Doug De Witt V Iran Barkley?

They were suppose to fight on the Foreman vs Cooney undercard for WBO MW Title
but was cancelled after Barkely suffered a torn retina in his left eye.

 

Holy **** this would've been a war!

 

Barkley was awkward in his style. In someway Barkley was too easy to hit at times and yet not many hit him clean, and that made guys confident so they would land on him and leave themselves open,and then he would throw punches as he was getting nailed, and he punched harder than he is given credit for because his knockout record at that point was not what you would think for a knockout puncher. So he had a certain surprise to his offense.His style was a little awkward and different, with a lot of physical strength.

 

I think Dewitt would have won in 84 or 85.

Barkley peaked later.

Prime for prime I'd go with Barkley as he'd drag DeWitt into a war and bust him up.

Your timeline is a bit off.

They could have fought in 86 or early 87.

Barkley beat Kinchen in 86 and this raised his stock.

DeWitt lost to Hearns but didn't hurt his reputation any.

What may have scrapped any chance of this matchup in 87 was DeWitt was starched by Jose Quinones in a huge upset where DeWitt's seemingly impenetrable chin was breached.

Barkley then got a shot at a vacant title in 87 but lost to Kalambay.

Then, in 88 he fought Olajide.

Both Barkley and Olajide had lost shots at vacant world titles in 87 and their fight in 88 was a cross-roads fight.

After Barkley lost his title to Duran, a DeWitt match would have been a good match in 89 or 90 but as somebody pointed out it was planned in 90 but scrapped.

 

Hard one to call. DeWitt was good at doubling and trebling his jabs and left hooks, kept his right hand up well, flurried well... Just didn't move well. Barkley was taller, rangier, bigger, stronger.... I see Iran walking through Doug's shots and left hooking him to body and head against the ropes a lot. In the end the strength of Barkley may take its toll on DD allowing him to box DeWitt with his height and reach in the later rounds to nick it on points.

Barkley MD12

 

If this bout took place in 1989, just after the Kalambay loss and before he went on a nice little run beating Matthew Hilton and Robbie Sims, I favour DeWitt by close decision. During this period, Dewitt seemed to learn to box within himself and maximize his experience and skills. He definitely wouldn't have to look for Barkley who would be right there in front of him. Dewitt by close split decision.

 

Dewitt would have outboxed Iran and maybe even stopped him.
Mike Tinley lost a split decision to Iran in a bout I thought Tinley won.
Doug outboxed Tinley pretty easy.
The Kitchen bout was a split decision win for Iran.
Doug also in his prime had a cast iron chin- and Iran didnt body punch all that great for Doug to be worried.
Doug absorbed the bombs of Hearns, Lee and Mccroy and never even blinked.
I think this bout would be similar to Dewitt vs Hilton- Iran is dangerous for four rounds and then Doug starts busting him up.

 

DeWitt made every round close against a peak Hearns to be fair.

Nigel Benn was UNBELIEVABLE the night he fought DeWitt in his backyard of Atlantic City. Most of the rounds looked 10-8 without a knockdown!

Manny Steward: 'The Nigel Benn who beat Doug DeWitt would've beaten any middleweight in the world. And I mean any middleweight, then, now or any time.'