Can't argue too much with Barker...I would have told Purdy he had 1 more round first though to see if that got a reaction, and if not then pull him out
Do the people that think Purdy should have been allowed to continue also think that it was ok to let Lebdev go the distance on Friday night, and it was ok to let Shannon Briggs get battered for 12 rounds against Vitaly? This fight was bad news for Purdy from start to finish, and I reckon Barker's decision to pull him out was the only good thing about it all. Considering he's fallen short at British level twice, you have to ask how he even deserved a shot at Alexander in the first place. Even so, despite the amazing opportunity he couldn't even make the weight, so he was double lucky he even got in the ring at all. He was even more lucky when Alexander broke his hand, but Barker never seemed to notice, or if he did he never knew what to do about it. Perhaps Barker pulled him out due to his own failings in the corner as much as anything, but in the end he put Purdey's interests before his own and did him a favour in my opinion.
What was the point of the whole exercise apart from the pay day? What happened to having to be top ten rated to get a title shot?
This is an interesting scenario where people in active sport, don't know anything outside active sport. This happens in football quite often. Good players become pundits but theyre ****ing hopless at it. Having said that, Barker is a young guy who was thrown into the deep-end just as much as Purdy. Darren should have realised Alexander only had one hand and advised Purdy to make the necessary adjustments. Having said all that, I don't have any problem with the stoppage & neither did Purdy in the post fight interview.
Barker made the correct call and Purdy merely confirmed that in the post fight interview with Adam Smith.
If Barker would've let the fight carry on Purdy would've been pissing in the wind. He'd landed right hands & they'd had no effect on Devon, all he was doing was taking shot after shot. Good decision by Barker & Purdy can be in some good entertaining scraps back at British level
IB is right he had his chance, He didn't do anything even when warned by Barker. It wasn't a world title fight in the end so all it would of been was getting to a decision whilst taking more punishment even against a one handed fighter and not giving to much back. He whinced at a body shot in that same round. He was feeling the effects of the punches. Barker suffered a beating at hands of thugs, he knows Lee's a young guy still people forget he's 24 or 25. Barker's speech is slurred IMO and may of been due to affects of the attack. He looked out for his friend and fighter on the night. Lee showed his toughness but has to learn and develop. Purdy a top class troll though :deal.
Barker did the right thing for me to add a bit don't be surprised if it comes out this week that the team behind Purdy Hearn snr who was there & Sims via phone would of said if he is struggling mid point pull him out. The few times Purdy threw anything DA just countered with right uppercuts.Purdy was standing there static different levels of fighter was a sparring session for DA one handed throwing what he wanted when he wanted to.
Neither of those fights are comparable to what we saw last night. Purdy was never hurt, he was catching a lot of the punches on his arms and he was having occasional success. You can't compare that to what we saw with Lebedev, who had career threatening swelling and possible serious eye damage underneath. Yeah, Purdy was losing but he wasn't in danger. Lebedev and Briggs were. I won't criticise Barker because it was a decision made out of concern for a friend but that was a poor decision. Burns was schooled just as much and in the 7th, was hurt far more by Gonzalez than Purdy was last night. Imagine if Nelson pulled Burns out after the 7th.
Purdy was ranked number 4 with the IBF. With Brook injured and Bizier refusing the opportunity he was the highest ranked fighter available. Intercontinental/international titles might be meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but they are highly effective in propelling the individual up the rankings.