Barker: Froch could beat Kessler

[Wellington]

Unbeaten middleweight Darren Barker believes Carl Froch is a future world super-middleweight champion and could beat Mikkel Kessler.

The Barnet boxer, who challenges Australian Ben Crampton for the Commonwealth crown on a Hennessy Sports show at the York Hall on November 14th, sparred with Kessler in Copenhagen last month.

WBA and WBC super-middleweight champion Kessler used Barker as his sparring partner ahead of the fight Saturday’s fight with Welshman Joe Calzaghe, the WBO champion.

Barker has also sparred with Froch, who he rates as better than Kessler.

“I’ve sparred with them both and they are both very good,” said Darren. “Carl will definitely go all the way, judging on what Kessler is like.

“Carl hits harder than him and is a very smart boxer. He is good enough to become undisputed champion in a very hot division.

“At the top level there is a very fine level between winning and losing - and Carl has definitely got what it takes. He has got what it takes to beat Kessler - and anyone else in the division.

"It was great sparring with Kessler, who is a nice guy. It gave me confidence ahead of my Commonwealth Title fight and I'm optimistic for the future


Hennessy Sports in association with GoldenPalace.net Proudly Present FROCH VS REID @ NOTTINGHAM ICE ARENA Friday 9th NOVEMBER 2007.
Doors 6pm, Boxing Starts 6.30pm.

Ticket Prices:
£25 Unreserved Tiered & Reserved Floor
£30 Premium Tiered
£75 Outer Ringside
£125 Ringside

For Tickets:
Call the Box Office on: 0870 121 0123
Book via the web: http://www.nottingham-arena.com

*******************************************
Carl Froch (Nottingham) vs Robin Reid (Runcorn)
12 x 3 – British Super Middleweight Title
*******************************************
John Murray (Manchester) vs Dean Hickman (West Bromwich) 10 x 3 – English Lightweight / WBC Youth Titles.

Esham Pickering (Newark) vs Sean Hughes (Pontefract)
8 x 3 Super Bantamweight

Adnan Amar (Nottingham) vs Darren Gethin (Walsall) 10 x 3 Midlands Area Welterweight Title

Paul David (Sheffield) vs Michael Monaghan (Nottingham) 10 x 3 – Midlands Area Super Middleweight Title

Andrew Singh Kooner (Birmingham/ Toronto Canada) vs Andy Bell (Nottingham)
8 x 3 – Bantamweight

Amir Unsworth (Warrington) vs Leonard Lothian (Northampton)
4 x 3 - Light Welterweight

Kelly Oliver (Lincoln) vs TBA
4 x 3 Cruiser Weight

Tyrone Wright (Nottingham) vs Simeon Cover (Worksop)
4x3 Cruiser Weight

Rod Anderton (Nottingham) vs TBA
4 x 3 Light Heavyweight


Hennessy Sports in association with GoldenPalace.net Proudly Present CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING @ YORK HALL Wednesday 14th November 2007.
Doors 6pm, Boxing Starts 6.30pm.

Ticket Prices:
• Ringside £75 – Reserved
• Unreserved £30

For Tickets call the Box Office on: 0870 060 1795 or book via the web: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk

******************************************************
Darren Barker (Barnet) vs Ben Crampton (Australia)
12x3 Vacant Commonwealth Middleweight Championship Title
******************************************************

Lenny Daws (Mordon) vs Nigel Wright (Hartlepool)
10x3 English Light Welterweight Championship Title

Geard Ajetovic (Preston/Serbia) vs TBA
6x3 Middleweight

Matthew Thirlwall (Bermondsey) vs Lee Noble (Barnsley)
6x3 Middleweight

George Hillyard (Canning Town) vs TBA
6 x 3 - Middleweight

Nick Qato (Wembley) vs Tyan Booth (Nottingham)
6 x 3 - Middleweight

Victor Smith (Tottenham) vs Paul Davis (Lowestoft)
4 x 3 Cruiser Weight

More to be confirmed:

http://www.hennessysports.com

[Podmore_Birmingham]

Glowing reference for Froch, who I think will end the career of Reid by the six or seven-round mark next week.

I’m looking forward to attending this well-matched bill.

On a side note, nice to see Tyan Booth back in the ring again on Hennessy’s show on the 14. I rate Tyan, but he was badly weight-weakened against Darren Gethin last time out and paid a heavy price for it.

Tom Podmore.

[nickd]

Shock horror, Hennessy fighter backs a fighter from the same stable to beat Kessler. Whatever the result this weekend I don't think Froch could beat Kessler. Froch's hands down style would play right into Kessler's hands with the piston jab and straight right hand.

[Rocky Balboa]

Froch has not fought anyone in Kessler's class as of yet, so all the talk about him being able to beat Kessler is premature in my view.

It's all very well Barker giving Froch high praise, but it was rumoured Kessler was tough on Barker during sparring sessions, so I have a sneaky feeling that Darren may be just saying this for that reason.

If both Kessler & Froch win their next fights, then they should fight each other. I'd like to see it!

[Coco]

Spam- I thought Wellington had been sacked

Is he ever going to contribute to any threads??

[josh fg]

Nick were you one of the people who said that Tony Dodson would be the one to find out Froch's hands down style. To be honest I don't know if it will but he keeps stepping up the class of his opponents and keeps not being found out.

He seems to be ether out of rainge and brings people in.

[nickd]

Nick were you one of the people who said that Tony Dodson would be the one to find out Froch's hands down style. To be honest I don't know if it will but he keeps stepping up the class of his opponents and keeps not being found out.

He seems to be ether out of rainge and brings people in.

I did think Dodson would take advantage yes and was wrong. Kessler is a whole different ballgame though I think you will agree. I still don't think Froch will be that successful in true world class he's done well up to a point but I just don't think he has it. He has a punch but I don't think he can outbox the top guys in the division.

[whiskey]

Tatevosyan said it too.

He's sparred with kessler and says Froch is a different entity inside the ropes compared to watching his tapes.

[whiskey]

..and eric teymour.

[Autobarn]

Shock horror, Hennessy fighter backs a fighter from the same stable to beat Kessler. Whatever the result this weekend I don't think Froch could beat Kessler. Froch's hands down style would play right into Kessler's hands with the piston jab and straight right hand.

I think Barker has a better chance of beating Kessler in about 3 years, than Froch has of beating Kessler now.

[whiskey]

Barker is a class fighter.

A real shame about his brother.

Darren has done well to come back from that tradegy indeed.

[boxingchat]

Unbeaten middleweight Darren Barker believes Carl Froch is a future world super-middleweight champion and could beat Mikkel Kessler.

The Barnet boxer, who challenges Australian Ben Crampton for the Commonwealth crown on a Hennessy Sports show at the York Hall on November 14th, sparred with Kessler in Copenhagen last month.

WBA and WBC super-middleweight champion Kessler used Barker as his sparring partner ahead of the fight Saturday’s fight with Welshman Joe Calzaghe, the WBO champion.

Barker has also sparred with Froch, who he rates as better than Kessler.

“I’ve sparred with them both and they are both very good,” said Darren. “Carl will definitely go all the way, judging on what Kessler is like.

“Carl hits harder than him and is a very smart boxer. He is good enough to become undisputed champion in a very hot division.

“At the top level there is a very fine level between winning and losing - and Carl has definitely got what it takes. He has got what it takes to beat Kessler - and anyone else in the division.

"It was great sparring with Kessler, who is a nice guy. It gave me confidence ahead of my Commonwealth Title fight and I'm optimistic for the future


Hennessy Sports in association with GoldenPalace.net Proudly Present FROCH VS REID @ NOTTINGHAM ICE ARENA Friday 9th NOVEMBER 2007.
Doors 6pm, Boxing Starts 6.30pm.

Ticket Prices:
£25 Unreserved Tiered & Reserved Floor
£30 Premium Tiered
£75 Outer Ringside
£125 Ringside

For Tickets:
Call the Box Office on: 0870 121 0123
Book via the web: http://www.nottingham-arena.com

*******************************************
Carl Froch (Nottingham) vs Robin Reid (Runcorn)
12 x 3 – British Super Middleweight Title
*******************************************
John Murray (Manchester) vs Dean Hickman (West Bromwich) 10 x 3 – English Lightweight / WBC Youth Titles.

Esham Pickering (Newark) vs Sean Hughes (Pontefract)
8 x 3 Super Bantamweight

Adnan Amar (Nottingham) vs Darren Gethin (Walsall) 10 x 3 Midlands Area Welterweight Title

Paul David (Sheffield) vs Michael Monaghan (Nottingham) 10 x 3 – Midlands Area Super Middleweight Title

Andrew Singh Kooner (Birmingham/ Toronto Canada) vs Andy Bell (Nottingham)
8 x 3 – Bantamweight

Amir Unsworth (Warrington) vs Leonard Lothian (Northampton)
4 x 3 - Light Welterweight

Kelly Oliver (Lincoln) vs TBA
4 x 3 Cruiser Weight

Tyrone Wright (Nottingham) vs Simeon Cover (Worksop)
4x3 Cruiser Weight

Rod Anderton (Nottingham) vs TBA
4 x 3 Light Heavyweight


Hennessy Sports in association with GoldenPalace.net Proudly Present CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING @ YORK HALL Wednesday 14th November 2007.
Doors 6pm, Boxing Starts 6.30pm.

Ticket Prices:
• Ringside £75 – Reserved
• Unreserved £30

For Tickets call the Box Office on: 0870 060 1795 or book via the web: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk

******************************************************
Darren Barker (Barnet) vs Ben Crampton (Australia)
12x3 Vacant Commonwealth Middleweight Championship Title
******************************************************

Lenny Daws (Mordon) vs Nigel Wright (Hartlepool)
10x3 English Light Welterweight Championship Title

Geard Ajetovic (Preston/Serbia) vs TBA
6x3 Middleweight

Matthew Thirlwall (Bermondsey) vs Lee Noble (Barnsley)
6x3 Middleweight

George Hillyard (Canning Town) vs TBA
6 x 3 - Middleweight

Nick Qato (Wembley) vs Tyan Booth (Nottingham)
6 x 3 - Middleweight

Victor Smith (Tottenham) vs Paul Davis (Lowestoft)
4 x 3 Cruiser Weight

More to be confirmed:

http://www.hennessysports.com

And if my Auntie had bollocks she's be my uncle!

[simonsays]

Obviously he is going to hype up a stable mate and what is wrong with that I would say it is quite clever he has got people talking.
And I heard the same Darren had to come home because he eye was swollen and he was fighting a week later. good luck darren im sure you can do it

[dumdane]

Nick were you one of the people who said that Tony Dodson would be the one to find out Froch's hands down style. To be honest I don't know if it will but he keeps stepping up the class of his opponents and keeps not being found out.

He seems to be ether out of rainge and brings people in.

I believe Dodson was rated outside top-100 SMW on boxrec just ahead of the Froch fight.
Which ever way Froch has come out of this fight, it is completely irrelevant in regards to his chances against top dogs.
You don't suppose Dodson would have been a tough fight for the likes of Kessler, Calzaghe or Bute do you?

Now we got a stable mate of Froch claiming Froch is better than Kessler - Whoa, big surprice.
What makes it funny is that a only weeks ago he had to pull out of sparring with Kessler a couple of days ahead of scedule.
After the first day he boasted to the press he was more than holding his own against Kessler. The very next day he quit and went home 3 rounds into the sparring session, because Kessler was roughing him up too much.
Now - i accept he had to think of his own upcomming fight and not risk severe injury. But i find it a little difficult to put too much weight into his words.

[Autobarn]

ok, so he's hyping up his stablemate. they all want each other to do well. barker's got his name in the headlines. right now froch is nowhere near kessler's level (but i think he could do something to calzaghe, ironically). but why try to demean the guy because he went home early? if he had a fight coming up & his eye was swollen, then it was the right thing to do.

Barker is a massive talent. In a few years' time the middleweight spoils will be divided between Barker and Manny Steward's Andy Lee. Abraham and Sturm will be afterthoughts by that point. Even Kessler said how good Barker is.