LAS VEGAS -- Like a firecracker that won't explode, the rematch was a dud.
Marco Antonio Barrera, with no particular thirst for another war, won a tactical snoozer against Rocky Juarez to retain the junior lightweight title Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
It's not that Juarez did all that much either, as he and Barrera spent long stretches posing, holding and gesturing toward each other.
In the end, Barrera prevailed in a unanimous decision. Two judges had it 115-113 and the third had it 117-111 for the Mexico City star. ESPN.com scored it 115-114 for Barrera.
The fight was highly anticipated but couldn't come close to matching the exhilarating battle they waged May 20 in Los Angeles.
In that fight, Barrera eked out a split-decision victory in a slugfest that was initially ruled a draw until an addition error was discovered on the scorecards. The result changed about a half hour later as both fighters sat in the dressing room.
The closeness of the fight, the action and the scorecard goof made for an obvious rematch.
However, this time around, it never erupted into a similar battle.
The crowd of 10,421 booed lustily throughout the fight, and in the 12th round, spectators began walking out of the arena in droves.
Despite the booing, Barrera was pleased with his performance and said he executed his plan.
"I gave him a boxing lesson," Barrera said. "It's exactly what I intended to do. I learned never to fight on the level of my opponent. I am the champion. I moved very fast and I used my jab."
Barrera appeared to dominate the early rounds because he was able to control Juarez with a stiff left jab. It found its mark repeatedly, and by the fifth round, Juarez's right eye began to swell.
But Barrera could not take advantage and the crowd grew restless and booed often.
Midway through the eighth round, after referee Joe Cortez broke a clinch, the crowd began booing again until a Juarez left hook caused a brief cheer.
"He kept a good jab out there," Juarez said. "He studied me pretty good. Every time he threw a jab, he kept retreating. Every time we got inside he didn't try to trade."
Barrera landed 178 of 564 blows (32 percent), according to CompuBox statistics, while Juarez connected on 134 of 542 (25 percent). But Barrera's jab was the difference as he connected on 105 of 369 (28 percent). Juarez only connected on 34 of 198 jabs (17 percent).
Juarez (25-3), a 26-year-old 2000 U.S. silver medalist, hoped to win the title to present to his 94-year-old grandfather Pedro Juarez Sr., who was ringside.
He was disappointed by Barrera's refusal to engage.
"My game plan wasn't any different," he said. "I felt like I was the aggressor again. He didn't want to fight. He never hurt me, not once, except for a good punch in the eye. I fought well. I think I did better this fight than the first one. I knew he wouldn't stand in there with me."
The quick, four-month turnaround could have been a reason Barrera (63-4) didn't engage in his typical fast-paced fight. At 32, Barrera has been in many hard fights and he sees his career winding down.
"Next year, I want to retire," he said. "I want to spend time with my son."
But there is one fight he wants before calling it quits.
"Obviously, my next best fight would be against [Manny] Pacquiao, but I will fight whoever [promoter] Oscar De La Hoya wants me to."
Pacquiao, who faces a Erik Morales on Nov. 18 in a rubber match, scored a knockout against Barrera in 2003.
HBO will replay the fight next Saturday night (10 p.m. ET/PT) along with live coverage of the Jorge Arce-Hawk Makepula junior bantamweight title eliminator.
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.