By Scott Gilfoid: Eddie Hearn, the promoter for Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KO’s), says he’s going to try and get the 29-year-old Barker another title shot in the near future, hopefully in 2012. Hearn believes that he can take advantage of Barker’s good showing in his 11th round TKO loss to WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez last Saturday night.
Barker vs. Martinez
Sergio Martinez: You have to know how to finish, not just how to start
By Chris Williams: WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez has a lot of respect for Darren Barker for the effort he put in last Saturday night in fighting tooth and nail until eventually losing by an 11th round TKO.
Martinez noted how well Barker fought in the early rounds of the fight when Barker got off to a quick and impressive start. However, it was Martinez who did the finishing, coming on strong in the 2nd half of the fight to break Barker down with strong combinations from the 6th until knocking him out in the 11th.
Andy Lee: Sergio Martinez can be beaten by basic boxing
By Dan Ambrose: Middleweight contender Andy Lee (27-1, 19 KO’s) thinks former world champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 28 KO’s) can beaten by “Basic boxing”, according to an interview at fighthype.com. Although Lee didn’t see Martinez’s win over Darren Barker last weekend, Lee sees Martinez as having problems with a fighter that stays back and boxes Martinez from the outside instead of coming right after him.
Martinez does not look like an elite fighter
By John F. McKenna (McJack): Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO’s) defeated Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KO’s) Saturday night, knocking out the Brit in the 11th round at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
Macklin and Andy Lee possible next opponents for Sergio Martinez
By William Mackay: WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 28 KO’s) took care of business last Saturday night in defeating challenger Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KO’s) by an 11th round TKO to retain his World Boxing Council title at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Barker suffers perforated eardrum in loss: What next for him?
By Allan Fox: Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KO’s) gave it his best shot last night against WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 28 KO’s) but in the end Barker didn’t have the power, the workrate or the defense to win the fight and was taken out by a rather soft-looking right hand to the left side of his head in the 11th that put Barker down on all fours on the canvas.
Did Barker quit against Martinez?
By Scott Gilfoid: In taking a close look at last night’s fight between WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 28 KO’s) and his British challenger Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KO’s), I really wasn’t too impressed with the finishing right hand that Martinez landed in the 11th to put Barker down face first on the canvas for the count. It looked like a quit job to me.
Sergio Martinez annihilates Barker in 11th
By Scott Gilfoid: World Boxing Council Diamond middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KOs) handed Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KOs) his first defeat of his career on Saturday night in stopping the Brit in the 11th round at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Dibella willing to let Arum co-promote Sergio Martinez in order to get fights against Cotto and Margarito
By Dan Ambrose: Promoter Lou Dibella reportedly is willing to let Top Rank promoter Bob Arum co-promote WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez if it leads to Martinez getting fights against Arum’s money fighters Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao.
Macklin will be watching tonight’s Barker-Martinez fight closely, wants to fight winner
By Scott Gilfoid: Having failed in his last fight against WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm last June, middleweight contender Matthew Macklin (28-3, 19 KO’s) is hoping to take on the winner of tonight’s fight between the fighter considered to be the best of the middleweights, WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, in his bout against Darren Barker (23-0, 14 KO’s) at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.