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WBC Diamond champion Sergio Martinez retained his title and standing as the world’s top middleweight last night with a KO over challenger Darren Barker but it wasn’t an easy fight at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
European titlist Barker kept composed in the face of the showy, hands down style of his far more experienced southpaw rival and wouldn’t buy in to Martinez’s trademark attempts to sucker opponents into countering opportunities.
Barker’s solid fundamentals put him in good stead early on, displaying a solid defense that picked off many of Martinez’s shots on the gloves while landing some decent jabs.
Martinez had some success with single shots off the back-foot but was surprised when a counter right from Barker landed flush and broke the champion’s nose in the fourth.
Martinez got more serious from that point and raised his activity rate in each subsequent round, using his speed advantage to keep Barker from generating any real momentum.
On his way to outworking the challenger, Martinez produced a breakthrough late in the tenth when he nailed Barker with a full-blooded right hook that had the challenger in trouble.
Barker somehow managed to survive the round but was still on shaky ground in the eleventh when he was again clattered with a perfect power right from Martinez.
Unable to rise in time, Barker was counted out at 1:29 of the round.
Martinez goes to 48-2-2 (27), retaining the WBC Diamond belt for the first time while Barker suffers his first loss, dropping to 23-1 (14) after producing a brave and accomplished performance in his first appearance at world class level.
Also on the card, Irish middleweight Andy Lee, 27-1 (19), avenged his only loss by soundly outboxing brawler Brian Vera, 19-6 (12), over ten rounds.
Lee had been stopped by Vera three years ago but this time left no doubt in his wake, cutting and dropping Vera enroute to sweeping the cards 99-90, 99-90 and 98-91.
