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Denzil Stone – Atlantic City

British challenger Darren Barker entered his match-up with Sergio Martinez as an unknown – the ring announcer even mispronounced his name at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday, October 1 – yet, despite an eleventh round stoppage defeat, he left the US with his reputation enhanced as he produced a blueprint in how Maravilla can be beat…

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Stone’s scorecard

Wearing the blue of Chelsea football club on his robe, Barker’s beloved soccer team in west London, the man – an underdog dubbed Dazzling – made his way to the ring and was, arguably, the only man in the Boardwalk’s Ballroom (aside from perhaps his loyal 300-strong fanbase that journeyed from England) who believed he was going to achieve victory.

Martinez, who had the event named after him – Noche de Maravilla (Night of the Marvel) – strutted to the ring after Barker, inspired excitable screams from the female sections of the crowds and a smile erupted over his male model face.

The lineal middleweight champion, a 160lb alphabet champion who had not lost a world title in the ring and a consensus pound-for-pound rock, Martinez was accompanied to the ring by deputising head cornerman Pablo Sarmiento who was sporting dark sunshades.

A chorus of boos rained down on Barker during the announcements (Michael Buffer pronounced his name as Baker) as Martinez was the crowd favourite. During the opening jousting in round one, Barker employed careful head movement, fought slightly timid, stepping in and out of the pocket as he evaded Martinez’s jabs and one-twos and attempted to land his own. Martinez boxed with his hands by his hips – like he had done against Serhiy Dzinziruk – a ploy used in order to goad a cerebral fighter into combat.

Martinez, in his unorthodox southpaw posture, invited the lead from Barker while sending right handed jabs upstairs. Barker kept an upright guard tight to his head and landed a solid orthodox jab at the end of the opening minute. Martinez probed for his openings and had the superior foot skills, while Barker was walking in straight lines – mostly forward. At the round’s end, Martinez connected with one of his famed left crosses – the punch that left Paul Williams unconscious.

In round three, like he had been in the opening two rounds, Martinez was throwing more punches than Barker, however, the vast majority of his southpaw jabs were blocked by the forearms and gloves of Barker. Midway through the third, he began jutting his chin out, further goading Barker to let loose. The Londoner, though, stuck to his gameplan. Barker landed a good close-range left hook as he begun to gain confidence with the distance.

Martinez, despite his reputation as an elite fighter, was not known for his finesse but Barker further exposed that fact, picking Martinez apart, growing in confidence with his stringent defence and making Maravilla/The Marvel, look ordinary. Barker blocked the one-twos whilst landing his own combinations. Martinez, the undoubted number one middleweight pre-fight, had to wipe his nose with his glove as it had begun to leak blood.

Bleeding heavier from the nose, Barker maintained his control of the centre of the ring in round five, forcing Martinez to the outside. Barker remained unmarked and had fully taken heed of the referee’s instruction prior to the opening bell: ‘Keep yourself protected at all times’. Barker’s defensive aptitude frustrated Martinez who landed little of note.

Few active fighters would employ as stubborn a peek-a-boo defence as Barker had against Martinez, who was breathing deeply due to his blood-filled nose. Martinez finished the sixth strongly. In the seventh round, Barker’s blocking tactic continued yet the Englishman was not firing back with enough to claim the round. Martinez was the clear mid-fight aggressor and managed to land a couple of notable left crosses.

In rounds eight and nine Barker, if he wanted to reclaim the momentum, he had to up his aggression levels and work his way toward matching Martinez’s punch output. Sergio landed crisp hook punches and straight lefts, however, the Argentinean was prevented from following up on left cross shots as Barker would instantly retreat out of range.

In the tenth, Martinez had Barker spoiling after punishing him with a straight right. Moments later, Sergio had Barker in crisis mode as the slickster flurried relentlessly, however, Barker held on, keeping his guard up yet still did not throw enough in return.

Martinez, boxing out of Oxnard, California, demanded a Hollywood finish of himself and got his opportunity as Barker opened up more in the eleventh round and thus left himself open. Martinez got his knockdown as he clobbered Barker around the ear, robbing the Briton of his balance. Barker attempted to get back to his feet, he wanted to continue, but his balance remained off and he failed to make the count.

Barker produced a respectful performance and boxed valiantly. Before fight night, Martinez was one of the most avoided fighters on the planet, yet now, after Barker made Martinez look less than stellar for the opening half of the contest, a queue consisting of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao may start to eagerly line up.

“It was a good job by Barker,” Martinez said to HBO after the bout. “I had to neutralise his attack and break him down,” he added, before spurning a mooted offer from Bernard Hopkins to meet at a light heavyweight catchweight of 170lbs. The lineal middleweight champ, though, welcomed any callers between 150lbs and 160lbs.

The official ringside scorecards for the ten completed rounds were 99-91, 97-94 and 96-94. in favour of the winner. With victory, Martinez rose to 48-2-2, 27ko as Barker suffered his first loss and dropped to 23-1-0, 14ko.

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Tags: Darren Barker, Diamond belt, Middleweight, Sergio Martinez, The Ring magazine, WBC