Boxing Preview: Darren Barker vs. Darren McDermott

The Colosseum in Watford, England tonight sees an interesting bill headlined by Darren Barker’s Commonwealth middleweight title defense against challenger Darren McDermott.

Barker, 19-0 (12), had a great amateur career and as a result has been in the spotlight throughout his five years as a professional.

“Dazzling Darren” won the Commonwealth in November, 2007 with a dominating decision over Australia’s Ben Crampton and has since defeated the respectable line up of Steve Bendall, Larry Sharpe and Jason McKay.

In contrast, McDermott, 16-1-1 (9), came up the hard way, culminating in a second round cuts defeat to British champion Wayne Elcock, in June of last year in which McDermott had looked promising before the stoppage.

Undeterred, McDermott came back in February of this year to defeat Bendall for the English belt and a month ago outpointed tough journeyman Jamie Ambler in a six rounder.

Once the bell rings tonight to kick off the contest between the two Darren’s, the lanky McDermott will likely look to put Barker under pressure with long looping hooks until the “Black Country Body Snatcher” can force a brawl on the inside.

But Barker has the better boxing skills and will look to catch McDermott on the way in, sticking and moving for as along as possible to keep from going into the trenches.

Barker should come out of this with a points win on his way to bigger fights but gritty McDermott has been chomping at the bit for this kind of opportunity and has vowed to cause an upset.