Darren Barker

[Decy]

Who do you think would be the hardest fight for Barker-Macklin Duddy or Lee
I think Lee would be the toughest as he is the purest boxer of the three.I can see Barker standing off and outboxing Duddy fairly easily Macklin would come down to can Darren handle his power but Andy has the fundementals to make it more of a chess match.

[TFFP]

None of them. The only thing that would halt Barker is his own chin, because we don't know a lot about it and he's been down before.

[Decy]

None of them. The only thing that would halt Barker is his own chin, because we don't know a lot about it and he's been down before.

Thats why I made a point of mentioning Macklins power I have a feeling Barker is going to surprise a lot of people I am not sure why but I think he could be pretty special.

[Dunky McCafferty]

Who do you think would be the hardest fight for Barker-Macklin Duddy or Lee
I think Lee would be the toughest as he is the purest boxer of the three.I can see Barker standing off and outboxing Duddy fairly easily Macklin would come down to can Darren handle his power but Andy has the fundementals to make it more of a chess match.

Craig McEwan.

[TFFP]

Sorry Dunk but Craig McEwan ain't going anywhere fast. Actually thats the problem, he never moves fast.

[Will]

I agree that Barker may be a little bit special. We need to see a step up in class this year.

[Will]

I think Macklin would be the toughest.

[Sai]

I really think he'll go places , I definitely feel he's a bit slept on versus some of the other guys coming through at the minute.

[TFFP]

I really think he'll go places , I definitely feel he's a bit slept on versus some of the other guys coming through at the minute.
It's because of his competition to be honest. It's soft at best, if you're being brutally honest it could be descibed in far harsher terms. I think its about time he steps it up a notch and fights one of the guys mentioned in this thread to see where he is.

[Jamesy1]

I think Barker would beat Duddy

Not so sure about Lee

But I think that Macklin would destroy Barker

[Mazallan]

Until Barker steps up in class I reserve my judgement.

[barry big balls]

I give barker a lot of shit on here but i do rate the mans boxing skills , he just needs to stop calling macklin out and fight a european ranked fighter if he cares about his legacy, he doesnt need macklin to get himself noticed on the world stage, if barker fought mahir oral, lukas konechy, laujan simon, khoren gevor etc... a win against any of these guys will get you a high european or world ranking and would provide barker with a true test to measure his skills against a valid opponent.

[DON1]

Until Barker steps up in class I reserve my judgement.

Agreed

[20a87]

macklins constant pressure and power would be a true test of his skills

[Will]

I think Barker has the potential to be better than all those mentioned but he really does need a step up in class. Its a shame the Elcock fight never happened because that would have been a decent guage.

[NO MAS]

Until Barker steps up in class I reserve my judgement.

Spot on Maz...:good I am of the same thinking...:yep

[ImElvis666]

The jury's still out on Barker. He is definitely skilled. No doubting that. But it remains to be seen if he can mix it with the big boys of the division. As others have pointed out, he has been getting in great sparring and apparently doing well so it will be very interesting when he steps up.

I could see him outboxing Duddy to a comfortable UD. I reckon Macklin would get a late KO on him. Let's not forget he has been hurt fighting a bum, so he can definitely be KO'd. But he seems to have learned from it though. I hope he fights a quality euro level opponent and he would set himself up for a possible Euro title shot at the end of the year or early 2011.

[diggler]

i think barker is the best middleweight in the uk and ireland he just need to step up his oppostion and prove it

['Ben']

It don't matter as I can't see him fighting any of them any time soon.

[diggler]

he wasnt the one who pulled out of the macklin fight pluse he called out duddy on bunces boxing hour barker wants to prove hes the best

[Kelly green]

I hear andy lee needs an opponent in ireland in may , would barker travel that huge distance to limerick? a win there would shut a lot of people up and wouldnt be a massive risk for barker as andy lee is a level below lajuan simon, mahir oral , gevor , and jamie moore for that matter. (Elcock is finished and isnt a real test for any contender now)

[thewinfella]

Barker needs to lose that fat useless twat Hennesey !!!!!!!!

[DON1]

Hennesy is a shit promoter.
Look how long this kid has been on the scene. He needs to step up the nate and fight some real opposition. He has been fighting fucking cans for too long.

[Hooch]

I like Barker, great to watch and seems like a top bloke, has superb basics and seems to be peaking in his late 20's and gaining a little more sting in his punches, Also love how he handles questions about his brothers death, none of the crap you would get with some of our more emotional boxers shall we say, just gets on with it.

However I cant loose the image of him getting dropped by McIntosh twice and the Paul Samuels fight, although he was young and on the way up he still looks lacking in strength - like a tall light middle rather than a middle.

I think all the Irish/British middles around at the moment are pretty much at the same level:-

Duddy = Easy to watch, even easier to hit
Macklin = Heavy handed, quite slow similar to Duddy
Lee = Tall dangerous heavy handed lefty, very upright though
Mc Ewan = Tall quick, but lacks power and strength also a lefty
Barker = Excellent pure boxer, lacks power and size compared to the others

All are just shy of world class, which makes it all the more infuriating that none of them seem set to find out who is the better.
Barker im sure would fight any of them at any time but has a schmuk handling his career, big shame.

[portside]

i know barker is willing to fight any of the above mentioned fighters, he would beat duddy , macklin as well, though it would be a tougher job, lee would be a bad clash of styles , a jabbing match, the hennessy fighters would be matched in these kind of fiights, its the other promoters who run shy of risking there investments.:-((

[Kelly green]

Stick him in with lee next as they are both looking for opponents and barker should be able to do a vera on lee, thats if barker is the goods like you guys reckon.

[ImElvis666]

I hear andy lee needs an opponent in ireland in may , would barker travel that huge distance to limerick? a win there would shut a lot of people up and wouldnt be a massive risk for barker as andy lee is a level below lajuan simon, mahir oral , gevor , and jamie moore for that matter. (Elcock is finished and isnt a real test for any contender now)

I'm pretty sure there is an opponent for the Lee fight. Just has not been announced yet.

[Kelly green]

I'm pretty sure there is an opponent for the Lee fight. Just has not been announced yet.
Pm me his supposed opponent , i will keep quiet until it announced.

[ImElvis666]

Pm me his supposed opponent , i will keep quiet until it announced.

I am in the dark as to who it is also. I think one or two of the guys in Irish boxing forum have the low down. It will be announced this week I believe so we'll just have to wait. I don't think they would give it if you asked.

[DON1]

Comon now posters, Macklin has stepped up a level now. Can Barker take Macklins bombs?? Im not so sure.