Boxing: Boxing: Barrera stops Kelley in featherweight bout

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Marco Antonio Barrera retained his world featherweight title by stopping former champion Kevin Kelley in the fourth round Saturday night.

Barrera (57-3, 40 Ks) knocked Kelley down once in the first and twice more in the fourth before the one-sided bout at the MGM Grand was stopped at 1:32 of the fourth round.

Kelley (54-6-2) insisted he wasn't solely in it for the $300,000 payday and would reclaim his past glory. Instead, Barrera delivered a frightful beating that exposed Kelley as a slow and aging fighter.

Barrera put Kelley down with a left hook to the chin in the first, but it was his work to the body that was the difference.

``I hit him on top and he withstood it, but the body shots weakened him,'' said Barrera, who earned $1 million.

Both fighters weighed in at 126 pounds.

There was little doubt about the outcome as Kelley managed to land just 16 punches in the worst performance of his 15-year career. Barrera patiently stalked him and landed a series of big shots that had Kelley looking to his corner for help.

Kelley said he is not sure whether he will retire and said he was too hyped to pull the upset on Barrera, a 15-1 betting favorite.

``I tried a little too hard,'' Kelley said. ``I didn't show up for a payday. I wanted history. I wanted to beat Barrera and I tried too hard. Every punch I threw had bad conviction. I was trying way too hard and you can't beat a fighter like Barrera, the best featherweight in the world, with one punch.''

I knew Barrera was going to win it. The guy hits too damm hard!

I agree Ocelot, Barrera doesn't look like much - but he's a banger for sure. I'm very impressed with him, I like his style because he doesn't waste punches or showboat. When he gets into the ring, it's all business and that's what I like in a fighter.

Does anyone remember Salvador Sanchez another great Mexican fighter? He beat the tar out of Danny "little red" Lopez to take the featherweight title, then beat him bad again in a rematch.

Anyway, he was similar to Oscar de La Hoya. He had tremendous boxing skill, speed and accuracy of punches. Unfortunately, he was killed not long after winning the title by an automobile accident in his new Porsche.