Darren Barker vs. Felix Sturm

Felix Sturm regained the international Boxing Federation Middleweight title, and moved a step closer to possible matchups with Sergio Gabriel Martinez and Peter Quillin, with an easy second round stoppage of Darren Barker in the main event at Stuttgart, Germany. Sturm dropped Barker twice in the second round. Barker beat the count twice, but was out on his feet. As Sturm moved in for the finish, trainer Tony Sims in the Barker corner threw in the towel, ending the one-sided contest at 2:09 of the second round.

Sturm won the first round with left hook leads. A Sturm right hook to the back of the ear dropped a groggy Barker in the second.

Barker, who pointed to his hip after the second knockdown, was limping in the ring and clearly injured his hip. Barker underwent double hip replacement surgery in 2010 (and he then took a year off from boxing to 'heal') but clearly his hip replacements were a major trouble spot when Sturm penetrated Barker's defenses. With one of his hips dislocated, Barker was helpless, and according to experts at ringside this type of injury probably signaled the end of Barker's career, as injuries to a hip replacement area cannot heal like other normal injuries. Barker had a rematch clause in his contract. Sturm said he would be happy to grant Barker a rematch in London whenever he wanted. However, Barker trainer Tony Sims said (based on the seriousness of the injury incurred by Barker this time) it was unlikely Barker would fight again.

Darren Barker versus Felix Sturm, full press conference at Trinity House in London UK [[1]]

Darren Barker versus Felix Sturm, second knockdown and end of the bout highlight clip from Stuttgart [[3]]

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