How high Would Barker Beating Martinez rank in upsets by british fighters?

He was a worthy challenger but to make too much of the fact he was number 1 with the WBC doesn't tell the whole story of the situation. Shufford didn't deserve to be ranked number 1, Micky Duff knew that so brought him over for Honey to grab his ranking.

Check out Shufford on Boxrec....

 

Check out footage of Shufford

 

He used to like spitting on the floor as he was fighting IIRC....

 

:rofl

 

I'm more highlighting than Curry had to fight him of lose a strap.
Those eliminators were a more transparent way to to a title than what we have just now.

 

My memory is hazy mate but I don't think it was ever Shufford or the title for Curry. Although Shufford had #1 ranking I don't remember the mandatory defence ever being discussed.

Honey deserves a lot of credit for not just sitting on the ranking, waiting until Curry moved up and fighting the #2 fighter for the vacant title. That would have been the "sensible" route!

edit: Sorry Scott, just realized the point you were making about #1 rankings in general (sorry, not got going yet today!). Yep, very true!!

 

You are right that they didn't enforce Curry to fight Shufford. He was no.1 but they made him fight Honeyghan and the winner became mandatory.

Interesting article here. Duff saying he had chosen the date to fight Curry straight after the fight! (3 days before it actually happened and in the US)

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...J&pg=4831,5162384&dq=shufford+honeyghan&hl=en

 

I never thought I'd agree with Rob over Flea in a debate about boxing history, but I've to here. I think you're seriously overrating how good Curry was in comparison with Martinez. Don looked speactacular in a lot of his fights but his opp wasn't that great, he's certainly not leagues above Sergio.

 

First and foremost, my point was about his reputation at the time :good. Which, considering peeps were asking whether or not Curry should skip 154 and jump straight up and fight Hagler, well, I would say he was more highly regarded than Martinez, apart from those that hype Martinez, who is a quality fighter, but not the 2nd coming of Christ (pretty much how Curry was seen at the time of course!)

Marlon Starling (x2) is about as great oppo' you're gonna' get at 147 at any time in history. Certainly better than Pavlik and P-Dub :deal

And when you consider how he looked, yes, I would say it's definitely fair to assume he's 'leagues above' Sergio. Giving what we know about his slippery slope, it's easy to forget how highly regarded Don was in the 80s.

 

My argument is more that Honeyghan was a lot higher regarded than Barker is.
At the same time, I think Curry was higher regarded than Martinez is now.

 

It's probably about even then ;-)

Rob, I take back my 3x :rofl

Even if Barker wins, Stracey-Napoles/Honeyghan-Curry>>>>Barker-Martinez :deal

 

Would be a big shock,right up there with Honeyghan v Curry.Martinez may be getting on a bit but he has showed no signs of slowing down,in fact he seems to be getting better.Barker has never been in with this level or even close to it.It would be a massive upset to pull it off.
I dont think Barker will win but I think he will go the distance.Hope he can win though,it would be great for Britsh boxing.

 

That's very Moe like of you!

 

:rofl :good I'm no monster nowadays.

 

Equating it to football.
Curry-Honeyghan is Barcelona-Dortmund or something like that.
Martinez-Barker is Valencia-Wigan.