Matthew Macklin is similar Paul Smith in that they are both physically strong with big fighting pride. However I think Barker's fast hands and cool head would cause them a lot of problems. Darren could force a stoppage if he busted them up over the long stretch, but I fancy he would probably have to settle for a points win. 8)THEBUTCH wrote:Matthew Macklin against Barker would be a top notch match.
Well Renan St Juste knocked out Walid Smichet in one round so no-one can accuse Darren of being over protected. Brave match-making by Mick HennessyDioufy wrote:I hear that Barker's next opponent could be Renan St Juste in his last defence of the Commonwealth title - after this he will be going for the IBO title that Daniel Geale holds. Anyway, that's what his uncle says.
If Renan St Juste is indeed Barker's next opponent, then massive respect is due to him and Mick Hennessy. Can you imagine allegedly allowing Amir Khan to step in the ring with an aggressive southpaw puncher like St Juste. I think notbennie wrote:Barnet's Darren Barker makes the second defence of his Commonwealth middleweight title on May 30, possibly at York Hall, possibly against Canadian Renan St Juste.
Unbeaten Barker won the title with a one-sided decision over Aussie Ben Crampton late last year and busted up Coventry's Steve Bendall in seven rounds in his first defence three months ago. A strong, talented 26-year-old, Barker found both men easy to hit and proved, while he is not a one-punch knockout artist, he is an effective box-fighter with a fine range of punches, body and head, including a thumping jab.
St Juste stopped Brazilian Mohammad Said in five rounds on the Lucian Bute-William Joppy undercard in Montreal in February and does look like a puncher, although he's knocking on at 36. The muscled southpaw turned pro in 2003, after careers in kickboxing and UFC, and has lost only to useful American Sammy Sparkman in a six-rounder in Montreal in October 2005 (points).
Still fresh at 16-1-1 (11) and promoted by Interbox, the challenger was held to a draw on his debut, reeled off eight wins, dropped that decision to Sparkman (who also went on to outpoint Hercules Kyvelos) and has won eight more since - seven early. St Juste scored a spectacular first-round knockout over previously unbeaten Jaques Lemaire in 2005 and another one over Walid Smichet in 2006, the Montreal man who gave John Duddy a 10-round war in Madison Square Garden recently.
A threat to Barker's crown, although he's never fought outside Montreal.
My thoughts exactly - I mean feckin hell Kofi at Middle is one tough SOB - he went twelve with Abraham didnt he? And to top it off he can bang a bit as well. Hmmm.... if this is true and the fight comes off might have a few bob on Kofi.....Lenny wrote:Bloody hell Kofi Jantuah! They are determined to start matching him tough aren't they
If Kofi Jantuah is the new opponent then huge credit to Darren and Hennessy Sports for making this fight. The last British prospect to be matched this fearlessly was David Haye. It embarrassing to think a few years ago you had Bryan Hughes moaning to Sky Sports that Anthony Farnell was being matched too hard when he had to face Howard Clarke in his 22nd fight. Really hope this match comes off, but I'll believe it when Wellington confirms it. Well done to Team Barker if it doesbennie wrote:Barnet's Darren Barker steps up in the second defence of his Commonwealth middleweight title against former two-time world title challenger Kofi Jantuah of Ghana.
If this comes off, this is a solid match. Jantuah has lost only to Kassim Ouma, Arthur Abraham and Mexico's Manuel "Shotgun" Gomez in 36 fights - and was dominating Gomez when he walked on to a perfect left hook in Las Vegas in 2001 and was stopped with 75 seconds left in the 10-rounder.
Ouma outscored Jantuah for the IBF light-middleweight title in Atlantic City in 2005; Arthur, for the IBF middleweight title in Germany in 2006. No disgrace.
No stranger to foreign rings, Jantuah first showed his class in 1999 when he stopped Gilbert Eastman in 11 rounds for the Commonwealth welterweight title at York Hall and Daniel Santos in five in Las Vegas - outstanding back-to-back wins. Both Eastman and Santos were unbeaten at the time; Santos went on to lift WBO welterweight and light-middleweight belts.
Jantuah ran into Gomez shortly afterwards but then reeled off seven stoppage wins, including a stunning 33-second blowout of good Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio in Las Vegas in 2004 (left hook), to secure that crack at Ouma, who proved too quick and slick.
A year later, Jantuah was in with the big-hitting Abraham and lasted the full 12 rounds with a man who recently crushed our own Wayne Elcock in five. Jantuah has boxed only twice in the two years since. He was held to a 12-round draw by unsung Spaniard Ruben Diaz in Spain last time out in November.
Still, the last thing they lose is their punch and the 33-year-old Ghanaian has stopped 20 of his 31 victims. Dangerous and rangy, a noted punch picker, his style should blend well with the more relentless approach of Barker's.