Boxing Preview: David Barnes vs. Ted Bami

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

After nearly three years in the boxing wilderness, Manchesterʼs stylish southpaw David Barnes looks to reassert himself on the pugilistic map this Friday evening when he takes on Brixtonʼs Ted “Dangerous” Bami for the vacant British light-welterweight strap.

Not so long ago, Barnes was regarded as one of the countryʼs brightest stars. He won the vacant British Welterweight title when he was just 22 years old by, some what luckily, squeezing past blonde bearded veteran Jimmy Vincent in July 2003 before defending three times against quality opposition in Glenn McClarnon, former Commonwealth Welter king James Hare and current British Welter Champion Kevin McIntyre.

Things were looking good for the former paratrooper from Partington, but signs that the wheels were about to drop of the Barnes battle cruiser came in April 2005 as he was held to a draw by another ex-military man, Glossop based Namibian Ali Nuumbembe.

It was a close affair but many observers felt that Nuumbembeʼs work was cleaner and that Barnes was fortunate to come away from the match up with an 0 still in his loss column.

Six weeks later, his career imploded completely when was floored, outboxed and eventually stopped by teak tough Joshua Okine while challenging for the Africanʼs Commonwealth bauble. To make matters worse, the stoppage also meant that Barnes, under the rules of the British Boxing Board of Control, was not permitted to box again for 45 days and, as a result, could not meet his mandatory obligations for his British crown. He was stripped.

The 27 year old now attributes his poor showings in the Nuumbembe and Okine fights to problems away from the ring but says that he is fully focused again. He has switched trainers twice but now seems settled with Bob Shannon and has been enjoying the benefit of quality sparring with Kevin Anderson. He also feels that dropping down a weight class will be to his advantage.

Last time out Barnes, 22-1-1 (11), showed flashes of his undoubted brilliance but was, on the whole, unimpressive as he outpointed Polish journeyman Arek Malek over six rounds.

If Barnes is rise to the top of the domestic scene again, he needs to put in a much polished performance this Friday as Ted Bami didnʼt acquire his “Dangerous” tag by being a pushover, as Newbridgeʼs Bradley Pryce can testify.

Bami, Congolese by birth but now based in Brixton, may only have 11 stoppage wins on his 23-2 ledger, but he carries a vicious left hook and is capable of hurting any 140 pound fighter on the right night.

The 30 year old barber comes in the fight on the back of a ten fight winning streak and was, until recently, the proud holder of the European title. A niggling injury prevented him from defending the coveted EBU crown against Young Mutley last year and he was forced to relinquish it.

Hornchurchʼs British champion, and Matchroom stablemate, Colin Lynes, stepped in against Mutley and claimed the vacant crown with an eighth round stoppage. How ironic that Bami is now fighting for a title that Lynes gave up.

Like Barnes, Bami was not on top form in his last outing as he outhustled durable Frenchman Nicolas Guisset over eight threes.

Verdict: If Barnes can rekindle the type of form he was showing a few years ago and put in the sort of performance his superb natural skills deserve, then he will win comfortably. However, Barnes has shown nothing in the past few years to suggest that he has the heart and mind to stick to his game plan and out perform Bami so, on that basis, I pick the barber to win over 12 entertaining rounds.