Darren Barker is aiming to complete a Commonwealth double when he boxes Australia’s Ben Crampton at the York Hall in Bethnal Green on a Hennessy Sports show with title partners GoldenPalace.net. The Barnet boxer believes he is in the best form of his career for his fight with unbeaten Crampton (20-0-1) for the vacant Commonwealth Middleweight Title. Sky Sports will televise the show that also features an English Light-Welterweight Title fight between Lenny Daws and Nigel Wright..
Barker has compiled an unbeaten record since turning professional after winning the Gold Medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
He will be full of confidence after taking out Greg Barton in three rounds last month in his first fight for ten months.>> “It meant a lot to me to win the Commonwealth Games gold medal and it would be great to do the double by winning the Commonwealth as a pro,” said Darren.
“A lot has changed since the Commonwealth Games. I’ve filled out a lot more and I couldn’t have wished for it to go any better with my trainer Tony Sims and promoter Mick Hennessy.
“If Ican win the Commonwealth title, you never know where it might lead.”
Darren has recently shared a ring with Mikkel Kessler, who recently lost his WBC and WBA world titles to Welshman Joe Calzaghe. The trip to Denmark for sparring with Kessler followed a ten-day training trip to France where he did altitude training in the Alps.
“It was great experience sparring with Kessler for a week and I more than held my own,” said Barker. “The quality he has got means the sparring was really beneficial for me.
“He’s at the pinnacle of his game and was a double world champion at the time so sparring with someone like that can only bring you on and I’ve picked up some things. It left me feeling really optimistic about the future.”
The Weigh-in / Press Call is on Tuesday 13th November – 13.00 @ The Real Fight Club, 2-6 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3NQ
Hennessy Sports in association with GoldenPalace.net Proudly Present
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING @ YORK HALL
Wednesday 14th November 2007.
Doors 6pm, Boxing Starts 6.15pm.
Ticket Prices:
· Ringside £75 – Reserved
· Unreserved £30
For Tickets call the Box Office on: 0870 060 1795 or book via the web: www.ticketmaster.co.uk