Undefeated European Champion, “Dazzling” Darren Barker is as confident as ever ahead of his Middleweight Championship bout next Saturday, October 1st, at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, N.J., against Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (47-2-2, 26KO’s). Barker will be making the trip across the pond looking to collect both Martinez’ WBC Diamond belt and Ring Championship.
“When you look Sergio’s last three performances against Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and Sergiy Dzinziruk, they are the fights of a true great of boxing and he looked great doing it. But I believe that I’m the proper Middleweight of the two of us. I’m bigger than him and I’m stronger than him and I think that I can make that count on the night. There’s nothing more dangerous than a hungry fighter, and I am exactly that. I’m 29 and he’s 36, I’ve got the ambition and desire behind me to become a world champion and everything is ahead of me just waiting there for the taking, which is what I plan to do in Atlantic City. Martinez is talking about the other fights that he wants to have – well, he is in for a big shock on October 1st. He is underestimating me and if he wants to do that, fine – I will make him pay for taking me lightly and looking past what is right in front of him – a fighter who has the hunger, the spirit and the skill to beat him.”
Barker continued, “I’m more of an underdog in America rather than back home because people here don’t know what I’ve done. I’m the unbeaten European Champion – maybe Stateside that isn’t as big a deal but I deserve this shot, and it’s not a shot to nothing. American fight fans haven’t seen me fight and British fight fans haven’t seen the best of me as it’s still to come – I’m ready to peak and there’s no better time to hit my best than in beating Sergio.
I’ve always liked America, it’s a great place to travel around and fighting over here is a massive thing because it’s really the Mecca of boxing. After 17 years of hard work in boxing, it’s great to have reached this point where I’m in a marquee fight in the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City – there’s a great history there and I’m ready to leave my mark there on October 1.”
