Barrera-Morales. De La Hoya-Chavez. Olivares-Chacon. Sanchez-Lopez. History is full of legendary Mexican and Mexican-American warriors going to battle with eachother, and Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, two more Mexicans will finally converge at centre ring to see "quien es mas macho".

In a match that's been years in the making, Juan Manuel Marquez will finally get a chance to prove that, he not Erik Morales or Marco Antonio Barrera, is the best Mexican featherweight/junior lightweight of the past decade, when he takes on Barrera. While Barerra, Morales, and Manny Pacquiao have all fought each other in wildly entertaining fights, Marquez fought only Pacquiao, drawing with the Filipino in brutal war in which Marquez was floored three times in the first round. Many thought Marquez should have been given the nod. Reagardless, his impressive ability to adjust in the later rounds and avoid getting hit by "Pac-Man's" straight left, while demonstrating impeccable boxing skills, was admirable. But Marquez balked at a rematch over financial issues, and managerial problems and bad business decisions kept Marquez out of the spotlight while his peers hogged all the glory.

After signing with Golden Boy and his sensational once-punch knockout of Jimrex Jaca, Marquez seems finally to be on the right track. Marquez's brother Rafael just defeated Mexican Israel Vazquez for the undisputed junior featherweight title, and the 33-year old junior lightweight hopes to keep things rolling by taking Barrera's WBC crown. Marquez, 46-3-1 (35), is a technically proficient boxer with good power in both hands, though he seemed a touch slower in his last fight. Barrera, 63-4 (42), also 33, is ring-worn from many battles, but should never be counted out. He won his third bout with Morales decisively by outboxing the Tijuana star, and he put on a boxing clinic against youngster Rocky Juarez in their rematch. A little older and wiser, Barrera and Marquez might be more inclined to go to war with eachother, mixing good boxing with fiery exchanges.

These two fighters are so evenly matched, that it all comes down to intestinal fortitude and conditioning. This has fight of the year potential all over it, because both Barrera and Marquez want a rematch with Pacquiao, and so want to win convincingly. Look for Barrera to be the aggressor, the one who opts to have a shootout first. Marquez will be all too happy to oblige, and by the 5th round we should see some fireworks. Marquez is more technically sound, but Barrera is no slouch and is rarely ever outboxed. Both fighters have wicked left hooks, but it will be Marquez's straight punches that make the difference. Both fighters may get dropped, but Barrera is more likely to be stopped. This may or may not go the distance, but either way it will be one hell of a fight.

Prediction: Marquez KO 11