By Scott Gilfoid: Former IBF middleweight champion Daniel Geale (29-2, 15 KO’s) is kicking himself right now for not having gone after Darren Barker (26-1, 16 KO’s) after knocking him down in the 6th round in his 12 round split decision loss to Barker last month on August 17th in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Geale says he had expended too much energy in the 6th round, and he didn’t want to go after him to finish him off after putting him down with a nice left to the body. Geale just wants a rematch right now against Barker, and he figures it’ll be easy to beat him in the rematch.
Geale told the Sydney Morning Herald “I know if I fought him again it would be much easier…it was probably disappointing that I didn’t back myself 100 percent [after having knocked Barker to the canvas in the 6th]. I knew I’d hurt [him], but I decided I’d worked hard that round, had exerted a lot of energy, and backed off.”
I don’t know what happened with Geale. The guy had the win in the bag in the 6th round when he put Barker on the canvas with a beautiful left hook to the body, but instead of going after him to finish him off, Geale took it easy and never threw another body shot for the rest of the fight. Talk about fighting stupid.
Even Geale’s corner wasn’t pressing him to go back to the body, which was really weird because that should have been the main thing to focus on. I mean, you knock a guy down with a body shot and then you’re not going to throw anymore body shots?
I don’t understand it, and I think Geale deserved to lose the fight for fighting so stupidly. I don’t see the point in Geale fighting Barker again unless he can have another person in the corner that can give him useful instructions in between rounds.
I don’t see Barker keeping the IBF title for very long. If his promoter Eddie Hearn carefully picks his opponents like a scientist picking out the weakest specimen, then maybe Barker might hold onto it a year or two. But if Barker faces good opposition, then no way does this guy hold onto his title for more than one fight. He’s too weak, too slow, and too mediocre to keep the strap for long.
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