The undisputed middleweight champion of today against a gatekeeper middleweight of yesterday. I pick Barkley to stop him by the 4th.
Barkley would be little better than putting Minter or Antoufermo in front of Pavlik. He stood out when he did because the late 80s were a lean time for the MW division. Pavlik would KO him inside 6 rounds. Yeah, I know he beat Duran, but like a journeyman's record, he beat NO ONE else of note (maybe Coetzee, but he was 42 at the time). Nigel Benn KOed Barkley in one round. Duran, Kalambay, Toney, Berbick...every name you recognize either beat him via KO or a solid points decision.
Pavlik would destroy Barkey much like he did Miranda: take his best shots, force him back, and knock him out in a one sided beat down.