Was Hope v Barker always at super-middle?

[dewipowell]

I just noticed that Hope v Barker is for an IBF inter title at super-middleweight. Was that always the case? I really can't remember if I read it was at middleweight or just assumed it.

Has it been changed? I was told yesterday that there were rumours Barker was carrying an injury and rumours are to be expected with a fighter who has suffered injuries in the past. If it has been changed from middle to super-middle, would it give weight to any rumour?

Also.. why is Hope now in the super-middle rankings on BoxRec? Does a non-title/keep busy fight against a journeyman mean he's not rated at middleweight anymore but super-middle intead?

[dewipowell]

Typo: instead

[dondada]

Also.. why is Hope now in the super-middle rankings on BoxRec? Does a non-title/keep busy fight against a journeyman mean he's not rated at middleweight anymore but super-middle intead?

Don't know about the other bits but boxers/their managers often request weight category changes. I don't know if it happened but, say someone got in touch and said Kerry Hope intends to box at super-middle from now on, and did in his last fight, then that might be changed. Especially if they're asking to be heavier - which is unusual.

The usual bollox is when they get in touch and say, often impolitely, 'Change me to bantamweight, I'm a bantamweight'...then you have a look at their record and the closest they've been is 11st 4lbs and they're just doing it because they've been told there's a sniff of some kind of title bout. If you want to be ranked at a weight, box at it occasionally.

[mickey1975]

They have both weighed in at just over the Midleweight limit.

[GlobalBox]

Think it was orginally a 10 round middleweight and then when Purdy pulled out of topping the bill against Jones, this was jacked up and I am guessing it might have been
the only title around and became a 12 for a vacant minor belt somewhere.

Just possibly what has happened, sure it was middleweight first.

[Cholo_cws]

Presumably the IBF fee collectors were already in town for Purdy's IBF intercontinental fight (before it was called off) and the judges and supervisors had been paid so to make use of them they found an IBF trinket to fight for?

I can't see any other reason for it. The added title tag wasn't going to supposedly draw in any more fans, what with the bill gradually disintegrating (and would it anyway?)... and seemingly being attached very late on. Plus, had there been any talk of either moving up a weight and if there had why would they weigh just the odd pound or two above the middleweight limit?

Some title. Only in boxing. Utterly, utterly shabby.

[The_Don1]

I just thought the announcer got it wrong at the end? Clearly not...