WBC Middleweight World Title: Sergio Martinez KO10 Darren Barker
This was always going to be a tough night for Barker against a man some people rate as the third best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He was taking only 300 fans to Atlantic City meaning the crowd was staunchly pro-Martinez and expecting a show to be put on against someone that few of them would be familiar with.
After a cagey first round Barker settled into the fight and it was clear to see what his gameplan was. He kept his guard high and his chin low and pressed forward relentlessly. Whenever Martinez started to throw punches he'd either cover up or quickly shift backwards before springing forward again to keep the pressure on. Martinez seemed happy to cede the centre of the ring and from early on was dropping his hands completely and boxing on the counter using his reactions.
The first half of the fight was a fairly even affair. Martinez had a busier look about him, but could only penetrate the guard with isolated punches. He was spending a lot of time trying to taunt Barker into opening up but Barker remained disciplined and kept to his plan. Though Martinez landed a few heavier punches, Barker was landing more regularly, and in the third round he busted the Argentinian's nose, which bled for the rest of the fight. Beyond this Martinez was never in great trouble from Barker's punches, but they were points-scoring shots.
Shortly before the bell sounded at the end of the sixth round Martinez landed the biggest punch of the fight, a solid left. It seemed to inspire him because in the seventh he became far more active and started to pin Barker down behind his guard. Whilst most punches were still being blocked Barker was unable to throw many shots of his own, and for the first time someone was clearly on top in the fight. Barker regrouped in the eighth but was throwing fewer punches and taking a lot more, still moving forward but just onto Martinez's fists, rather than with purpose as before.
In the tenth it looked like Barker was going to go down after taking a big shot and having to cover up for the best part of a minute. He made it to the bell but it was only a one-ro0und reprieve as a succession of clubbing punches lead to a right hook behind the ear the put him down and he was unable to beat the count. It wasn't the punch on its own that did the damage, more the weight of punches in the previous two rounds.
Despite losing Barker can leave with his head held high. He boxed well to a plan and could easily have been level on the judges scorecards at the midway point. When Martinez stepped up a gear in the second half of the fight Barker was unable to live with it, whether though conditioning or not quite being good enough. If it's the former then it can be worked on in the gym, but if it's the latter then there's no shame in being beaten by a world class fighter.
Middleweight: Alan Lee UD10 Brian Vera
This was a revenge mission for Alan Lee and one that he executed with aplomb. In 2008 he took a perfect record into the ring against Vera, who he then floored in the first round and dominated early on. As the fight progressed however he ran out of steam in and the eighth he was out on his feet and being battered around the ring before the referee rightly stepped in. In the intervening years Lee has rebuilt, going unbeaten, and was back to right the one wrong on his record.
At the start of the fight he once again took control, boxing behind his southpaw right jab, occasionally following with heavy lefts, and always looking to move away out of trouble rather than stand and trade, a trap he fell into in the first fight. Vera was trying to close the gap and work inside where he was able to be effective at times, but too often Lee would catch him coming in, counter, and then move away again, being happy to box on the back foot and avoid using up too much energy.
Lee was comfortable throughout the fight, putting Vera on the floor with a semi-flash knockdown in the second, and nearly repeating the feat in the sixth and ninth. Vera had isolated successes with single punches, but Lee never looked in any trouble, covering up well when Vera was up close and taking most of the punches on his arms.
By the end of the fight it had become a clear mismatch, with Vera throwing wild, off-balance shots and Lee punching with clinical accuracy and then moving out of range again. Where Lee was finding both head and body regularly, Vera was mainly punching fresh air. As the final bell sounded Lee sunk to his knees in knowledge of certain victory as it was hard to make the case for Vera winning more than one or two rounds. A world title shot should be on the cards for Lee in the near future.
