Daniel "Chucky" Barrera Overcomes Toughest Challenge Yet in Eight-Round Debut

Daniel “Chucky” Barrera faced a formidable challenge but emerged victorious against Christian Robles in a closely contested bout on Friday at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California.

The 22-year-old Barrera, who now holds a record of 7-0-1 with 4 KOs, secured a unanimous decision win with scores of 77-75 (twice) and 79-73. However, Barrera acknowledged the difficulty of the match. His opponent, the 27-year-old Robles (8-3, 3 KOs), proved to be a determined and rugged adversary throughout the eight rounds.

“I knew this guy Christian was going to be tough,” said Barrera, who had sparred with Robles earlier this year. “He was tougher than I expected.”

Barrera attributed his slow start to the unfamiliarity of an eight-round bout and a cut he sustained in the fifth round, which bled throughout the fight. Robles’ aggressive style posed significant challenges for Barrera, who prefers a counterpunching approach.

“I got head-butted most of the time,” Barrera said with a chuckle. “But it is boxing. It happens. He was very rugged, very awkward as well. When you think he is going to do this, he does something else. So it was hard to pick up on his timing.

“Like I said, I have things to work on. Instead of one shot, I need to answer with three or four shots.”

Barrera hinted at a potential return in August, with BoxRec listing a 360 Promotions card for August 31 at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez. If he is cleared to fight after Friday’s cut, this event could feature his next match. Barrera has already fought three times this year, including twice at Chumash.

Reflecting on his performance, Barrera expressed his intention to continue fighting eight-round bouts for the foreseeable future.

“I already felt the mistakes in there,” Barrera said. “I talked with my team in the back room after the fight, and we know what we have to work on.”