By Dan Ambrose: WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KO’s) has to get past Darren Barker (23-0, 14 KO’s) on October 1st to stay in the position to get a fight against WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. for a potential fight in 2012.

If boxing had it’s act together, it would be Chavez Jr., the lesser fighter, who would be the one breaking his back to try and get a fight against Martinez. However, it’s an unusual situation where Martinez has to chase a weaker fighter who is currently little more than a paper champion, and it’s unclear whether a win over Barker will get Martinez the fight he wants with Chavez Jr.

Earlier this week there was talk that the World Boxing Council wants Martinez to beat not only Barker but Marco Antonio Rubio to get a fight with Chavez Jr. For his part, all Chavez has to do is beat Peter Manfredo Jr. in November while he waits for the dust to clear from Martinez’s two fights with Barker and possibly Rubio.

Whether Martinez agrees to do this is the question. Martinez is better off beating Barker, and moving on to try and face one of the other middleweight champions than wasting time jumping over one hurdle after another to try and get a fight with Chavez Jr.

The chances of Chavez Jr. fighting Martinez after he wins those fights would still be up in the air, because Chavez Jr. can always vacate the title or take on someone else and end up being stripped if the WBC decides to do that. I doubt that they will. I think they’re fine with Chavez Jr. being the WBC champion at this time.

Barker doesn’t have much of a chance against Martinez. Barker has been fighting local domestic opposition before being picked out by Martinez, and this is going to be a big step up in competition for Barker to be making at this point in the 29-year-old’s career. You don’t like to see guys with limited experience like Barker facing a dangerous puncher like Martinez.