Juan Manuel Marquez, right, and Marco Antonio Barrera, left, pose with promoter Bernard Hopkins during a news conference to promote their fight Saturday at Mandalay Bay. Photo by Jane Kalinowsky.

Marco Antonio Barrera isn't one for trash talk. He is so forgiving and understanding, he calls longtime bitter rival Erik Morales the fourth-best fighter in Mexican history.

Barrera regards himself as fifth best, even though he defeated Morales in two of their three classic bouts.

So it was no surprise to those who know Barrera when he began heaping praise upon Juan Manuel Marquez during a news conference for their fight Saturday at Mandalay Bay for Barrera's WBC super featherweight title.

Barrera on Wednesday praised Marquez's boxing skills, raved about his jab and marveled at his conditioning.

"He's good," Barrera said, admiringly. "Everybody knows it."

The boxing community is aware of Marquez's abilities, perhaps, but to the world at large he is as anonymous as the Pittsburgh Pirates' bullpen catcher.

Even the 33-year-old Marquez, who is 46-3-1 but could be unbeaten with only a hint of luck, concedes he has some work to do to appear on the public's radar.

Marquez isn't even the most known -- or, perhaps, accomplished -- fighter in his family. That honor goes to his baby brother, Rafael, who on March 3 established himself as one of boxing's elite with an impressive stoppage of Israel Vazquez.

Despite Juan Manuel's terrific record, which includes 35 knockouts, he doesn't have a fraction of Barrera's reputation.

"You have to win the right fight at the right time," Marquez said, shrugging.

Marquez is a sharp counterpuncher who is among the best-schooled fighters in the business. Yet he has stumbled whenever he's been on the verge of greatness. He lost by first-round disqualification in his pro debut, getting called for an intentional head-butt.

"Juan Manuel, nobody knew him, and the other guy (Javier Duran) was protected by important people on the commission in Mexico," said Jaime Quintana, Marquez's co-promoter since 2000. "It was not a legitimate (loss)."

Marquez came up short in a 1999 featherweight title fight against Freddie Norwood.

He fought in the shadows for most of the next 4 1/2 years, rebuilding his career with impressive wins over well-regarded fighters such as Robbie Peden, Derrick Gainer and Manuel Medina, but languishing on the sidelines of the truly high-profile fights.

He was promoted by Top Rank in those days and was down the pecking order behind fighters such as Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Erik Morales.

"My promoter didn't want to give me the fights I needed," Marquez said of Top Rank.

The company got him such a bout against Manny Pacquiao in 2004, and Marquez used the opportunity to put on a classic match. He rallied from three first-round knockdowns to earn a draw in a bout many at ringside remain convinced he deserved to win.

He turned down a $750,000 payday for a rematch against Pacquiao because -- he and Quintana say -- they wanted to be free of Top Rank. A rematch against Pacquiao would have meant re-signing with Top Rank, and Marquez wanted none of that.

But it was an ill-fated choice, as he instead traveled to Indonesia to fight Chris John for a featherweight title for only $30,000. He lost a decision that -- again -- many neutral observers felt he should've won.

Marquez gets another chance at a big victory Saturday and he is optimistic despite being an 8-5 underdog to Barrera.

"This will be the start of getting all the fights I should be getting," Marquez said.