BERT SUGAR PRE-FIGHT ANALYSIS

by Bert Sugar with Steve Small

STRENGTHS OF BOTH FIGHTERS

MARCO ANTONIO BARERRA

- Unlike most veterans, Barrera can alter his style, fight-to-fight, adapting to the style of his opponents--here, see his second fight against Erik Morales--and will make adjustments to counter Juarez's style.

- Possesses one of the most debilitating, bone-rattling left hooks to the body in recent memory.

- Has a champion's heart and was able to come back in fights against the likes of Erik Morales and Kennedy McKinney and, even though hurt and tired, went toe-to with the younger and fresher Juarez in the last round of their first fight.

- A future Hall of Famer keenly aware of his legendary status in Mexican boxing history, Barrera looks to burnish his epic career by defeating the boxer who gave him everything he could handle their first time around.

ROCKY JUAREZ

- A tough, talented member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, Juarez has youth, quickness and stamina on his side.

- A fighter who never takes a step backwards, Juarez possesses power and determination and feels he is the young tiger and will displace the old lion in today's boxing top tier.

- With the confidence of youth, Juarez took the first fight against Barrera on short notice as a substitute for Barrera's original opponent, lightweight champion Jesus Chavez. Now he feels that with more time to prepare and some knowledge on his opponent, he can win his rematch with Barrera just as he thought he won their first fight.

WEAKNESSES OF BOTH FIGHTERS

BARRERA

- Although only 32 years of age, Marco Antonio Barrera has been boxing professionally for 17 years and who knows how much wear-and-tear his body has taken his many ring wars. In his first fight against Juarez, he looked 100 in boxing years in the later rounds, running out of steam and losing his mouthpiece twice.

- In their first fight, Barrera was hesitant to use his patented left hook to the body, afraid to open up lest Juarez's counters caught him and too often squared up his body, allowing Juarez to catch him with punches he wouldn't have been hit with earlier in his career.

- With the natural thickening of age, Barrera who has gone up from being a junior feather to now a junior lightweight--and entertains thoughts of fighting as a lightweight--and might have lost his ability to hurt heavier opponents. And, in turn, be hurt more by them.

JUAREZ

- While Juarez surprised Barrera in their first fight, he no longer can hope to ambush Barrera who now knows, first hand, what Juarez has to offer.

- Barrera controlled Juarez in the early going of their first fight before he began to show signs of exhaustion. If Barrera doesn't tire, Juarez, who has one gear, can be controlled again by Barrera.

- Just as he was surprised by Humberto Soto in his only other loss, Juarez can be surprised by Barrera if Barrera changes his style here.

WHAT EACH MUST DO TO WIN

BARRERA

- Has to control the pace of the fight, boxing more and slugging less. He needs to win rounds early without expending too much energy, energy he'll need in the closing rounds.

- Juarez doesn't move his head well, he just holds his hands high. The only way to attack him is right down the middle with double-and triple-jabs that set up the straight right hand-left uppercut-right hand combinations which worked well for Barrera in the first fight.

- Barrera has to keep the fight at long range, putting his jab in Juarez's face and keeping him at arm's length, then sliding away to his left or right, making Juarez turn, then hitting Juarez with combinations.

JUAREZ

- Juarez needs to get in close to Barrera and hit him to the body early in the fight. In their first fight Rocky was headhunting too much in the early rounds when he should have been working Barrera's body to slow him down.

- Barrera drops his jab after he throws it. Juarez has to throw right hand counters over Barrera's jab. This worked almost every time in the first fight.

- Juarez needs to move his head more, slipping and rolling under Barrera's punches instead of trying to block everything with his hands. This will enable him to get in close to Barrera's body.