Darren Barker

Hearn: Top Ranks wants Chavez Jr. vs. Barker at a catchweight on June 22nd

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chavez45By Scott Gilfoid: Promoter Eddie Hearn says that Top Rank, the promoters for former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez (46-1-1, 32 KO’s), want a catchweight fight between Chavez Jr. and Hearn’s fighter former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (25-1, 16 KO’s) on June 22nd in Mexico.

In other words, the fight would be above the 160 pound limit, presumably because Chavez Jr. is having a hard time getting down to the 160 pound limit. Having seen Chavez Jr. working out lately, I can understand why the need for the catchweight.

Chavez Jr. looks to be over 200 pounds, and it’s hard to imagine him dropping all that weight to get down to 160. Chavez Jr. doesn’t look fat. He just looks like a small heavyweight/cruiserweight. The weight will come off but I don’t think Chavez Jr. will be able to get down to 160 to make the middleweight limit. It would be a fight that would be held at super middleweight.

Chavez Jr. targeting Barker for 6/22 fight on Mexico

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chavez5434By Scott Gilfoid: With limited options for his next fight on June 22nd in Mexico, former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1, 32 KO’s) is kicking around the idea of fighting British middleweight Darren Barker (25-1, 16 KO’s). Chavez Jr. likes Barker’s talent and sees him as a top level fighter that he’d be interested in facing in his tune-up fight to get him ready for a much more important rematch with WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez later on this year.

Barker himself is making a comeback of sorts after having injured his hip a year ago. Barker has fought twice since the injury healed against weak opposition. This will be a big step up for Barker if he gets selected for the fight.

Chavez Jr. may not be a highly skilled fighter at 160, but he’s a cruiserweight sized fighter that somehow is still able to melt down to 160 to fight at middleweight. I expect Chavez Jr. to win this fight on his size advantage alone to get a knockout.

Barker: I might get a few more rounds against Rotolo

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barker343By Scott Gilfoid: Middleweight Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) will be taking a backwards move with his career in facing Simone Rotolo (35-3, 15 KO’s) on Saturday night for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title at the Wembley Arena in London, United Kingdom.

This is yet another easy fight for the 30-year-old Barker, and seemingly a backwards step from his last fight against former fringe level contender Kerry Hope last December.

Going from Hope to the 37-year-old Rotolo has to be interpreted as a backwards move for Barker, and if that’s the best that his promoter Eddie Hearn can do for him than he needs to think about finding a different promoter.

Barker looking past Rotolo bout, wants Lee, Macklin or Murray

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barker232By Scott Gilfoid: Former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) isn’t satisfied with just the opponent that he has in front of him for this Saturday night against little known Simone Rotolo (35-3, 5 KO’s), Barker wants Andy Lee, Matthew Macklin or Martin Murray after that.

Barker said thesun.co.uk “I think I have Andy’s number, as I do the rest of the guys in the division.”

It’s hard to take Barker seriously with him bragging about himself in such glowing terms. I could understand him yapping away like that if he had actually beaten Sergio Martinez in their fight in 2011 instead of fighting conservatively and getting knocked out.

Darren Barker: I think I can beat Quillin

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barker382By Scott Gilfoid: Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) hasn’t even gotten past his opponent for this Saturday night in Simone Rotolo (35-3, 15 KO’s), and already he’s looking past him towards WBO middleweight champion Peter Quillin, who Barker thinks he can beat. Barker thinks he matches up well with the hard hitting Quillin for some reason, and I can’t see why. What’s sad is Barker is pining away for a fight he can’t even hope to get.

Barker said to thesun.co.uk “We’ve been looking at Quillin, and I’d love to go to the States to fight him. I truly believe I can beat him.”

Well, there are a couple of problems getting in the way of the 30-year-old Barker landing a fight with Quillin. First off, Barker isn’t ranked in the top 15 by any of the alphabet sanctioning bodies in the middleweight division, and there’s no way that Quillin is going to waste a title defense against a 2nd tier fighter.

Darren Barker vs. Simone Rotolo on March 9th at the Wembley Arena, in London, UK

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barker3423By Scott Gilfoid: Looks like promoter Eddie Hearn wasn’t able to scratch up the big name that he wanted to find for his fighter former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) to fight on March 9th at the Wembley Arena, in London, United Kingdom.

Instead of getting a big name for Barker, Hearn found 37-year-old Italian Simone Rotolo (35-3, 15 KO’s). Barker and Rotolo will be fighting for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title.

Needless to say, this has got to be a big disappointment for the 30-year-old Barker because he was hoping to get a shot against Andy Lee, Matthew Macklin or one of the other top middleweights in the division. Facing Rotlo has got to be a tremendous letdown.

Andy Lee wants Darren Barker next

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lee91By Scott Gilfoid: #7 WBC, Andy Lee (29-2, 20 KO’s) says he’s ready to take on former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) next if he’s game to take the fight. Lee wants to add the 30-year-old Barker’s scalp to his resume if their mutual promoter will allow Barker to be put in with him.

Lee this to Sky Sports last Saturday: “Barker, let’s get it on. We’ve got the same promoter, this is your network, Sky, this is your baby.”

Lee defeated Anthony Fitzgerald by a 10 round unanimous decision last Saturday night on the Carl Frampton vs. Kiko Martinez fight card at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. While Lee wasn’t all that pleased with his performance, he felt he did a reasonably good job given how much heart Fitzgerald showed in the fight.

Darren Barker wants Andy Lee

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lee91By Scott Gilfoid: Former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) is hoping he can get the big 6’2” southpaw middleweight contender Andy Lee (29-2, 20 KO’s) in the ring in the near future, as Barker thinks he’s got the goods to beat the lanky Lee.

Barker said to Sky Sports “I really want to fight him [Lee]. I think style-wise he’s all right for me as a tall southpaw. Hopefully this could happen one day in the future.”

Barker has dropped out of the top 15 world rankings due the extensive amount of time he’s gone between fighting world class contenders after suffering an injury in 2012. Barker missed almost the entire year before coming back late in December to defeat Kerry Hope by a 4th round TKO. Barker is now scheduled to fight on March 9th, but incredibly he still doesn’t have opponent for that date. That’s not good.

Darren Barker wants Andy Lee in 2013; Golovkin also a possibility

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barker2By Scott Gilfoid: Former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) is hoping to get a shot against Ireland’s Andy Lee (28-2, 20 KO’s) this year if possible. Barker says he’s willing to even travel to Ireland in order to fight the 28-year-old Lee.

Barker said to Sky Sports News “I’d go to Ireland to fight him [Lee]. Not a problem…I believe I’ve got his number. I’ve got the style to beat him…I’m sure he wants the fight as much as I do.”

It’s possible Lee may say yes to a fight with Barker. I mean, look at who Lee is fighting on February 9th.

Barker stops Hope

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By William Mackay: Former EBU middleweight champion Darren Barker (24-1, 15 KO’s) blew away Kerry Hope (18-5, 1 KO’s) by a 4th round stoppage on Saturday night at the Olympia, Kensington, London, United Kingdom. Coming back after a 14 month layoff, Barker dropped Hope in the 4th round with a hard right hand.