Matchroom working on Martinez-Barker for October

[Datsue]

If Kermit Cintron can beat Martinez i sure as hell don't see the problem with Barker having a good go.

I take it you haven't watched that mate? Because the result was a draw anyway, & Cintron was chinned, counted out, argued his way out of it, then got outboxed until a point deduction in the last round (courtesy of some more Kermit moaning) gave him a draw. I scored it to Martinez by five, meself.

There was no way in the fuckin' world Cintron won that fight & even if by some miracle one could give him a (totally undeserving) draw like the judges did, I would bet everything you own on that version of Cintron doing Barker.

Despite this I have nothing but admiration for Barker for wanting to get in there with a top bloke like Sergio Gabriel, & would applaud the lad's nads for stepping up.

[Deserter]

to have your name even mentioned with one of the p4p best must be an honour! Full respect to him and his team

I'm not being rude, but why? Surely the respect and honour only comes from stepping in the ring with them?

Fair play maybe wrong choice of words but if I was barker I'd be over the moon to be in the mix with the p4p no 5

Yep, see what you mean

[Camcas]

Why on earth would Darren Barker get in the ring with Martinez while he holds not world title?

If he wins then he becomes the top player in Middleweight division

[LeedsLad]

Why on earth would Darren Barker get in the ring with Martinez while he holds not world title?

Martinez is the world champion, regardless of what any alphabet numpties say.

[johnswan1]

One thing your all forgetting is the fight hasn't even been made they are just in talks, and to have your name even mentioned with one of the p4p best must be an honour! Full respect to him and his team

The only reason why his name is being mentioned along Martinez is because Barker and Hearn have been calling for the fight on Twitter.

[potnoodle]

Barker had 80ish amateur fights, boxed all over the world against all the top amateur fighters, then turned pro, 23 fights? British commonwealth and European champion against some decent pros. He's been boxing for 16 years but hasn't a chance? I think he has more than a chance

[JC]

Barker had 80ish amateur fights, boxed all over the world against all the top amateur fighters, then turned pro, 23 fights? British commonwealth and European champion against some decent pros. He's been boxing for 16 years but hasn't a chance? I think he has more than a chance

I'm not to knocking Barker's resume but I don't see how any of the things you list imply that he has more than a very outside chance against one of the best fighters in the game. It just confirms that he hasn't operated at world level yet.

I wish him all the luck in the world if it comes off.

[JC]

The more I think about this one the more it seems like it would be a very odd fight for Martinez to take at this stage in his career.

Is Eddie maybe doing this to get Barker's name out there by associating it with Martinez, while Macklin is fighting Sturm

[earsjohn]

The more I think about this one the more it seems like it would be a very odd fight for Martinez to take at this stage in his career.

Is Eddie maybe doing this to get Barker's name out there by associating it with Martinez, while Macklin is fighting Sturm

Probably, although the list of viable Middleweight contenders isnt long.

- Chavez Jr won't go near Martinez for a long while
- There's a potential rubber match with Williams although I can't see that at 160
- Sturm is busy and unlikely to go to the States
- Geale is a titlist but has no "name value"
- Other ranked middleweights include N'Jikam, Sylvester, Lee who would all be no better an option than someone like Barker

Pirog would be an interesting option. Not sure how easy that would be to make.

[Autobarn]

Suicidal match IMO, DB can't beat him. Top marks for ambition but there are beatable champions out there

would be a very interesting year if two top brits challenge for world titles in the same division, in the same year. macklin, vs sturm, and barker, vs sergio fvcking martinez!

though recent history does not favour the brit - gary lockett vs pavlik & wayne elcock vs abraham.

[Autobarn]

The more I think about this one the more it seems like it would be a very odd fight for Martinez to take at this stage in his career.

Is Eddie maybe doing this to get Barker's name out there by associating it with Martinez, while Macklin is fighting Sturm

Probably, although the list of viable Middleweight contenders isnt long.

- Chavez Jr won't go near Martinez for a long while
- There's a potential rubber match with Williams although I can't see that at 160
- Sturm is busy and unlikely to go to the States
- Geale is a titlist but has no "name value"
- Other ranked middleweights include N'Jikam, Sylvester, Lee who would all be no better an option than someone like Barker

Pirog would be an interesting option. Not sure how easy that would be to make.

i agree.

no one for martinez to fight. HBO apparently want the paul williams rubber match. the amount of opportunities that fricking octopus gets...even after being splattered in 2 rds. if martinez's team don't go for it, he has no one to fight. though if the cuban lara beats williams, then of course it could be martinez v lara. in october.

i suppose it's down to whom a deal can be made vs. martinez is looking for an opponent, probably won't be able to get chavez jr who holds a portion of his title & who will likely be matched with fellow top rank fighters. the WBC will probably help chavez jr. i think
martinez is trying to get the WBC to push for the chavez jr fight, to bring the WBC titles together. but the WBC could well give chavez jr an extension.

martinez seems to need a chavez jr type opponent, someone who will give him better ratings. but if he remains without an opponent, i can see why matchroom are going for it. and good luck to them.

[JC]

The more I think about this one the more it seems like it would be a very odd fight for Martinez to take at this stage in his career.

Is Eddie maybe doing this to get Barker's name out there by associating it with Martinez, while Macklin is fighting Sturm

Probably, although the list of viable Middleweight contenders isnt long.

- Chavez Jr won't go near Martinez for a long while
- There's a potential rubber match with Williams although I can't see that at 160
- Sturm is busy and unlikely to go to the States
- Geale is a titlist but has no "name value"
- Other ranked middleweights include N'Jikam, Sylvester, Lee who would all be no better an option than someone like Barker

Pirog would be an interesting option. Not sure how easy that would be to make.

Good post. Although I would have though Andy Lee would make much better business sense than Barker as at least some fans in America know him and if they had it on the East coast he might sell a few tickets. But I doubt Stewart would want to throw him in with Martinez.

[Happy Slapper]

Can't criticise Barker if he takes it but it will most likely turn out like:

JCC v Holligan
Winky v Bingham
Cotto v Jennings
Pavlik v Lockett

I don't see it being as one sided as the above contests, but it's one Barker will find very hard to win. I would expect a late corner stoppage as someone mentioned earlier.

Although I do think people are slightly overrating Martinez to be honest. He's good, but top 3 p4p? Nah.

[Gray-Fox]

Barker should stay WELL away from Martinez.

[Tko1980]

Barker had 80ish amateur fights, boxed all over the world against all the top amateur fighters, then turned pro, 23 fights? British commonwealth and European champion against some decent pros. He's been boxing for 16 years but hasn't a chance? I think he has more than a chance

Not to mention some have gone on to be professional world champions so why not! Ie berto , Bradley and Ruminov

[Deserter]

Barker had 80ish amateur fights, boxed all over the world against all the top amateur fighters, then turned pro, 23 fights? British commonwealth and European champion against some decent pros. He's been boxing for 16 years but hasn't a chance? I think he has more than a chance

Not to mention some have gone on to be professional world champions so why not! Ie berto , Bradley and Ruminov

But history is history - nobody is making a case for how the present-day Barker can overcome the present-day Martinez. If you think he's got a chance, please explain why...

[potnoodle]

I just dont see how some people can't give barker a chance? After I stated all the above I think it's fair to say he'll give it a good go and put in a decent performance. Barker will relish the opportunity and he will only get better from this. He fights at people's levels so fighting S.M will only bring out the best in him.

This is a big year for British boxers so let's get behind them!

[jamesmcdonnell]

I just dont see how some people can't give barker a chance? After I stated all the above I think it's fair to say he'll give it a good go and put in a decent performance. Barker will relish the opportunity and he will only get better from this. He fights at people's levels so fighting S.M will only bring out the best in him.

This is a big year for British boxers so let's get behind them!

Because Martinez is the undisputed middleweight king - and Barker has yet to prove himself even contender level - maybe Barker will surprise us, but he might also get smashed to pieces.

I remember seeing David Walker get absolutely pulverised by Roman Karmazin - I'm not saying that the gap is quite that big, but sometimes it's a really unedifying spectacle watching someone who is clearly way too good for their opponent ripping them to pieces.

[Autobarn]

it's a worthy enough fight - a talented european champ taking on a brilliant world champ. martinez would probably end up stopping him, and besides, martinez's promoter probably doesn't know whom barker is, and probably won't be bothered.

top brits used to take on the best champs all the time around these weights, sibson vs hagler, herol graham and michael watson vs mike mccallum, etc, to different degrees of success.

i wouldn't mind it happening, with the dearth of opposition for martinez (i.e. plenty of able fighters, all of whom seem to be gunning for one of the other titles...)

martinez really is shit hot right now, stopping some really tough opponents. i'd also love to see ryan rhodes take on martinez, if rhodes can get by saul alvarez for the WBC 154-pound title that martinez was forced to vacate.

not interested in seeing martinez v paul williams 3rd fight - HBO really seem to be running out of ideas. you can't top a fight o the year followed by a KO of the year, in consecutive fvcking years.

[Final round]

I'd like to see a Martinez/ Pavlik rematch.

[Gray-Fox]

Barker has no chance. Martinez is pound for pound level.

[bfchunk]

Ray Feel has blogged today that Barker could be Chavez Jnr's next fight (other names for Jnr being Rubio and Manfredo Jnr)

[lefthook82]

[hurlock]

love barker, but martinez is a great fighter. i think barry makes this fight easy as he has had the lil argy here before twice against williams & had him booked for roberts before he was upset.

looking how long macklin has been waiting in the wings & has had to re fight for eu titles barker wont want to hang about as he's come close to turning his back on the sport.

[Final round]

My thoughts exactly