By Jake Donovan
 
On the heels of watching fellow Cuban export Erislandy Lara post his latest win, Rances Barthelemy returns to the surface. The unbeaten former 130 lb. titlist moves all the way up to the junior welterweight division for a showdown with Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco in a rare Sunday afternoon telecast in Las Vegas (Sunday, CBS, 4:00 p.m. ET).
 
The bout comes as the latest installment of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS, the first to air on a Sunday afternoon.
 
Coming up on six full years in the pro ranks, boxing fans have seen both sides of Barthelemy (22-0, 13KOs). There’s the version who digs in and goes for the kill; and then the boxer who is smart enough to know when the knockout won’t present itself and relies on his skill set to carry him to victory, but never to the point of coasting.
 
The same is not always said of the prototypical Cuban boxer. Lara, for example, appeared to have been able to obtain a knockout any time he wanted versus Delvin Rodriguez last weekend in Chicago. Instead, the junior middleweight titlist settled for a landslide decision, content with the knockdowns he was able to produce in boxing his way to his latest win.
 
Barthelemy didn’t quite see it that way, but gets why fans demand more of fighters than just being good enough to win.
 
“My Cuban eyes saw a perfect boxing performance from Lara,” Barthelemy says of the June 12 Spike TV headliner. “However, I understand why fans would want to see a lot more action. It’s tough to please everyone, but I get why fans were booing.”
 
It’s been a mixed bag for Barthelemy, who has been in his share of thrillers and stinkers. Each side was featured in his two-fight set with Argenis Mendez last year.
 
Their first fight was all Barthelemy, who floored the Dominican and appeared to have scored a 2nd round knockout win to claim the title. He was forced to wait six months for that reality, as a review of the fight revealed that Mendez was dropped a second time from a punch that landed after the bell.
 
With that came a reversal in outcome, as the fight was changed to a No-Decision, with an immediate rematch order. The talented Cuban boxer got it right the second time around, taking a wide decision win, though in a fight that lacked action in large part due to Mendez’ general disinterest in engaging.
 
Barthelemy—who turns 29 later this month—wasn’t as memorable in his lone title defense, a 12-round nod over Fernando Saucedo last October. It would be his last at 130 lbs., vacating his title earlier this year and moving up to lightweight.
 
A 2nd round knockout of Angino Perez this past March saw a far more aggressive version of the unbeaten boxer, similar to his 2nd round knockout win of Fahsai Sakkreerin in June ’13 to land his first title shot.
 
In DeMarco (31-4-1, 23KOs), there should be no shortage of style issues. In fact, the chance to fight the former lightweight titlist was the reason Barthelemy opted to move past lightweight and venture into the junior welterweight division.
 
Win or lose, he will guarantee that fans—especially dear old Dads celebrating their big day this Sunday—will be entertained. Should it come in the form of a brilliant boxing performance, so be it. However it happens, Barthelemy intends to leave it all in the ring, as it’s the way he prefers to fight, despite the perception that comes with his Cuban heritage.
 
“I guess I was born lucky; I look for a fight when I go in the ring,” Barthelemy insists. “Maybe it’s because I’m not a superior technician like Erislandy or (undefeated World 122 lb. king) Guillermo Rigondeaux. To be honest, if I was blessed with their boxing abilities, maybe I would box more.
 
“But I go in with what I have, and I’m a grinder once that bell rings. I want to box, I want to punch and mix it up. I just wasn’t blessed with their ability, but they like to box and they are masters at it. Me—I like to feel like I was in a fight.”
 
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox