Commonwealth champion Darren Barker is now one step closer to solidifing the middleweight division in the UK after stopping English titlist Darren McDermott last night at the Colosseum in Watford, England.

McDermott began the first looking to press Barker but couldn't past the champion's superb jab. Things opened up a bit in the second frame as McDermott managed to get closer.

The challenger scored with a few decent shots on the inside but the proximity allowed Barker's faster hands to find the target with ever increasing frequency.

Barker took over the bout in the third, timing McDermott's efforts well and offering up lashing counter combinations that the challenger could do nothing to stop.

McDermott continued to march into withering fire from Barker and by the fourth was starting to wear down from the punishment.

Barker scored a bullseye later in the frame as McDermott walked into a full-blooded right hander that felled the challenger hard.

McDermott regained his feet but was declared in no condition to continue by the referee at 2:30 of the fourth.

Darren Barker improves to 20-0 (13) and with the victory, earns the right to face British champion Matthew Macklin in a mouth-watering showdown this summer.

McDermott has now lost two of his last four and falls to 16-2-1 (9).

On the undercard, middleweights Matthew Thirlwall, 19-3 (10), and George Hillyard, 9-4-1 (5), went at it heartily until Thirlwall landed a sterling left hook that produced a knockdown and Hillyard could not answer the bell for the fifth.

Heavyweight prospect Tyson Fury, 6-0 (6), continued to impress, outboxing opponent Scott Belshaw, 10-2 (7), over two rounds in a battle of giants.

Working behind the jab, 6'9 Fury was clearly outclassing 6'7 Belshaw from the start, whipping in the occasional left hook and right hand.

When the undefeated Mancunian started the mix in lefts to the body, Belshaw was down twice. Only the bell to end the first saved Belshaw from defeat in that frame.

In the second, Fury waited for an opening and had Belshaw helpless with another left to the ribs, prompting an immediate stoppage at 0:52 of the round.

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Boxing News Tags: Boxing Results, Bradley Evans, Darren Barker, Darren McDermott, George Hillyard, Hennessy, ITV Boxing, Matthew Thirwall, Nadeem Siddique, Phill Fury, Scott Belshaw, Steve Barnes, Steve OMeara, Tyson Fury