Dazzling Darren Barker believes he can shock the world when he challenges Sergio Martinez for the Mexican’s World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond Middleweight title on October 1 at the historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, live on Sky Sports.
The unbeaten European champion makes his debut in the States against the toughest opponent possible in his division. The 28 year-old says he is relishing the chance to test himself against the man known as “Maravilla”, and is banking on great traveling support to roar him to victory.
“I cannot wait to get in the ring with Sergio Martinez,” said Barker. “I have massive respect for him as a fighter but he has the title that I have always wanted and on October 1 I’m coming to take it.
“Fighting in America for the first time is really exciting too and I hope that my loyal fans will come over in droves to be a part of the biggest night of my career. I am in boxing to test myself against the very best in the business and I believe I can shock the world on October 1.”
Barker’s promoter Eddie Hearn added: “Matchroom Sport have secured a block of seats for Darren’s fans in the Boardwalk Hall and we all know that British fight fans create a fantastic atmosphere when they travel to America. This is going to be a wonderful occasion for both Darren and British boxing and I’m sure the fans will come over in great numbers to get behind him.”
Tickets are now available from Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900 while special travel packages are available through Winged Boots on (08081684599)
The co-feature will be a rematch of one of the most exciting fights of 2008, as NABF and NABA middleweight champion Andy Lee (26-1, 19 KOs) attempts to avenge his only loss against the newest member of the DiBella Entertainment stable, Brian Vera (19-5, 12 KOs).
The show will be titled “Noche de ‘Maravilla’”, which translates to “Marvelous Night” in English, a tribute to Martinez’s nickname and the exciting style of fighting all four featured fighters employ in the ring.
“Sergio Martinez has never backed down from a challenge, challenges only back down from him,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This show is about fighters proving themselves when it matters the most. Sergio Martinez is a superstar with more momentum than anyone in boxing, but he must knock off the European champion, Barker, to keep it going. Barker isn’t scared of a challenge; in fact, he begged for one. So, now he gets to prove himself against the best of the best in his division. Andy Lee and Brian Vera are both on the cusp of a fight against the winner of the main event, so Lee must prove that his first fight with Vera was a fluke and Vera must prove that he can do it again. All these story lines will lead to high drama and excitement on October 1.”
Martinez, 36, a native of Quilmes, Argentina, and now living in Oxnard, California, is coming off a 2010 that can rival any year any fighter has had in a long time, with both of his spectacular wins taking place at Boardwalk Hall. In April, Martinez dominated the heavily favoured Kelly Pavlik over 12 rounds to win the unified middleweight championship. He followed up that performance in November by putting an exclamation point on his rivalry with Paul Williams by knocking Williams out cold in the second round of their rematch of the 2009 Fight of the Year. Despite being lauded by publications far and wide as the 2010 Fighter of the Year, Martinez didn’t rest on his laurels, beginning 2011 with a bang when he took on the universally recognized 154 lb. champion, and then undefeated, Sergiy Dzinziruk. Martinez dropped Dzinziruk, who had never before tasted the canvas as a professional, five times en route to an eighth round stoppage win.
“It is an honour to be returning to HBO for the second time this year,” said Martinez. “Just like my nickname and the title of the show say, I will put on a marvelous performance for fight fans worldwide. I know Darren Barker is a tough challenger and will bring a loud contingent of fans, but so did Kelly Pavlik when I fought at Boardwalk Hall last April. Being universally recognized as the pound-for-pound king is my ultimate goal and I won’t stop until I’ve achieved that.”
Oshunrinde vs. Smyle on July 31
Earlier today Dollis Hill, London, based American Super Middleweight Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Oshunrinde and Leicester’s Jahmaine Smyle came face to face for the first time ahead of their highly anticipated rematch, which headlines the Graham Earl promoted ‘Renaissance’ event at Liquid Nightclub, Gordon Street, Luton, on Sunday July 31st 2011.
The big punching duo’s first encounter, at York Hall in January, lasted a mere seventy one seconds before referee Kieran McCann stopped the bout due to a bad cut above Smyle’s right eye, declaring the bout a technical draw and stating the cut was due to accidental clash of heads.
Oshunrinde and his coach, TRAD TKO Boxing Gym’s Barry Smith, were outraged, claiming there never was a clash of heads and the cut was caused by Oshunrinde’s solid jabs and big hooks and should have been declared as a TKO in their favour.
Speaking at Graham Earl’s House of Champions Gym in Luton Oshunrinde said, “It feels like redemption don’t it, yeah. It’s less than two weeks away, you can call it redemption but really I’m setting the record straight on a bad refereeing decision in January.
I’m feeling pretty good, I’m ready to rock and roll. When I beat him the first time I wasn’t in tip top shape, but now I feel like I am peaking really, really well.
Training’s going really, really good. Everything is right and coming into play, and I feel good.
I’ve been getting great sparring, been sparring great guys like Cruiserweight Mitchell Balker and this really good young kid that’s just turning over, he’s making his pro debut, Frankie Buglioni. He’s very good, he’s had an illustrious amateur career. He’s surprised me because he’s actually give me good sparring.
For this fight I’ve been sparring six and eight rounds to make sure I have the fitness. You always see me training , I always put a hundred and ten percent in because I’m trying to improve.
It didn’t go four rounds last time, I’m not going to make any predictions, other than a win. I don’t want to seem to cocky so I’m just going to predict the win and just box like I do in training.”
Jahmaine Smyle just sat smiling as Oshunrinde spoke, when he’d finished Smyle responded by saying, “I can’t wait to get in there. I’ve trained hard, I’ve been training for this for six weeks like.
I’m really looking forward to this, I can’t wait to get back in there. I’ve had good sparring, it’s all good, I’m ready.
The last one I only got caught by three shots before I got cut and they stopped it, under that new rule. It wasn’t a punch that did the cut, he caught me with the side of the gloves.
I’ve had some tough fights, that wasn’t one of them. I got through to the semis of Prizefighter, I think I had a tough draw, my last fight was a close fight, I thought I won it but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
All I know is I’m going to win, one hundred and ten percent. I’m not saying I’m going for a knockout, if it comes it comes, you know what I mean, I’m going to box him, I’m going to work him. I’m going to beat him.”
Graham Earl has put together an exciting undercard, to support Manny Oshunrinde versus Jahmaine Smyle II, featuring Graham Earl Promotions big banging stars Terry Holmes and Joe Hillerby as well as debuts for local lads James Smith, Danny Mulhern and and Tom Little.
Tickets, priced £30, for the Graham Earl Promoted ‘Renaissance’ event at Liquid Nightclub, Gordon Street, Luton on Sunday July 31st 2011 are available on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or in person at Graham Earl’s House of Champions Gym, Unit 11 Hitchin Road Industrial Estate, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0DZ
Hanks-Escalera and Kinda-Abraham on Saturday
On Saturday July 23rd, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing will team up with the American Cancer Society and the Hunts Point Produce Market to present the first annual “Knock Out Cancer” Boxing benefit. The card will be headlined by highly regarded, undefeated American prospect, Joe “The Future” Hanks (16-0, 11KO’s) taking on former “Contender” participant, Alfredo Escalera Jr. (18-3-1, 12KO’s) for the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) America’s Heavyweight Title.
Also scheduled on the card, is Star Boxing’s newly signed jr. welterweight prospect, Issouf Kinda (10-0, 5KO’s) as he takes on the rugged, Bryan Abraham in a six round jr. welterweight showdown. All of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
Kinda, who originally hails from Burkina Faso in West Africa, but now calls the Bronx his home, was last in action in May where he scored a third round TKO over Jorge Ruiz on another Star Boxing promoted card. DeGuardia was impressed with what he saw, and immediately began the process of signing Kinda. Kinda officially signed his long-term promotional contract at the press conference to announce the “Knock Out Cancer” event. DeGuardia plans to keep Kinda, who only fought three-times in 2010, and once so far in 2011, very busy and move him quickly, but first he must get by the upset-minded Abraham.
Abraham’s record, which stands at 4-6-2, 4KO’s, is deceiving. Three of his losses have come against undefeated fighters, including a decision loss to highly touted 2008 US Olympian, Sadam Ali. Both of Abraham’s draws came against undefeated fighters, and he has two knockout victories over previously undefeated fighters, Dominic DeSanto, and Scott Burrell.
“Knock Out Cancer” will take place Saturday, July 23rd at the Hunt Point Produce Market, which is located at 772 Edgewater Road, Bronx, NY 10474. Tickets to this special event are priced at $50, $75 and $100 and can be purchased by calling Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets may also be purchased by calling the American Cancer Society at (718) 547- 5064 or visiting www.cancer.org. For information regarding sponsorship packages call Yilda Guerrero with the American Cancer Society at (718) 547-5064, etc. 2101. Doors open at 6:00PM with the first bout scheduled for 7:15PM.