Barker ready to hunt down Macklin

[scrap iron]

Mr Barker you are biting off more than you can chew!!!

I disagree with you Spud. I admit Matthew Macklin maybe has the edge in physical strength over Darren Barker and he hits hard enough to hurt him, but in recent fights and especially in the last one, Barker has shown he is able to cover up and take a lot of his opponents punches on his gloves and arms when he has two. Barker has a snappy jab which I believe he will land at will and his dangerous straight right and a good left hook will also find the the target. Barker beats Macklin for hand-speed and he also has height and reach advantages over Matthew. As long as Darren is stupid and stands in front of Macklin trading punches with his chin exposed, I think he will do a number on Macklin and possibly stop him quicker them Moore did. I think the Moore fight took a little out of Macklin and I notice he has been wobbled in recents fights. Barker by stoppage.

Ahh at last boxing debate!!!

There is no denying Barker has some good skills - but despite the stoppage win against McDermott sorry but he certainly does not have the punch power to stop European or World class fighters in their tracks - I have no problems admitting if I am wrong when the day comes to do that but I just do not see it.

Barker is a nice lad, who is a credit to the sport the way he conducts himself and comes across on TV - he is clearly a skilful boxer but I simply do not see that being enough to keep the top opponents away - when one of those opponents gets through - does he have the chin to wishstand heavy pressure - I think not on that one too!!!

I may well be wrong - just cant see it!!!

I think Barker would win, but I'm going to be objective on this now. I could never put my life savings on Barker winning a fight against any opponent with a big punch because it's Darren's chin that is the only weakness. I was one of the few people who saw the Conroy McIntosh fight and it took a good 30 seconds for his head to clear and his legs to strengthen after he was knocked down twice in the same round (yes, he visited the canvas twice at the start of round two). However in his defence, Barker started very casually against McIntosh and got caught cold. I think against Macklin he wouldn't be so complacent and would brace himself for the hard shots that will come his way. Like Amir Khan, I think Barker has to concentrate for the full duration of the fight and not leave his chin in the air. The only other slight chink in his armour would be in the physical strength departement. Teddy007 has mention his build/body and thinks Macklin will detroy him. I did notice watching the McDermott fight from ringside that when Barker covered up and took McDermott's punches on his gloves and arms his body did seem to shudder. Interestingly Barker said in the post-fight interview he could feel McDermott's strength. This might become a factor in a long, hard 12 rounder, but because Barker isn't an inside fighter and prefers to do his work from distance, I don't think this will be a major problem.

Ok, now looking at things as a Barker fan; I think Darren definitely has faster handspeed then Matthew and that will cause him problems. Macklin is also east to hit and I said in a previous post, I can see Darren's snappy jab, hard straight right and good left hook all finding the target. Even if these punches don't put Macklin away, they will rack up the points. I also think the Jamie Moore fight took a little out of Macklin. In the fight before Elcock against Geard Ajetovic he did seem to be troubled by some of the punches the Serb landed on him. Before the Moore fight, I had never seen Macklin hurt. Also since the Moore fight, Macklin has talked about relying on his boxing rather the his aggression to win fights, but if he tries to out-box Barker from distance he will certainly lose. I'm not sure who is the biggest out of Macklin and Barker, but Darren has both height and reach over the Brummie. Also McDermott was clearly the bigger man last Saturday, but that didn't stop Barker beating him.

Barker late stoppage or points.

[Counter-puncher]

to be fair to Barker's chin, McIntosh is a banger if nothing else

[Spud]

Scrap doesn't give up!!

Hey mate healthy boxing debate doesn't do anyone any harm - I love it!!

Listen I am always right and I say Matthew Macklin walks right through Darren's punches - its all very well looking flashy and having these silky skills but you have to be good enough to keep your opponent away as well as getting on with your own work to win the fight - Macklin in my opinion is far too strong but we will see.

Another thing - to the person who text me - f*ck off!!! - this is not a Hennessy thing that I am getting at - I love anything Carl Froch and actually think Tyson Fury is the best heavyweight prospect we have in this country - of course with the exception of David Haye - I rate Fury that highly - so again f*ck off with the b*llocks - I write my opinions and intend sticking to them!!

[oilup]

I write my opinions and intend sticking to them!!

That would be a shocker Albert.

[Spud]

I write my opinions and intend sticking to them!!

That would be a shocker Albert.

F*ck off you pr*ck!!! - you will be exposed under your new name Livra, Confirmation, Search - thanks for letting us know who you are so soon!!

what a prize **** you are - Still remember your comments about Ricky but my lasting memory of you is threatening my family - you will pay a price for doing that!!

[hitman_hatton1]

Scrap doesn't give up!!

Hey mate healthy boxing debate doesn't do anyone any harm - I love it!!

Listen I am always right and I say Matthew Macklin walks right through Darren's punches - its all very well looking flashy and having these silky skills but you have to be good enough to keep your opponent away as well as getting on with your own work to win the fight - Macklin in my opinion is far too strong but we will see.

Another thing - to the person who text me - f*ck off!!! - this is not a Hennessy thing that I am getting at - I love anything Carl Froch and actually think Tyson Fury is the best heavyweight prospect we have in this country - of course with the exception of David Haye - I rate Fury that highly - so again f*ck off with the b*llocks - I write my opinions and intend sticking to them!!

barker beats macklin.

no doubts personally.

[Autobarn]

anyone think the aussie daniel geale would rip that commonwealth title from barker?

geale just lost to world class anthony mundine on a narrow, disputed decision in a terrific fight

[hitman_hatton1]

barker would beat mundine.

let alone geale.

[hurlock]

macklin aint as half as good as what he think's he is!!
barker pretty easily

spud stop swearing as much no need for it.

[Autobarn]

barker would beat mundine.

let alone geale.

i doubt he'd be able to beat mundine, unles mundine gets weak making 160. mundine is a massive talent who doesn't quite gel probably because boxing isn't his first sport

[Asterix]

said it before, i will not believe that barker is in any way bigger at the weight until I see it for my own eyes. it's not science but here goes: Elcock looked as big, if not as tall as McDermott. Mcdermott looked bigger than Barker. then before the Macklin fight Elcock talks about how he is the bigger man than Macklin who is a 'small middleweight' apparently. i mean, everyone knew Macklin was a very big lightmiddle indeed but apparently he's a small middleweight. except, in the ring, he looked no smaller than Elcock at all, and Elcock is very solid at 160. conclusion: saying Barker is bigger than macklin at 160 is yet to be proven, at best.

I agree with you. Barker is not bigger than Macklink, imo.

[Asterix]

barker would beat mundine.

let alone geale.

i doubt he'd be able to beat mundine, unles mundine gets weak making 160. mundine is a massive talent who doesn't quite gel probably because boxing isn't his first sport

Mundine is already weak making 160 lbs.

[Rocky Balboa]

Barker won't have to hunt for long because I have no doubt Macklin wants the bout just as much as anyone!

I would look for Darren to try to box rather than engage in a war with Macklin! I see this one being a cracker of a bout, highly entertaining indeed!

Both seems to be in the best form of their careers so the sooner it happens, the better!

[hurlock]

cant seen spanky boy having the same confidence as hennessy & both will want it on there promotion which is a fight on it's own.

[black panther]

Cracking fight in prospect, I give the edge to Barker but in all honesty its a 50:50 affair. Before the loss to Moore, Macklin was turning in some dazzling performances at middleweight. I'd say Macklin has a strength and power advantage but Barker seems to have the speed advantage. Also, I'd say Macklin has the better chin, he took some hellacious shots from Moore before being ko'ed due to exhaustion. Because of the contrast in styles, to me this couldn't fail to be a great spectacle, with the winner fighting for the european or even a title shot.

Edit: By the by, any news of an opponent for Macklin on June 27th?

[Captain Hook]

I write my opinions and intend sticking to them!!

That would be a shocker Albert.

F*ck off you pr*ck!!! - you will be exposed under your new name Livra, Confirmation, Search - thanks for letting us know who you are so soon!!

what a prize **** you are - Still remember your comments about Ricky but my lasting memory of you is threatening my family - you will pay a price for doing that!!

you sound like an angry sheikh...and you're wrong about Barker :)

[winkveron]

Everyone knows Barker is very good technically, but I think he showed in the last fight that he is strong and can mix it when he needs to. I was very impressed and really enjoyed the fight.

[Autobarn]

so if Macklin keeps the middleweight British title, the fight should pretty much happen soon enough?

is anything else being lined up for Macklin, that would put off a Barker fight?

[Counter-puncher]

Cracking fight in prospect, I give the edge to Barker but in all honesty its a 50:50 affair. Before the loss to Moore, Macklin was turning in some dazzling performances at middleweight. I'd say Macklin has a strength and power advantage but Barker seems to have the speed advantage. Also, I'd say Macklin has the better chin, he took some hellacious shots from Moore before being ko'ed due to exhaustion. Because of the contrast in styles, to me this couldn't fail to be a great spectacle, with the winner fighting for the european or even a title shot.

Edit: By the by, any news of an opponent for Macklin on June 27th?

not yet, no

[THEBUTCH]

Macklin mentioned Thirlwall or Bendall in Buncey's boxing hour as possibilities.

[Counter-puncher]

by the way I think Macklin will (in relation to Barker) be a little quicker, and do a little better in the pure boxing stakes (since he's been with Gallagher) than people are expecting