The Baby-Faced Assassin: Marco Antonio Barrera

The Lion of Mexican Boxing

Marco Antonio Barrera was born on January 17th, 1974, and contrary to the popular image of boxers coming from impoverished backgrounds, the Barreras were a solidly middle class Mexican family. Along with his brother Jorge, Barrera took to boxing as a child and soon became a star in Mexico's amateur boxing circuit. He went 104-4 and won 5 Mexican national championships. All of these bouts were as a mere schoolboy, however. Barrera turned pro at the age of 15, starting his pro career as a flyweight.

Barrera might have been young, but he was fierce and talented. In April 1992, in his 17th pro fight, an 18 year old Barrera captured the Mexican super flyweight title (115 lbs) by Unanimous Decision. He held onto that title for two years, until he entered an match to earn #1 contender's status for the WBC world title. While he won a closely fought contest, Barrera had failed to make the weight limit by 1 1/4 lbs, and therefore the #1 contender's status went to his opponent by default. As if his boxing career was not enough, Barrera was also studying law at this time. Unable to make 115 lbs anymore, Barrera continued his pugilistic campaign at bantamweight (118 lbs) and then super bantamweight (122 lbs). In March 1995, he became an undefeated world champion at the age of 21 when he won the WBO Super Bantamweight Title.