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Barrera retains WBC title

17/09/2006

Mexico's Marco Antonio Barrera has retained his WBC super featherweight title after a unanimous points decision over American Rocky Juarez in Las Vegas.

The 'Baby Faced Assassin' had promised to draw a line under the controversy which marred their previous fight in May, where Barrera was awarded a split decision after the judges had originally called the bout a draw.

This he did, taking the rematch 117-111, 115-113, 115-113 to extend his career wins total to 63 from 67 fights.

"I moved very fast, I used my jab and I knew if I had to take him to the school I would do it," Barrera said.

Barrera, boxing on Mexico's independence day, controlled the fight from the start, keeping Juarez on the end of his jab and hitting him with good combinations when the opportunity presented itself.

Juarez's right eye began to swell from round five after repeated jabs from Barrera and despite the American's attempts to up the tempo of the fight from round eight, the 32-year-old boxed cleverly to maintain his stranglehold until the final bell.

"He came to box and he fought a better fight than he fought the first fight," Juarez said.

"I figured he would stay in there but I had to try and convince him to trade with me. But there was no one point in the fight where he hurt me."

Barrera also announced after the fight he would retire from boxing next year so he could spend more time with his family.

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