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Unbeaten middleweight “Dazzling” Darren Barker admits he’s been casting an envious eye towards the Super Middleweight division and the exciting new Super Six World Boxing Classic.
Barker’s stable mate and reigning WBC Champ Carl Froch is one of the “Super Six” battling it out for Super Middleweight superiority and Barker says it’s a tournament that excites him as a boxer and a boxing fan.
Barker is the reigning Commonwealth Middleweight title holder and he will attempt to add the British title to his already impressive resume on Saturday when he clashes with former champ Wayne Elcock at the Brentwood Centre.
The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4 from 7:30pm and Barker believes a win can set him on course to follow in Froch’s footsteps in 2010. “This is a massive fight for me and when you look at Wayne’s pedigree and experience you’d have to say it’s my biggest test to date but I’m ready for it,” said Barker.
“Winning a British title has been a dream of mine since I started boxing but I have World title ambitions as well and hopefully that’s something I can look at next year.”
Barker has sparred countless rounds with Froch as well as a stint sparring Mikkel Kessler, the Danish hero who also features in the Super Six tournament. “I know from sparring top fighters like Froch and Kessler that I can compete at the highest level, that’s where I want to be and I feel I’m ready for anyone now.
The Chelsea fanatic says he would relish a Super Six tournament at Middleweight. “The Super Six has been terrific for boxing and I think it will rejuvenate the sport in the same way the Champions League did for football. I’d love if there was one at Middleweight that I could be part of. It’s all about the best fighting the best and that’s what the fans want to see and as a boxer they are exactly the kind of fights you want to be involved in.”
Barker’s clash with Elcock on Saturday headlines an action packed night of Championship boxing at the Brentwood Centre. Colchester’s Lee Purdy makes the first defence of his Southern Area Welterweight title against Mark Douglas while the undercard action also includes the return of Waltham Abbey Super Middleweight Daniel 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.
