Marquez Decisions Barrera; Holyfield, Mormeck Win

In Las Vegas, featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez (47-3-1) moved up in weight and took a 12-round unanimous decision from WBC super featherweight champ Marco Antonio Barrera (63-5). Barrera was the more effective fighter in the early rounds. In the seventh, Barrera knocked Marquez down with a right and then proceeded to hit him again while he was kneeling on the canvas. Referee Jay Nady incorrectly ruled the knock down a slip but DID correctly deduct a point from Barrera for the foul. Marquez, as he did in his draw with Manny Pacquiao, climbed off the deck and took control of the fight the rest of the way. In the end, Nady's botched ruling did not impact the outcome as all three judges gave the fight to the Marquez: 118-109, 116-111, 116-111.

In Corpus Christi, Texas, former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield (41-8-2) looked great against an opponent he was supposed to look great against -- battering and bloodying a game Vinny Maddalone (27-4) until Maddalone's trainer, Al Certo, called for the fight to be stopped near the end of the third round. Holyfield, 44, moved well and threw lots of combinations. Another title shot - almost inconceivable just a short while back - now seems only a matter of time . . .

In Paris, France, Jean Marc Mormeck (32-3) took back the WBC and WBA cruiserweight belts he lost to O'Neil Bell (26-1-1) last January with an action-packed 12-round unanimous decision in the rematch. Mormeck was the busier fighter in most rounds and - unlike the first fight - was able to survive some stretches in which he appeared to be running out of gas. Bell did more clowning than fighting at times and - inexplicably - seemed to think he had won the fight -- even though the WBC open scoring announcement after round eight made it clear to everyone in the arena that Bell needed to score at least a knock down in the final four frames if was going to earn a decision. Open scoring was a failure yet again as Mormeck - knowing he only had to make it to the final bell to win - did little more than he needed to survive the final few rounds. All three judges gave the fight to Mormeck: 116-112 and 115-113 twice.