Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs Darren Barker

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that Barker could very well pull a Zbik here and give Chavez fits.

IMO Barker...

a) has a similar defensive style to Zbik's, but better executed.

b) handled Spada better.

c) would beat the German head to head.


The only thing that might work against him is Chavez significantly out-working him, but I'd fancy connect rate would be a landslide in Barker's favor. Chavez has sharpened his offense under Roach and would get shots through (as he did against Zbik) but a solid high-guarding counter puncher is always going to give him trouble. He'll be wasting plenty of energy unloading hard combos but hitting glove. Fortunately he'll be well conditioned enough as a Roach camp member that he probably shouldn't fade down the stretch and open the door to Barker stopping him.

It goes the distance, and Barker probably earns the nod but loses controversially if it's in Mexico (or really anywhere west of the Atlantic).

 

Why?

He was hardly doing a Clottey and refusing to fight. He just couldn't match Martinez's speed so tried to make what he did land count.

At least he did refuse to throw a punch for three rounds and get blasted out.

 

I dont want HBO to think all English boxers are as lame as Barker, tbh I fear that we wont get any publicity/big fights if he spoils yet another fight like that...

 

I thought he did himself pretty proud all things considered. He gave Martinez the most trouble he'd had in some time.

Again, it's better than a HW in a PPV event who stood around doing nothing.

 

Daft post AF.

 

Think Barker can win it but like Zbik (questionable) gets jobbed on points.

 

Not sure if some of the people on this thread have actaully seen barker, but he definatly has a chance against chavez jnr. To say he doesnt is a load of bollox.

As it happens i thin k chavez probably gets the hometowm nod but barker makes a fight of it for sure

 

Chavez would win by robbery...

 

:thumbsup

Good to see I'm not the only one who recognizes the upside in Barker and refuses to buy that he's a pushover for Chavez.

You Brits are often overly critical of your own when they step up to world level and fail.

Barker gave a fine account of himself against Martinez, IMO - and was doing quite well (still well in the fight on my card) before the stoppage.

 

I've always thought Barker would beat Chavez.

 

he's got a great chance. Chavez is OK but so is Barker. Its certainly no mismatch.

 

It's worth noting that Manfredo was backing up Chavez quite a bit last night.

 

It was getting surprisingly interesting last night until right at the end.

 

:nod

Barker IMO is a good sight better than J. M. Cotto (to say nothing of being much bigger) who gave Canelo a fright, much better than Manfredo who managed to back him up and stand in with him without being intimidated, and a shade better than Zbik who many feel deserved to have beaten him.

 

Barker always gets flak, regardless of what he does. Some hold his pull-out against Macklin against him. Chavez is the same fighter he always was but with a good trainer who gives him a strategy and works on his weaknesses.

Martinez would humiliate him, but there's no reason Barker can't move, jab and land his right hand in the early going. Chavez showed better movement because he was in with a guy who couldn't stop him doing it. If he's being outmoved, will he revert to type?

I still think Chavez would be too strong and grind Barker down in the last four rounds to pull out a decision. All that said, there's no reason Darren can't do this if he gets his tactics right.