Barrera vs. Fana Fight Predictions

Mzonke Fana is the great unknown. After this fight with Marco Antonio Barrera, will he be unknown forever?

Barrera knockout in ninth.
Mitch Abramson

Fana was dropped twice in his last fight, is long and angular, and doesn't appear to have the power to keep Barrera at bay. Look for the “Baby-Faced Assassin” to start by pounding the body with his signature left to the body, patiently wearing the South African down. It won't take long for the body work to take effect, and Barrera will waste little time ending it once he smells blood. It's Barrera-Jesus Salud all over again. Barrera KO 6.
Matt Aguilar

Fana seems like the type of fighter whose heart is MUCH bigger than his chin. He will most likely offer a brave performance, but will be hopelessly overmatched, as Barrera is superior across the board: better boxing skills, better puncher, better chin. Aside from the intangibles, there is nothing Fana can do that Marco can't do better. And in any battle of Skill vs. Will, skill prevails just about every time. It wouldn't surprise me to see this one play out like Roy Jones-Julio Gonzalez. Barrera TKO10.
Jake Donovan

No disrespect to Mzonke Fana, but it is hard to see any outcome in this fight other than a definitive Barrera victory. Barrera by TKO.
Chris Gielty

Um, I'd love to tell you something about Mzonke Fana that would reveal some insider expertise, but I'm not going to lie. Never seen him. Barely heard of him. Here's a guy who's 31 years old, hasn't gotten into the ring for 11 months and has fought only once outside of his native South Africa. If Fana wins, it will be the lock for anybody's upset of the year award. Marco Antonio Barrera by mid-round TKO.
Tim Graham

Barrera. Sentimental favorite.
Amy Green

I know absolutely nothing about Fana, but unknown South African fighters often prove to be difficult foes for well-established champions and contenders. A look at his record gives me the impression that he will be a Ben Tackie type opponent: durable, resilient and alligator tough but not quite good enough to beat the best. Barrera by decision.
Bob Mladinich

Sometimes you have to look under the numbers, especially when they are stamped Made in South Africa. Mzonke Fana has a 22-2 record, homegrown except for one in England, which he lost. His last fight was in May of last year, a 12-round split decision over undefeated Randy Suico, who knocked him down twice, sending him into the recovery room for 11 months. It is hard to get thrilled by Suico's record. Before Fana, three of the four guys he beat had records of  0-1, 0-2 and 0-3. The fourth was Kazunori Fujita, who was 16-3, but his 16 victories came against guys carried in on sushi plates. Before Suico, Fana stopped Cristian Paz, an Argentine import whose 14-4 record was built on losing to the good ones, and beating the stiffs. Before Paz, there was Elvis Makama (10-1), a six-round fighter; Yuri Voronin (14-2-1), who fought 12 guys with no record; and Lazlo Bognar, who was 4-4 in his eight previous fights to Fana, and the four guys he defeated were 0-5, 2-2, 3-12-3 and 0-0. The remainder of the Rose of Khaleyetsha's record is more of the same. And they put Willie Sutton in the slammer just for robbing a couple of banks. Sheesh! The pick here is Marco Antonio Barrera to win before the clock runs down; Fana to live.
Pat Putnam

Kudos to Marco Antonia Barrera for taking this fight. Mzonke Fana will make the most of his title shot in the early rounds, but Barrera's punching power will prove to be too much. Barrera by KO in round 9.
Aaron Tallent