By Sam Gregory: 50 year old Iran “The Blade” Barkley began his professional boxing career in 1982; he retired in 1999 with a record of 43-19-1 with 27 KO’s. In Barkley’s 17 year career he fought some of the greatest fighters in the sport. Barkley’s biggest win came in June of 1988 when he stopped Tommy Hearns in 3 rounds for the WBC middleweight title. That fight was Ring magazines ‘upset of the year’ in 1988.
Eight months later Barkley lost the middleweight title in a split decision to Hall-of-Fame great Roberto Duran in a fight that was Ring magazines ‘fight of the year’ for 1989. Six months after his fight with Duran, Barkley lost a tough fight to undefeated Michael Nunn. Two years later Barkley beat Hearns again, this time it was for the WBA light heavyweight title; a year later Barkley lost to undefeated James Toney for the super middleweight title.
Barkley made $5 million during his career, which was great for a guy who grew up very poor in the Bronx. When he was at the height of his boxing career Barkley drove a custom Mercedes, wore shiny jewelry and fur coats. He rented a fashionable apartment in Hackensack, New Jersey and put money down on a house for himself and his family in Nyack.
In an article at the New York Post, Barkley had this to say: “I had $40,000 cash in the closet. I used to keep money in the house. That’s the way I am. I hate to go to banks and get money.”
All those assets from a tough boxing career are just a vague memory today, Barkley is now homeless and only because of the generosity of some fans and friends Barkley has a few nights paid for him at the Howard Johnson Express Inn in The Bronx.
Barkley found himself homeless when he returned to the three-bedroom apartment he’d been sharing with his niece in the Patterson Houses project on Third Avenue and 142nd street in The Bronx to find the locks had been changed. Barkley hadn’t been able to contribute to the household for months, this the same house where his mother, Georgia raised him.
With nowhere to turn, he slept on the No.6 train that night as it ran between Pelham Bay Park and the City Line station. That night a man in the train happened to recognize the middleweight prize fighter. Barkley reached in his pocket and pulled out a boxing card featuring a younger, more muscular version of himself.
“He signed an autograph and laid back down,” said his longtime friend Mike Bernard. “That’s the kind of guy he always was.”
Boxing is all the Morris HS dropout knows. He first slipped on a pair of boxing gloves at age 14 at St Mary’s Gym on St Anne’s Avenue and fell in love with the melodic thud of the speed bag.
During the 1980’s and 90’s the middleweight contender squandered away millions of dollars. He bought a Lexus 300 and the latest model Infiniti. But it wasn’t all about him. He gave to family and friends and threw block parties with pony rides for the kids in the South Bronx.
For now Barkley has a room at the Howard Johnson Express. Room 301 where Iran temporarily lives for the night has a sagging ceiling, peeling wallpaper and a view of the elevated 6 and 4 trains. Barkley sits on an unmade bed; five pennies sit on the nightstand next to the bed. Across the room two old suitcases sit on the floor next to a pair of black dress shoes and a pair of sneakers.
All the rest of his worldly positions remain in the apartment he can no longer call home.
He sold two of his championship belts; his precious middleweight belt is lost, possibly stolen.
Right now the only souvenir of his boxing days is a swollen bulge of flesh above his left eye.
Barkley’s last fight was a TKO loss to Keith McKnight at the Lady Luck Casino in Lulu, Miss, it was 11 years ago but like many other boxers in his situation he’d love to get back in the ring.
Barkley still works out on a regular basis, sometimes at Gleason’s in Brooklyn, other times at the Aaron Davis Gym in The Bronx.
Barkley shadowboxes for six rounds in the ring, ducking and punching an invisible opponent.
After his workout Iran usually feels better, if only for a little while. Barkley goes on to say in the New York Post article “The workout was good,” he says. “I’m just thinking about everything else, all the depressing stuff. I’m thinking about how to bail myself out of this mess.”
Barkley describes how his career unraveled with resentment, saying people like Bob Arum low-balled him.
“I didn’t see $5 million all at once, like Ray Leonard; all these guys who got to see $20 and $30 million in one lump.”
Barkley believes he missed out on a massive pay day because Sugar Ray Leonard ducked him. And losing a split decision due to a judge’s scorecard to Roberto Duran was the result of “the politics of this game” Barkley said.
“I couldn’t win that fight because Ray wasn’t going to fight me,” he says. “They needed my belt.”
After the loss, Barkley’s next fights purse was $6,000, he said. Duran’s was $10 million.
When he isn’t training at the gym Barkley spends his time at schools inspiring young fighters.
Barkley’s friends say, “He picks up cash at autograph shows.” For now, he subsists on a circle of friends who offer him meals or pay a few nights in a motel. “We’re just praying that someone comes out of the woodwork to help him,” said friend Mike Trapani, a former boxer.
Even though the former middleweight contender is down on his luck he always finds a way to stay optimistic. “Yeah I’m homeless,” Barkley says, “but I mean in ain’t gonna keep me down.”
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