Amir Khan will not have to give a rematch to Marco Antonio Barrera following the WBO’s enquiry into their March 14 bout at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester. Khan beat the Mexican legend to win the WBO Intercontinental lightweight title on a unanimous technical decision after the fight was stopped in the fifth round because of an accidental clash of heads that occurred in the opening round. After the bout, Barrera’s promoter Don King filed a protest to the WBO asking for an immediate rematch and this has been denied by the WBO. In addition, King requested that the fight be declared a No Contest, but as the result of the contest is within the jurisdiction of the Host Commission (British Boxing Board of Control) they determined that the rules had been followed and there was no error by the referee in stopping the contest. Khan is currently preparing in Los Angeles on his forthcoming WBA world light welterweight title challenge on June 27 at London’s O2 Arena against the champion Andreas Kotelnik.
Letter to Marco Antonio:
Please Marco Antonio, retire before you get hurt !!
I truly hope that you do not need the money.
But if you are not desperate for money, please care about yourself and your family to stop fighting.
Marco, the only thing that I can guarantee if you keep fighting is that you will consistently worsen as a fighter, your reflexes will keep slowing down and that you are putting yourself in terrible danger of being permanently hurt.
Marco Antonio, when you see fighters that you think you can beat, you are watching them through the eyes of the young, great, hall of fame boxer, Marco Antonio Barrera, who was in his twenties.
That boxer is no longer there.
I could name Ali, the late Gerry Quarry, Greg Page, Joe Louis, on and on and on and on, with the names of fighters who have been permanently damaged. I know that when I see Tommy Hearns interviewed, he looks fine, but his speech is slow and very hard to understand. Just too many fights and he took too many blows.
Please Marco Antonio Barrera, love yourself and appreciate the great career that you have had. No one can take that away from you. It is time to move on with your life.
Lastly Marc Antonio, remember that you have “signed with the devil”, by having Don King as your promoter. When he looks at you, he sees only a dollar sign, not a man and those $s are money that he can put in his pocket, not yours. He couldn’t care less if you turn out to get beaten and become permanently harmed. I am sure he tells you what you want to hear. but not what you need to hear.
I think I can speak to all of the Marco Antonio Barrera fans who you have thrilled so many times, with you talent, work ethic and your heart and care enough about you to want you to get out of the ring. Only bad can happen to you and your family by continuing to fight. You cannot get younger.
With sincerity,
Jon Temple
The
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