By Scott Gilfoid: It’s academic that former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (23-0, 14 KO’s) is getting destroyed this Saturday night against WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KO’s) when the two battle it out at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Barker said this to the independent.co.uk: “There’s no pressure. I’m expecting a rough fight, knowing his reputation, but I’m prepared for anything.”

No, I guess there isn’t any pressure for Barker because pretty much the entire boxing world expects him to lost to Martinez and lose badly. The only real interest in this fight as far as I’m concerned is how quickly and how badly Martinez batters Barker. It’s going to be a knockout, but I’m not quite sure how long it will last. Barker seems to take a decent shot, but he’s never been hit like he’s going to be getting hit by Martinez on Saturday night.

Having a good chin is helpful, but when you’re getting decimated the way that Barker will be, it really doesn’t matter. You can have the best chin in the world and still end up getting blasted apart, which is what will happen here.

Barker doesn’t have the hand speed or the power to make Martinez back off the way he needs him to in order to have a decent chance at winning. When I look at Barker’s fights, I can predict what he’s going to do next because he fights in a methodical patter. It’s always the slow pushing jab, the equally slow left hook followed by a stiff but slow right hand. It’s all so mechanical looking that reminds me of a toy robot moving with medal hinges for joints.

Barker doesn’t have the fluid movement and the speed and ability that he’ll need or order to have a chance of staying upright for 12 rounds. I’m not talking about winning, I’m talking about Barker just staying on his feet for 12 rounds. He has no chance of winning. But without those valuable assets going for him, I think the best we can hope for from Barker is for him to last until the 6th. And that’s really pushing it. He’s going to be eating painful leather in every round it’ll be a miracle if Barker makes it to the 6th.

If Barker makes it that far, expect him to look like someone that crawled out of a battle field with a face torn apart, bruised and looking defeated. The fight will very soon after because no referee will allow someone to get torn apart in a nationally televised fight. But I’m hoping Barker’s corner steps in long before that when it’s painfully clear that Barker is just soaking up punishment and just acting as a punching bag for Martinez.