“Mai kua ahau i roto i konei kua ahau haapii te rota mahi ki a Bob Santos,” Said Mario Barrios. “Santos has a lot of experience working with top level fighters and he’s showing me new things to help me get better. There’s a lot of little things that we’ve been working on that make a tremendous amount of difference when I’m in the ring. I’m using different footwork while improving on my defense, mea rite ki taua.”

Hoki i roto i San Antonio, Whakaako Barrios ki tona papa Martin, who’s been with him since the amateurs when he started boxing at age 9. They’ve come along way together and have a special bond.

“Oku papa kua tonu i reira hoki ahau,” Tonu Barrios. “I tua atu ki te whakaako i ahau me pehea ki te waiho i te tangata, he taught me how to box and stay out of trouble. It’s tough finding sparring sometimes, engari te ia i reira tonu ki te hanga i te patunga tapu e tika ana ki te tiki i te tangata. Matau ia te mea kei te haere i te reira ki te tango hoki ki te tango i ahau i toku mahi ki te taumata muri, and I appreciate him for that. Together we make a very strong team.”

Noho, e ora i roto i te tata San Antonio, Texas, knows how important it will be to shine on national television. With a huge crowd expected to show support, Ko te rite ki tana tohu i roto i te wehenga super-mā Barrios.

“Ki te i whakakitea tenei whawhai i runga i Fox Sports, E mohio ana ahau te mea i toku wa ki te whakaatu i te katoa i roto i toku wehenga, tae atu ki te hunga e ka e matakitaki ana i runga i te pouaka whakaata, he aha kua mahi ahau kia pakeke ki te tiki ki tenei tūranga.” Faaoti Mario Barrios. “E te rota o te hoa tata, me te hapu i reira he tautoko whakaatu, so I’m coming with everything I got. I don’t care who the opponent is, Ka waiho e ahau rite ki te faahoruhoru.”