Darren Barker

Spot on Maz...:good I am of the same thinking...:yep

 

The jury's still out on Barker. He is definitely skilled. No doubting that. But it remains to be seen if he can mix it with the big boys of the division. As others have pointed out, he has been getting in great sparring and apparently doing well so it will be very interesting when he steps up.

I could see him outboxing Duddy to a comfortable UD. I reckon Macklin would get a late KO on him. Let's not forget he has been hurt fighting a bum, so he can definitely be KO'd. But he seems to have learned from it though. I hope he fights a quality euro level opponent and he would set himself up for a possible Euro title shot at the end of the year or early 2011.

 

i think barker is the best middleweight in the uk and ireland he just need to step up his oppostion and prove it

 

It don't matter as I can't see him fighting any of them any time soon.

 

he wasnt the one who pulled out of the macklin fight pluse he called out duddy on bunces boxing hour barker wants to prove hes the best

 

I hear andy lee needs an opponent in ireland in may , would barker travel that huge distance to limerick? a win there would shut a lot of people up and wouldnt be a massive risk for barker as andy lee is a level below lajuan simon, mahir oral , gevor , and jamie moore for that matter. (Elcock is finished and isnt a real test for any contender now)

 

Barker needs to lose that fat useless twat Hennesey !!!!!!!!

 

Hennesy is a **** promoter.
Look how long this kid has been on the scene. He needs to step up the nate and fight some real opposition. He has been fighting ****ing cans for too long.

 

I like Barker, great to watch and seems like a top bloke, has superb basics and seems to be peaking in his late 20's and gaining a little more sting in his punches, Also love how he handles questions about his brothers death, none of the crap you would get with some of our more emotional boxers shall we say, just gets on with it.

However I cant loose the image of him getting dropped by McIntosh twice and the Paul Samuels fight, although he was young and on the way up he still looks lacking in strength - like a tall light middle rather than a middle.

I think all the Irish/British middles around at the moment are pretty much at the same level:-

Duddy = Easy to watch, even easier to hit
Macklin = Heavy handed, quite slow similar to Duddy
Lee = Tall dangerous heavy handed lefty, very upright though
Mc Ewan = Tall quick, but lacks power and strength also a lefty
Barker = Excellent pure boxer, lacks power and size compared to the others

All are just shy of world class, which makes it all the more infuriating that none of them seem set to find out who is the better.
Barker im sure would fight any of them at any time but has a schmuk handling his career, big shame.

 

i know barker is willing to fight any of the above mentioned fighters, he would beat duddy , macklin as well, though it would be a tougher job, lee would be a bad clash of styles , a jabbing match, the hennessy fighters would be matched in these kind of fiights, its the other promoters who run shy of risking there investments.:-((

 

Stick him in with lee next as they are both looking for opponents and barker should be able to do a vera on lee, thats if barker is the goods like you guys reckon.

 

I'm pretty sure there is an opponent for the Lee fight. Just has not been announced yet.

 

Pm me his supposed opponent , i will keep quiet until it announced.

 

I am in the dark as to who it is also. I think one or two of the guys in Irish boxing forum have the low down. It will be announced this week I believe so we'll just have to wait. I don't think they would give it if you asked.

 

Comon now posters, Macklin has stepped up a level now. Can Barker take Macklins bombs?? Im not so sure.