morales coupled with a live heavyweight prizefight from Atlantic City on Saturday, June 29 at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.