Category
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Sullivan Barrera
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Paul "Pay Per View" Parker
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Age
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35
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32
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Record
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18-1 (13 KOs)
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8-1 (4 KOs)
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Strength
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Barrera is a strong and hungry fighter with solid endurance and a granite chin. He has a strong jab that he uses well. Look for him to put it to good use in this bout.
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Parker is a crafty and gutsy fighter; he is a favorable counter-puncher with a solid jab and a game-changer of a right hand.
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Weakness
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Sullivan tends to get sloppy at times. He must keep his composure and stay sharp in this one as Parker has put his last four opponents on the canvas.
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With only nine pro bouts under his belt, Parker lacks the experience of Barrera. Also, he has not competed in over a year so ring rust may be a factor.
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Experience
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Barrera has had more professional bouts and he has been in with some of the division’s best: Andre Ward, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Karo Murat.
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Although Paul has faced some notable names in his previous two bouts, he has yet to be tested.
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Power
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His previous seven wins were all stoppage victories, including his most recent over previously undefeated and ranked contender Vyacheslav Shabranskyy.
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Although he may be at a slight disadvantage, his power is nothing to take lightly. He has a vicious right hand that has put numerous opponents on their backs and sealed the deal in his last bout when he earned the decision over Lionell Thompson.
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Speed
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Sullivan may be at a slight disadvantage; his speed may not be on display until he smells blood and goes for the finish.
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Paul has some quick hands and quick feet. When combined with his size and range, he can be extremely difficult to track down.
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Endurance
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Barrera proved endurance is not a problem when he hung in for 12 rounds just one year ago against current light heavyweight champ Andre Ward.
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Parker has only gone eight rounds once (in his most recent bout), so his endurance is still in question.
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Accuracy
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Sullivan’s accuracy is on point when he gets his jab going and puts his punches together behind it.
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He has an accurate jab and a very dangerous overhand right that can be pivotal if landed clean.
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Defense
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Barrera has a very strong jab that can make it difficult for any fighter to get anything going offensively if he commits to it.
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Paul is a lanky and rangy fighter with a solid jab and good movement, which makes him very difficult to hit.
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Chin
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He has been down before, but has recovered well and has never been knocked out.
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Parker was stopped one time against Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, but Parker also had Shabranskyy down as well.
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Style
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Sullivan is a good technical fighter that likes to stick his jab and set up his shots. He tends to turn brawler which has worked in his favor in the past.
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Pay Per View is a rangy fighter who likes to use his jab and movement to keep his opponents off-balance. Like his opponent, he has no problem turning a fight into a brawl if he must.
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Intangibles
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He has been very vocal about his desire to stay active and continue to fight the best in the world. With Parker coming off a big win, Barrera understands the momentum the young prospect will have coming into this bout. However, Sullivan must take out anyone in his way, including the young guns trying to take his spot in the rankings.
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Parker started competing against notable light heavyweight contenders very early into his professional career. After a minor setback in a loss with Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, Paul got right back at it with a win over veteran Lionell Thompson. With just nine pro bouts, he is determined to continue to compete against the best in the division and be taken seriously in the stacked light heavyweight division.
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Crowd Support
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Barrera is the bigger name coming into this bout; he has fought in front of a live audience on multiple occasions. He is coming off a barn-burner win over Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, which was also aired on HBO Latino.
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Parker may have earned himself a decent fan base with his recent outings. His style is intriguing and fan-friendly, so he may leave the building with some more credibility amongst boxing fans.
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The Match-Up
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