By Scott Gilfoid: Former IBF/WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm has reportedly turned down a clash with #1 IBF Hassan N’Dam for the vacant IBF middleweight title, according to Fightnews. Instead of Sturm fighting N’Dam for Jermain Taylor’s former IBF title, Sturm will be moving up in weight to the 168 pound division to try and get an all-German fight against WBO 168 pound champion Arthur Abraham.
That fight makes sense because Abraham has already had three fights in a short period of time against popular German fighter Robert Stieglitz, and if he can get a fight against Sturm, then Abraham can another German fighter to face.
By Dan Ambrose: Jermain Taylor was stripped of his IBF middleweight title earlier today, according to Dan Rafael. Taylor is dealing with a whole host of legal problems that could keep him out of the ring possibly for good. He was supposed to face Sergio Mora in his first title defense, but that obviously isn’t going to happen now. Mora is fighting tonight against Abe Han. 
By Allan Fox: #1 IBF Sam Soliman (44-11, 18 KO’s) completely wore out IBF middleweight champion Felix Sturm (39-4-2, 18 KO’s) in beating him by a one-sided 12 round unanimous decision last Saturday night to capture his IBF 160 lb. title at the König Palast, Krefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Soliman, 40, won the fight by the judges’ scores of 118-110, 118-110, and 117-111.
(Picture: Winfried Mausolf) By Scott Gilfoid: A day after saying that he’s interested in avenging his loss against Andre Ward, WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (39-4, 28 KO’s) is now saying he’d like to face IBF middleweight champion Felix Sturm in the near future if possible. 
By Scott Gilfoid: In response to the news from the Daily Mail that a fight offer had been made to Martin Murray, IBF middleweight champion Felix Sturm took to twitter to deny that any offer whatsoever had been made to the 31-year-old Murray for a fight. Ouch, that’s got to hurt Murray, because a fight between him and Sturm would have at least given him a chance to capture a world title at 160.
By Scott Gilfoid: Britain’s Martin Murray (26-1-1, 11 KO’s) has reportedly been offered a rematch against IBF middleweight champion Felix Sturm (39-3-2, 18 KO’s), according to the Daily Mail. There’s no date or venue yet for when this fight could take place or if Murray will accept the offer. 
By Jamie Fairclough: When this fight was announced I have to admit I thought that it had all the makings of either a fight of the year candidate or a bore fest depending on if both fighters let loose as both are known to have a tendency to box their opponents rather than brawl. Darren Barker has shown a bit more of willingness to stand and trade as he did in the Daniel Geale fight, but usually he relies on footwork and movement to beat his opponents which is odd considering he does have reasonable punch power. Likewise, Felix Sturm has good power but usually favours a more defensive game plan which so nearly cost him against Matthew Macklin.
By Scott Gilfoid: After being stopped in the 2nd round last Saturday night in his loss to Felix Sturm (39-3-2, 18 KO’s) in Stuttgart, Germany, Britain’s Darren Barker (26-2, 16 KO’s) is thinking about possibly hanging up the gloves due to a hip injury he suffered in the fight. Barker doesn’t want to have to go through the hassle of surgery again given that he’s already gone that route before. 
By Allan Fox: Former IBF middleweight champion Darren Barker’s career may be over after he injured his left hip in getting stopped in the 2nd round by Felix Sturm (39-3-2, 18 KO’s) at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany. Barker’s trainer Tony Sims said after the fight that “He may never box again” due to the injury. Barker (26-2, 16 KO’s) is being taken to the hospital right now to have his injured left hip examined. It’s possible that it wasn’t a dislocation.
By Scott Gilfoid: Well, this was what I was afraid of tonight. IBF middleweight champion Darren Barker (26-2, 16 KO’s) came into Stuttgart, Germany and was blown out of the water in 2 rounds by Felix Sturm (39-3-2, 18 KO’s) in a total massacre at the Porsche Arena. The fight was stopped by referee Mark Nelson at 2:09 of the 2nd round.