Marco Antonio Barrera vs Eddie Croft

A fourth successful title defence in little more than seven months completed a busy championship year for Marco Antonio Barrera, who stopped Eddie Croft in the seventh round at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, on 4 November 1995. The unbeaten Mexican retained his WBO super bantamweight title when referee Jay Nady intervened at 1 minute 38 seconds. Fighting on the programme headed by the third meeting between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield, Barrera recorded his 39th successive victory and his 27th win inside the distance. Croft’s resistance prolonged the contest, but he could not match the champion’s sustained punching power.

Barrera had won the championship from Daniel Jiménez in March, taking a unanimous decision over twelve rounds. He followed that success by stopping Frank Toledo in two rounds and Maui Diaz in one, before completing twelve rounds against Agapito Sánchez in August. Croft, from San Mateo, California, had already challenged unsuccessfully for Tom Johnson’s IBF featherweight championship that May. He entered this second world title attempt with 22 victories, two defeats and a draw. The assignment placed him against a champion whose three previous defences had demonstrated both his finishing ability and his capacity to maintain his work over the full distance.

The champion established his left hook immediately, landing to the head and body while Croft began cautiously. Barrera answered the challenger’s occasional attacks with quicker combinations. His forceful second round again restricted Croft’s opportunities to reply. By then, swelling was developing above the challenger’s right eye. Croft became more assertive in the third and fourth, advancing behind his jab and finding occasional right hands. His improved defence caught more of Barrera’s punches, although the champion continued landing the harder blows.

Croft’s best spell continued into the fifth, when a straight right caught Barrera against the ropes. The champion recovered the initiative with concentrated body punching. A blow which the television commentators considered low escaped Nady’s attention during this round, and Croft was subsequently shaken under pressure. He regained his balance and continued. Barrera’s left hook downstairs remained an effective means of interrupting the challenger’s advance and restoring his own attack.

The sixth brought heavier punishment. Barrera stunned Croft with right hands, drove him towards the ropes and returned to the body. Ringside doctor Flip Homansky examined the challenger between rounds. Croft continued answering in the seventh, but his replies could not check the champion’s attack, and Nady stepped in.

The stoppage left Croft with 22 victories, three defeats and one draw. His effort had made the middle rounds more competitive than the opening exchanges suggested, but it had not altered the outcome. Barrera retained his championship for the fourth time, closing the year with five victories, all in world title contests, and an unbeaten professional record.

What I like about young Barrera here is the balance. He could move lightly, then set his feet and put proper weight through that left hook. He’d already beaten Jiménez for the title and defended against Toledo, Diaz and Sánchez that year. You could understand his appeal: busy, technically sound and willing to work the body.

Croft gave him too much respect early, but I’ll credit him for coming forward and making the middle rounds more competitive. Barrera’s answer impressed me. He returned to the body, then punished Croft upstairs when the openings came. That’s patient punch selection. Croft had courage, but lacked the power to make Barrera reconsider his approach. By the seventh, he was taking punishment he couldn’t adequately answer. I thought Nady’s stoppage was right; throwing back occasionally doesn’t mean a fighter is coping.