Marco Antonio Barrera could retire

Marco Antonio Barrera used a hotel in Wolverhampton to vow that his illustrious career will be made or broken by the time this year draws to a close.

Barrera insisted that he will retire if his next big fight doesn't come to pass in 2012, at the Mount Hotel in Tettenhall on Saturday night.

To do so would bring down the curtain on a pro career that started at age 15 for the 37-year-old, with three world titles at two eights for the 'baby faced assassin' from Mexico City.

He's the only man to ever beat Prince Naseem Hamed as a pro and one half of three famous fights with another ring great in Erik Morales, having been in with Manny Pacquiao twice.

His crowd included former WBC world champion and now cabaret singer John H Stracey, along with former British champion Wayne Elcock and a man chasing a Lonsdale belt in Scott Quigg.

The boxing world has changed somewhat since Barrera started punching for pay in 1989 but his last fight, a second round stoppage win, was just over 12 months ago and he looks fresh for 75 fights.

Morales is struggling with opponents to the point that he was down for an eight-rounder with British champion Anthony Crolla last year, as he struggles to hit the heady heights of their first two clashes.

But, according to Barrera, all Morales need to do is send an e-mail to turn a trilogy into a box set.

He said: "I am waiting this year, if there's a good offer with good money than I will take it.

"I want good fights but, if it comes to the end of the year and there's still nothing, I will hang up the gloves.

"I have got all of the experience, I am still strong and, looking at the current situation with champions, there are several of them that I could beat."

Barrera's ring successes have come at super bantam and feather but he stepped up to lightweight to face Amir Khan in 2009.

A huge cut finished that fight in five rounds and Barrera, who took up the issue with every governing body involved, is still smarting.

He said: "I am still very sad about what happened that night, the public deserved to see a great fight but I was head butted in the first round.

"Many people don't know but I still have the pictures, there were more than 30 stitches in the cut, and it should have been ruled a no contest.

"There was so much blood after that and I am still really sad, because the public didn't get to see the fight that they all wanted to see.

"I can't tell you how great a fighter Amir Khan is, I didn't get that far with him, but he moves well. Hopefully, now he will grow and fulfil his potential.

"Right now, Khan is still developing and to take Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather would be too soon, they are at another level. It's too soon."