Redemption Quest: Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Junior Jones II Revisited

On April 18, 1997, Marco Antonio Barrera had the chance to exact revenge on the dangerous Junior Jones and win back his WBO super bantamweight title he had lost to the American after being disqualified in the fifth round with his corner entering the ring early, as Jones was launching a vicious attack on the Mexican, and was seemingly on the verges of stopping him. The rematch at the Las Vegas Hilton was a closely contested affair, which saw Jones improve in the second half of the fight to win by unanimous decision, with the judges scorecards reading 116-111, 114-113 and 114-112. Big Fight Weekend are taking you back to fight night.

Marco Antonio Barrera Record: Revisiting Junior Jones II

Marco Antonio Barrera Record: Recap of Junior Jones II

Barrera was understandably more aware of how dangerous Jones was in their rematch and boxed off the back foot in the early rounds, which seemed to unsettle Jones – with the American soon finding his groove and increasing his punch output, which saw him come on strong in the second half of the fight.

Read More: The Morales-Barrera Trilogy Begins

Even when the Mexican boxed off the back foot, Jone’s output was still impressive in terms of volume, and his work rate never slowed down when he let his hands go. The American is a dangerous fighter – and picks his punches well. The pressure from Jones in the second half of the fight was enough to sway the judges with a deduction for Barrera in round nine for a low blow, also crucial.

The Brooklyn native nailed his Mexican opponent with a big right hand in round 10, which was also a crucial moment. Many watching held different opinions on the result, but the output of the American was enough to get the verdict in our eyes.

What Came Next?

After the Barrera win, the career of Jones never quite hit the same heights, as he lost the WBO strap to Kennedy McKinney in his next fight. Another defeat followed against another legendary Mexican, Erik Morales. Highlight wins came against Tracy Harris Patterson – and a dramatic KO come from behind win against British fighter Richard Evatt. 

Read More: Morales-Pacquiao I Took Place 15 Years Ago

Barrera recorded a memorable 2-1 victory in his epic trilogy against Erik Morales and a dominant win against Prince Naseem Hamed. The Mexican was known for his aggressive style and accurate punch output. He also showed an exceptional ability to box off the back foot when needed, as he showed in parts against Hamed, where he frustrated the Brit.