Darren Barker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darren Barker
Statistics
Nickname(s)	Dazzling
Rated at	Middleweight
Height	6 ft 0+1/2 in
Reach	73 in
Nationality	British
Born	(1982-05-19) 19 May 1982 (age 43) Chipping Barnet, London, England
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	28
Wins	26
Wins by KO	16
Losses	2
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 2002 Manchester Light-welterweight

Darren Barker (born 19 May 1982) is a British former professional boxer. He competed from 2004 to 2013. Darren won many important boxing titles. These included the IBF title in 2013. He also held the Commonwealth title from 2007 to 2009. He was the British champion in 2009. From 2010 to 2011, he held the European title. Before becoming a professional, Darren was a great amateur boxer. He won a gold medal for England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Darren's Early Boxing Days

Darren started boxing when he was very young. He trained at the Finchley and District Amateur Boxing club. His coaches helped him learn a lot. Later, he moved to the Repton Boys Club in Bethnal Green. There, he trained with a famous coach, Tony Burns. Darren's father, Terry, was also a good boxer. He won a championship in 1981.

In 2002, Darren won a gold medal. This was at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He also won other championships. Before turning professional, Darren had 68 amateur fights. He won 55 of them.

Becoming a Professional Boxer

Darren's first professional fight was on 24 September 2004. He fought at the Ice Arena in Nottingham. He won against Howard Clarke. His next fight was in November 2004. He won again, staying unbeaten in his first year.

Darren continued to win many fights. In 2005, he won five more times. In 2006, he won seven more fights. One important win was on 15 September 2006. He beat Hussein Osman for the Southern Area Middleweight title. This fight was at the Alexandra Palace.

A Difficult Time

In December 2006, Darren received sad news. His brother, Gary, who was also a boxer, died in a car accident. Darren took a break from boxing. He returned to the ring on 5 October 2007. He won his comeback fight against Greg Barton.

Winning the Commonwealth Title

On 14 November 2007, Darren fought for his first big title. This was the Commonwealth Middleweight belt. His opponent, Ben Crampton, had never lost a fight. Darren won the fight by a unanimous decision. This means all the judges agreed he won.

He defended his title for the first time against Steve Bendall. Darren won by stopping the fight in the seventh round. In August 2008, he fought in Canada. He beat Larry Sharpe in a non-title fight. On 13 December 2008, Darren defended his title again. He beat Jason McKay from Northern Ireland. Darren's third title defense was on 23 May 2009. He won against Darren McDermott.

Becoming British Champion

On 28 November 2009, Darren defeated Danny Butler. He won the vacant British Middleweight title. This fight also counted as his fourth defense of the Commonwealth title. The original opponent had to withdraw. Danny Butler stepped in at short notice. Darren showed his skill and won in the seventh round.

Winning the European Title

On 9 April 2010, Darren won the European title. He beat Affif Belghecham from France. This was a tough fight for Darren. He now held three championship belts! He decided to give up the Commonwealth title. He wanted to focus on defending his British and European belts.

Hip Injury and Comeback

Darren was set to fight Matthew Macklin. This was a big fight called the 'Battle of Britain'. But Darren had to pull out because of a hip injury. He had surgery a few months before. His trainer said Darren's hip problem came back. This meant he had to give up his European title.

Two-Time European Champion

On 1 May 2011, Darren won back the European middleweight title. He beat Domenico Spada from Italy. This was after being away from the ring for over a year. Darren was very excited to return. He said he was eager to show what he could do. He also started working with new promoters, Matchroom Sport. He felt this would help his career.

Fighting for a World Title

On 1 October 2011, Darren fought Sergio Martínez. This was for the WBC Diamond Middleweight title. Martínez was one of the best boxers in the world. Darren fought bravely but lost in the 11th round. This was his first loss as a professional.

Getting Back on Track

On 9 March 2013, Darren started his comeback. He fought Simone Rotolo for the IBF Inter-Continental Middleweight Title. Darren won the title. Rotolo had to stop fighting in the fourth round because of an injured hand.

Becoming IBF World Champion

On 17 August 2013, Darren challenged Daniel Geale. Geale held the IBF Middleweight world title. Darren was knocked down in the sixth round. But he fought back with amazing strength. He won his first world title by a split decision! This means the judges were split, but most voted for Darren.

Final Fight and Retirement

In late 2013, Darren defended his IBF Middleweight Title. He fought against Felix Sturm in Germany. Felix Sturm knocked Darren down twice in the second round. Darren's corner stopped the fight. He had dislocated his hip during the first knockdown. After this fight, Darren thought about retiring. His hip injury kept coming back. In 2014, he officially announced his retirement from boxing.

Darren Barker's Boxing Record

See also

In Spanish: Darren Barker para niños