According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Geale will take on Darren Barker on August 17th at The Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY and will be televised by HBO.
“Fighting in the United States for the first time is truly an honor,” Geale said. “I’m going to give the fans a great night of boxing while representing my country with dignity.”
“Barker has to be one of the toughest opponents I’ve faced on paper, but I’ve been in the ring with world titlists and it remains to be seen whether or not Barker can offer up anything extra,” Geale said. “He is a top-rated fighter amongst 160-pounders, but in the middleweight division that’s saying a lot because the entire division is dangerous. A guy in the top 10 at middleweight would be top 3-4 in almost any other division.”
Said Geale’s American promoter Gary Shaw: “This division is so good that everywhere you look you see tough fights, but Daniel could’ve taken an easier fight. There are easier fights out there compared to Barker, but Daniel wanted this fight. The winner will be in a position to be considered the best middleweight out there.”
“I’m going to have my hands full, that’s for sure,” Geale said. “Barker gave Martinez all sorts of fits, but he is an even better fighter now, and I think he has improved a great deal since the Martinez fight. I’m not sure Martinez could beat Barker now. Maybe Martinez planned on fighting Barker before he got too good? I want the fights that will give me the biggest challenges, and I plan on handling Barker better than anyone has. It won’t be easy, but that’s what I’ll attempt to do.”
“This is a golden opportunity for me, and I feel it’s my time to shine,” Barker said. “It’s been a tough journey for me, but I’m one fight away from realizing my dream and becoming world champion. I’ve dedicated my entire life to this sport, and since the Sergio Martinez fight I really feel like I’ve grown as a fighter. I can’t wait to bring that IBF world title back to the U.K.”
“This is the fight that Darren wanted so badly, and now he’s got it,” said Barker’s promoter Eddie Hearn. “This is a wonderful fight between two incredibly gifted middleweights, it’s a pure 50-50 fight, and I know Darren is going to bring it home.”