The British Middleweight title will be up for grabs at the Brentwood Centre in Essex this weekend when Commonwealth Champ Darren Barker aims to add the Lonsdale belt to his list of honours while Birmingham’s Wayne Elcock looks to regain his old title. The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4 and the undercard will see a host of emerging young talent with their own title ambitions including Barker’s gym mates, Bradley “Buzzsaw” Evans and Bobby “Boogaloo” Ward..
The duo have identical records since turning pro earlier this year with two wins and a draw a piece. With both men competing in the lightweight division and training out of Tony Sims Gym in Hainault they have been able to provide each other with plenty of sparring as they serve their professional apprenticeships.
“For this fight I’ve actually mixed their sparring up a bit,” revealed Sims. “Sometimes when two guys spar so regularly they lose their edge a bit in the spars so I’ve freshened things up a bit for them for this fight by bringing in different people to work with them.”
Both Evans, who hails from Royston and Ward, a Romford native entered the pro ranks this year on the back of impressive amateur careers. Evans won the ABA title at featherweight last year and was awarded the best boxer of the night while Ward’s unpaid career included an English Schoolboy title by beating a certain Amir Khan in the final.
“They’re both excellent young prospects,” said Sims. “They both did well in the amateur game but it will take them a little time to transition to the pro game. Bradley’s still only 20 and Bobby’s only 22 so there is no rush with either of them.”
Neither man has to look too far for inspiration with Barker the leading light in Sim’s gym at the moment. “Watching Darren in the gym shows you the standard you need to get to if you want to be a success in the pros,” said Ward.
“Guys like Darren might have an awful lot of ability but they work harder than everyone else as well and that’s why they are as successful as they are and that’s something I’ve seen for myself at the gym.”
Saturday’s undercard also features Colchester’s Lee Purdy defending his Southern Area Welterweight title against Wokingham’s Mark Douglas while exciting light middleweight puncher Yassine El Maachi will also be in action alongside Daniel Cadman and Phill Fury.
Tickets for the bout priced £30 and £80 are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
Elcock claims British title is Birmingham bound
Wayne Elcock is determined to be reunited with an old friend this weekend –his prized Lonsdale belt. The 35-year-old held the British title for a period of 18 months up until losing it to Birmingham rival Matthew Macklin earlier this year but he’s determined to take repossession of his old belt this weekend when he meets “Dazzling” Darren Barker for the vacant title at the Brentwood Centre.
The two leading contenders clash in a Hennessy Sports event which is live on ITV4 with Elcock a 4/1 outsider to regain his title. However the former World title challenger says the bookies odds only add fuel to the fire for his preparations.
“I know what I’m up against,” said Elcock. “I’m aware that people are writing me off because of my age and my defeat to Macklin last time out but that only fires me up even more. I know Barker’s a good fighter, I’ve watched a lot of him and I have plenty of respect for him but I’m at my best when my backs against the wall and the odds are stacked against me. I’ve always thrived on that type of challenge.”
Elcock says that winning back the British title and inflicting the first defeat of Barker’s career would go down as one of biggest wins in his career. “Being British Champion was very important to me, having that belt around your waist is a special feeling and it’s one I want to get back.
“Not many tipped me to beat Howard Eastman to win the title but I did. I know that beating Barker will leave me just one successful defence away from keeping that beautiful belt for keeps and I’d love to hand it over to my son one day.”
The undercard at the Brentwood Centre will feature Colchester’s Lee Purdy defending his Southern Area Welterweight title against Wokingham’s Mark Douglas. Waltham Abbey middleweight Daniel “Mr. Slick” Cadman will also end a three year hiatus from the ring when he fights on the undercard alongside bouts featuring exciting light middleweight Yassine El Maachi and unbeaten prospects Bradley Evans, Bobby Ward, Phill Fury and Steve Barnes.
“Superbad” Barnes a fan of early nights
Unbeaten Sheffield prospect Steve “Superbad” Barnes will be hoping for an early night when he features on the undercard of the Darren Barker – Wayne Elcock British Middleweight title showdown at the Brentwood Centre this Saturday night.
The Sheffield teenager has so far scored a hat trick of wins in the pro game and will look to extend his perfect record at the weekend when he takes on Pavel Senkovs.
The Mansfield based Latvian has never been stopped but Barnes is a big fan of early nights and his father, Steve Snr. is hoping he can extend that philosophy into the boxing ring.
“Steve really eats, sleeps and breathes boxing when it comes to his pro career,” revealed Barnes Snr. “He’s 100% dedicated, he doesn’t drink or smoke and he’s rarely out. In fact he’s in bed early every night, this is all he’s wanted to do since he was a kid.
“For Steve it’s all about living the live of a pro boxer seven days a week, 24 hours a day. He’s a quiet kid but he’s very, very determined and I’ve never seen anything or anyone faze him.”
Barnes has been based in the legendary Ingle Gym in Sheffield since his amateur days and his father believes that grounding has given him an excellent foundation for the pro game.
“It’s the best gym in the county as far as I’m concerned. The pro game is obviously very different to the amateurs, it’s a real man’s game but he gets great sparring in the gym and as long as he keeps busy and keeps developing I’ve no doubt he can go a very long way in the sport.”
Barnes clash with Senkovs features on the undercard of Darren Barker’s clash with Wayne Elcock for the British Middleweight title on a Hennessy Sports event which is live on ITV4.
The undercard also features Colchester’s Lee Purdy defending his Southern Area Welterweight title against Wokingham’s Mark Douglas while exciting light middleweight puncher Yassine El Maachi will also be in action alongside Daniel Cadman, Bradley Evans, Bobby Ward and Phill Fury.
Barker and Elcock set to weigh in
The weigh in for Saturday’s eagerly awaited British Middleweight title clash between reigning Commonwealth Champion Darren Barker and former British title holder Wayne Elcock takes place this Friday at 1pm at Murphy’s Sports Bar in Brentwood.
Both men will step on the scales as they attempt to make the 11 stone 6 pound championship weight limit ahead of their bout at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday night.
The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4 with coverage starting at 7:30pm. The participants in the second title fight on the bill will also weigh in on Friday with Southern Area Welterweight Champ Lee Purdy set to make the first defence of his title against Wokingham challenger, Mark Douglas.
Unbeaten Royston prospect Bradley Evans will also step on the scales along with his opponent, Central Area Lightweight Champion Jon Baguley.
Saturday’s undercard action also includes the return of Waltham Abbey Super Middleweight Daniel “Mr. Slick” Cadman following a three year hiatus while exciting light middleweight Yassine El Maachi also features alongside unbeaten prospects Bobby Ward, Phill Fury and Steve Barnes.
Tickets for the bout priced £30 and £80 are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
Friday’s weigh in starts at 1pm at Murphy’s Sports Bar.
Murphy’s Sports Bar
161 Kings Road,
Brentwood,
Essex.
CM14 4EG