25.09.07 – Darren Barker is getting ready for his Octiber 5th comeback by sparring with WBA and WBC super-middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler this week. The Barnet Southern Area middleweight champion has not fought since death of his brother, Gary, in a car accident last December..
Undefeated Barker, who won a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, will return to action on the undercard of Jon Thaxton’s British Lightweight Title defence against Dave Stewart at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, in a Hennessy Sports show in partnership with GoldenPalace.com which will be televised live by Sky Sports.
The 23-year-old is in Copenhagen helping Kessler’s preparations for his world title unification fight against Britain’s Joe Calzaghe in November.
“It has been great experience sparring with Kessler and I’m more than holding my own,” said Barker, who is short-listed for the Boxing Writers’ Young Boxer of the Year award.
“I’m over here for a week and the quality he has got means the sparring is really beneficial for me. He’s at the pinnacle of his game and a double world champion and sparring with someone like that can only bring you on. I’ve picked up some things which will be useful.
“I needed the time out of the ring to get it together but now I’m more hungry than ever.
“I’m supposed to be fighting again on November 2. I want to keep winning and then those title fights will come my way.”
Herdman to make pro debut at Home of British Boxing
Former amateur star Daniel Herdman make his professional debut on October 5 and is confident his style will be a hit in the paid ranks.
The Stevenage boxer, who trains out of Woodford, will be operating at light-middleweight and gets his pro career started at the home of British boxing, the York Hall in Bethnal Green, on a Hennessy Sports show in partnership with title partners GoldenPalace.com. Sky Sports will televise.
Herdman, 23, is a part-time bricklayer and trained by Tony Sims after an amateur career that included winning the Junior ABA title, Olympic Junior silver medal and England international honours.
“My style will suit the pro game because I like to throw a lot of body punches,” said Daniel. “I’m going to give it my best and hope to be British champion some day.
“In the ABA semi-finals last year, I thought I won the fight and afterwards I didn’t I decided to go pro.
“I fought for Repton as an amateur because they are the best club around. I came down from Hertfordshire to be with them in east London because it was the best for my career, and I’m doing the same as a professional by training with Tony Sims.
“I’ve been over to France to train for my pro debut and I feel great. I train at the same gym in Woodford as Darren Barker, Dave Stewart and George Hillyard and we are all fighting on the show, so we have all helped each other prepare for it.
“I’m a brick layer but I gave the work up to concentrate on this fight.”
Hennessy Sports Proudly Present
THAXTON VS STEWART @ YORK HALL
Friday 5th October 2007.
Doors 6pm, Boxing Starts 6.30pm.
Ticket Prices:
· Ringside £60 – Reserved
· Unreserved £30
For Tickets call the Box Office on: 0870 060 1795 or book via the web: www.ticketmaster.co.uk
John Thaxton (Norwich) vs Dave Stewart (Wanstead)
12 x 3 – British Lightweight Title
George Hillyard (Canning Town) vs TBA
8 x 3 – Light Middleweight
Darren Barker (Barnet) vs TBA
6 x 3 Middleweight
Daniel Herdman (Stevenage) vs TBA
6×3 Light Middle Weight
Victor Smith (TBA) vs TBA
4×3 Cruiser Weight
www.hennessysports.com