**With Slideshow**

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Last night at the Brentwood Centre in Essex, England, "Dazzling" Darren Barker of Barnet, London, defended his Commonwealth Middleweight title against Jason McKay of Northern Ireland. In a Hennessy Sports promotion, Barker makes his second defence of the title he won by defeating Steve Bendall in February of this year.

Taller ʽCool Handʼ McKay - with a 20 win and 2 loss fight record - entered the arena with trainer John Breen and chief second Eamonn McGee. Unbeaten Barker had huge support from the crowd as he made his way to the ring alongside trainer Robert McKracken.

This was also to be referee Mickey Vannʼs final title fight, having worked 157 such contests. Now aged 65, the popular referee is set to retire at the end of this year. More...

Hennessy Sports puts on a "do" tonight at the International Centre in Brentwood, England tonight and a Commonwealth Middleweight title scrap between reigning champion Darren Barker and challenger Jason McKay leads the way.

Barker, 18-0 (11), has certainly earned the nickname "Dazzling" with good performances against his last three opponents, Larry Sharpe, Steve Bendall and Ben Crampton and hopes to pull off the same feat against Ulster man McKay, 20-2 (6).

A former Irish Light Heavyweight title holder, McKay was pulled out of his Irish Super Middle title scrap against Andy Lee after five rounds a year ago and will likely have to mount the performance of a lifetime if he is to unseat Barker tonight.

The undercard sports what promises to be a real dogfight as hard-luck former IBO Champion Brian Magee, 31-3-1 (21) and Scotland's Steve McGuire, 14-0-1 (4), square off for Carl Froch's old British Super Middleweight title.

Two excellent prospects are on the bill, welterweight Stephen Haughian and lightweight Gareth Couch.

Brian Magee is looking to revive his career by making sure Irish eyes are smiling at the end of his British Super-Middleweight Title showdown against Stevie McGuire at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday, 13th December 2008.

The Belfast boxer has his third crack at becoming British champion after losing to newly crowned WBC world champion Carl Froch in 2006 and then being held to a controversial draw with Tony Oakey last year. More...

Stevie McGuire believes Brian Magee is ready for the taking in Saturday’s Vacant British Super-Middleweight Title showdown at the Brentwood Centre.

McGuire (Glenrothes, Scotland) might be the underdog for the fight against Magee (Belfast, Northern Ireland) but he is not lacking confidence after a two-week training camp in Cyprus to get ready for the biggest fight of his life.

Magee will be trying to become British champion at the third attempt after being stopped for the same belt by new WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch in 2006 and then held to a controversial draw with Tony Oakey for the British light-heavyweight belt last year.

But McGuire is confident of improving his 15-fight unbeaten record on the Hennessy Sports show that will be shown live on ITV4 from 8.40pm. More...

Darren Barker has been left raring to go in his Commonwealth Middleweight Title defence on Saturday after sparring with new WBC Super-Middleweight Champion Carl Froch.

Undefeated Barker (Barnet, England) makes his second defence against Jason McKay (Banbridge, Northern Ireland) at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday 13thDecember 2008. Co feature on the bill, Brian Magee (Belfast, Northern Ireland) challenges Steve Maguire (Glenrothes, Scotland) for the Vacant British Super-Middleweight Title, both fights will be shown live on ITV4 from 8.40pm. More...

Commonwealth Middleweight Champion Darren Barker will face challenger Jason McKay while Brian Magee and Steve Maguire face off for the vacant British Super Middleweight crown on Saturday, December 13 at the International Centre in Brentwood, Essex, England. More...

There were two shows of note last night, at University Arena in Limerick, Ireland and one Merseyside at the Olympia in Liverpool, England.

At Limerick, local hero Andy Lee, 16-1 (13), returned home after a disastrous first loss, to Brian Vera in America last March, and regained his form by dramatically stopping Philadelphia boxer Willie "The Gladiator" Gibbs, 20-4 (16), at the end of the tenth and final round of their bout.

Lee put his height advantage and southpaw stance to good use, keeping the American at arm's length for most of the night and rattling off crisp combinations that generally found their mark.

The veteran Gibbs tried to make up what was clearly becoming a ever widening points gap by winging big shots but his faulty defense led to a near knockout loss in the middle rounds as he was battered pillar to post by the Irishman.

Gibbs survived the ordeal and simply couldn't get to Lee until the last round when he connected with over rights that had the Limerick lad in deep water. A referee telling off of Gibbs for use of the head gave Lee time to clear the cobwebs and he was soon hammering Gibbs to the canvas. More...

Andy Lee and Willie Gibbs will weigh in for this Saturday's Ladbrokes.com Fight Night today in Limerick prior to their final pre fight press conference.

Also on hand will be all the undercard boxers including the unbeaten Paul McCloskey and English Champion Nigel Wright, who square off in the chief support bout at the University Arena on Saturday night. More...