Darren Barker set to face Italian for vacant European title

[Counter-puncher]

it doesn't seem to take much

[Scottrf]

it doesn't seem to take much

Which is fortunate ;;-)

[Counter-puncher]

well i thought it was obvious enough saying that this fight would go a long way towards silencing Barker's critics.

[TheCobra]

Barker is 28 now and needs to get a move on. Hopefully this fight comes off, the euro belt is often a good stepping stone to a world title bid. As with John Murray though, he is not really getting the high profile fights/Sky audience and I can see Hennessy's stable virtually collapsing in the next couple of years without a good tv deal.

[Horse]

Considering what Darren's been through he's showing real courage and confidence in himself to jump straight back in at championship level without a warm up.

Barker couldn't afford to fanny about wasting even more months of his career fighting non-entities. He had to get right back to European level.

[brian13]

Spada can fight. I actually think he will nick a decision in the fight because I don't rate Barker at all.

[potnoodle]

From Dublin.... Surprise

[Dan Dares]

I think Macklin v Wright and Barker v Spada are both good fights, pretty much 50/50 for me. Wright was a quality operator. He might be knocking on a bit, but i can't see him getting knocked out.

[crusader]

Spada came close to winning a world title (albeit against a paper champ). This is a decent matchup.

[bennie]

Darren Barker looks likely to challenge for the vacant European middleweight title in the spring against Italian 'sleeper' Domenico Spada, after a proposed domestic superfight between Barker and Matt Macklin fell through with Macklin's surprise recent move to the States.
The unbeaten Barker, a Londoner, is probably lacking in motivation right now but needs to stay alert against Spada, 32-3 (19), a seasoned, slippery, iron-jawed campaigner who has lost every time he stepped up, and every time he left Italy, but only to excellent men in 12-rounders. Make no mistake bout it, Spada knows how to look after himself and is hardly over the hill at 30, two years older than the champion. Plus, he fights regularly, whereas Barker has been out since last April.
This is something of a no-win affair for Barker, 22-0 (14), a fight he is expected to control in the manner of previous showings but which could turn into a real struggle. Spada has never been stopped in 11 years as a pro and will battle all the way as the sharp, elusive Barker boxes clever and eventually comes through on a hard-earned decision.
However, "Dazzling" Darren may well fail to sparkle.

[simonsays]

Darren Barker looks likely to challenge for the vacant European middleweight title in the spring against Italian 'sleeper' Domenico Spada, after a proposed domestic superfight between Barker and Matt Macklin fell through with Macklin's surprise recent move to the States.
The unbeaten Barker, a Londoner, is probably lacking in motivation right now but needs to stay alert against Spada, 32-3 (19), a seasoned, slippery, iron-jawed campaigner who has lost every time he stepped up, and every time he left Italy, but only to excellent men in 12-rounders. Make no mistake bout it, Spada knows how to look after himself and is hardly over the hill at 30, two years older than the champion. Plus, he fights regularly, whereas Barker has been out since last April.
This is something of a no-win affair for Barker, 22-0 (14), a fight he is expected to control in the manner of previous showings but which could turn into a real struggle. Spada has never been stopped in 11 years as a pro and will battle all the way as the sharp, elusive Barker boxes clever and eventually comes through on a hard-earned decision.
However, "Dazzling" Darren may well fail to sparkle.

Yer agree but I think a hard earned decision will hold him in good stead for the future because of the fact he has been so inactive. 12 hard rounds under his belt would surely wipe away any cobwebs that maybe lercking around.