IBF Middleweight Champion, Daniel "Real Deal" Geale (29-1, 15 KOs) and Darren "Dazzling" Barker (25-1, 16 KOs) will host a media workout for their upcoming world title clash taking place at the Revel Casino-Hotel, Atlantic City's newest and largest casino resort.  The bout will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.  

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Dazzling Darren Barker will top the Betfair ‘London’s Finest’ bill on March 9 at the Wembley Arena heading an action packed card of top class fighters.

 

 

Barker returned to action in stunning style in December, stopping fellow former European middleweight champion Kerry Hope in four rounds of their clash at the London Olympia in Betfair’s ‘Christmas Cracker’ and the Barnet man will be looking for another devastating performance against a soon-to-be-named opponent as he hunts a second World title shot.

 

“It is an honour to be topping the bill at Wembley at a local, prestigious venue,” said Barker. “There was a bit of pressure with the Hope fight because there is a fine line between winning and losing and it can easily go wrong. I was pleased to get the win in good fashion.”

 

Lee Purdy gets his chance to move to World level in the welterweight scene as he defends his IBF International belt against Carson Jones – a mouth-watering clash that was cancelled in December after the Colchester man fell ill in the build-up. Jones boxed on after an opponent was found in Dean Byrne, and they fought out an eight-round draw – but Purdy is expecting the Oklahoma man to be firing on all cylinders on March 9.

 

“All the hard work had been done and to pull out was absolutely devastating,” said Purdy. I won’t read too much into Carson Jones’ performance and I will be expecting best Carson Jones on the night.”

 

A cracking rematch features on the bill with Danny Connor defending the Southern Area light welterweight title against Chris Evangelou. Connor claimed the title in a close fight at the Alexandra Palace in September, and true to his word he’s ready to face the popular Evangelou to set the record straight.

 

“I would literally fight in his back yard, as long as I am fighting for the belt that is all that matters,” said Connor.

 

Evangelou added: “The new year has started so well for me, I am so happy. There are going to be so many people at Wembley Arena. I have fought there twice before and just to fight there once is good enough but this is for the third time and for the title.”

 

Erick Ochieng will defend his English light middleweight title on the bill, and fellow bright young London prospects John Ryder, Martin J. Ward, Larry Ekundayo and Wadi Camacho will also be in action.

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Sergio Martinez vs. Darren Barker Saturday, October 1

"Noche de 'Maravilla': Martinez vs. Barker" is being presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Sport, and Caesars Atlantic City, and is sponsored by Corona. Doors open at 6PM ET with the first bout scheduled for 6:30PM ET. The show will be aired live on HBO's World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

MARTINEZ PREPARED FOR BARKER - SAYS BARKER A MAN, CHAVEZ A POLLO‏

The #1 middleweight in the world, and top three pound-for-pound fighter, Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez (47-2-2, 26KO's) is preparing for "Dazzling" Darren Barker (23-0, 14KO's) feverishly, respecting his foe's amateur pedigree and undefeated professional record and putting the final touches on another hard training camp with trainer Pablo Sarmiento and top sparring in Oxnard, CA. Martinez will be putting his WBC Middleweight Diamond belt and Ring championship on the line against the European Champion Barker, on Saturday, October 1st, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. The show, entitled "Noche de 'Maravilla': Martinez vs. Barker" is being presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Sport, and Caesars Atlantic City, and is sponsored by Corona. The long awaited rematch between Andy Lee and Brian Vera will open the telecast. The show will be aired live on HBO's World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT.

"I have been training very hard and am expecting a tough fight out of Barker on October 1st," said Martinez. "Barker is coming here to the States undefeated and he intends to leave that way. I must be in top shape, both physically and mentally, to prevent that from happening. The fact that Barker is willing to step up and put his undefeated record on the line shows you that he has a lot of heart and that he is a true warrior, which isn't the case for all fighters."

Martinez went onto further comment on the current situation in the middleweight division, and lack of opponents willing to step up to face him, including current WBC belt holder, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

"I would love nothing more than to fight Chavez and take back sole possession of my WBC belt. Chavez is the one who has been afraid and continues to avoid the fight. He also seems to be an expert at pulling out of fights. If he can defeat Peter Manfredo, Chavez will fight me like the man his father was, or I will fight a worthier challenger for the WBC Middleweight belt that is rightfully mine."

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Andy Lee vs Brian Vera October 1, 2011, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey

World middleweight champion Sergio Martinez returns to the ring October 1 versus undefeated European champion Darren Barker from historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, airing live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing

The co-feature will be a rematch of one of the most exciting fights of 2008, as NABF and NABA middleweight champion Andy Lee (26-1, 19 KOs) attempts to avenge his only loss against the newest member of the DiBella Entertainment stable, Brian Vera (19-5, 12 KOs).

Brian Vera signs promotional contract with DiBella Entertainment

DiBella Entertainment has added middleweight contender Brian Vera to its stable of fighters. Vera, 29, is a Mexican-American from Austin, TX, who is a straightforward brawler capable winning big fights, no matter what the odds are. In his 24-fight career, Vera (19-5, 12 KOs) has upset the applecart, and top middleweights, on several occasions.

In his last bout on June 24, Vera impressively stopped Eloy Suarez with a body shot in the eighth round.

“There are boxers, there are runners, and then there are fighters. Brian Vera is a fighter and he will give anyone in the middleweight division a fight,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Just look at his record and you will see that Brian Vera has never backed down from a challenge. That's the kind of guy that anyone would be happy to promote.”

After winning fourteen consecutive fights between 2004 and 2007 to begin his career, Vera joined the cast of season three of The Contender reality television show. In his first bout as a member of the cast, he lost the first fight of his career, a second round knockout at the hands of eventual finalist Jaidon Codrington. Vera made his mark on the show, however, when he returned on the undercard of the finals bout between Codrington and Sakio Bika, by winning a clear cut unanimous decision over fellow show participant Max Alexander.

One fight later, in the biggest win of his career, Vera got off the deck to stop the then-undefeated and highly touted prospect Andy Lee in the seventh round in March 2008.

Since then, Vera has refused to back down from a challenge. He has gotten in the ring with some of the top names in and around the middleweight decision. His wins over Sebastian Demers and The Contender season one winner Sergio Mora have propelled him into a full-fledged middleweight contender. His losses to James Kirkland, Craig McEwan, Issac Rodrigues, and Maksym Bursak have only enforced Vera’s reputation as an all action warrior who won’t back down from a challenge.

“Fighting big names is what motivates me,” said Vera. “With DiBella Entertainment I want to take on all comers and eventually get my chance at the middleweight championship.”

Vera’s DiBella Entertainment debut is anticipated for this fall. Full details will be announced in the coming days.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

World middleweight champion Sergio Martinez returns to the ring October 1 versus undefeated European champion Darren Barker

World middleweight champion Sergio Martinez returns to the ring October 1 versus undefeated European champion Darren Barker from historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, airing live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing

The reigning WBC Diamond middleweight champion, reigning 2010 Fighter of the Year, and top three pound-for-pound elite fighter, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez will return to the ring October 1 from historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KOs) will collide with the unbeaten “Dazzling” Darren Barker (23-0, 14 KOs), the über popular product of London, England, and current European middleweight champion.

The co-feature will be a rematch of one of the most exciting fights of 2008, as NABF and NABA middleweight champion Andy Lee (26-1, 19 KOs) attempts to avenge his only loss against the newest member of the DiBella Entertainment stable, Brian Vera (19-5, 12 KOs).

The show will be titled “Noche de ‘Maravilla’”, which translates to “Marvelous Night” in English, a tribute to Martinez’s nickname and the exciting style of fighting all four featured fighters employ in the ring.

“Noche de ‘Maravilla’: Martinez vs. Barker” is being presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Sport, and Caesars Atlantic City, and is sponsored by Corona. The show will be aired live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT.

“Sergio Martinez has never backed down from a challenge, challenges only back down from him,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This show is about fighters proving themselves when it matters the most. Sergio Martinez is a superstar with more momentum than anyone in boxing, but he must knock off the European champion, Barker, to keep it going. Barker isn’t scared of a challenge; in fact, he begged for one. So, now he gets to prove himself against the best of the best in his division. Andy Lee and Brian Vera are both on the cusp of a fight against the winner of the main event, so Lee must prove that his first fight with Vera was a fluke and Vera must prove that he can do it again. All these storylines will lead to high drama and excitement on October 1.”

“Atlantic City and boxing are synonymous; this city has been built around names like Tyson, Gatti, and Mayweather,” said Don Marrandino, Eastern Division President for Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City. “The October 1 bout between Sergio Martinez and Darren Barker will surely add to Atlantic City’s rich and proud boxing heritage.”

“Sergio Martinez is one of boxing’s brightest stars and it is great to have him back live on the network,” said Kery Davis, senior vice president of programming for HBO Sports. “Darren Barker is another UK fighter looking to make an imprint on the American boxing landscape and he will have his chance in the spotlight on October 1.”

Martinez, 36, a native of Quilmes, Argentina, and now living in Oxnard, California, is coming off a 2010 that can rival any year any fighter has had in a long time, with both of his spectacular wins taking place at Boardwalk Hall. In April, Martinez dominated the heavily favored Kelly Pavlik over 12 rounds to win the unified middleweight championship. He followed up that performance in November by putting a exclamation point on his rivalry with Paul Williams by knocking Williams out cold in the second round of their rematch of the 2009 Fight of the Year. Despite being lauded by publications far and wide as the 2010 Fighter of the Year, Martinez didn’t rest on his laurels, beginning 2011 with a bang when he took on the universally recognized 154 lb. champion, and then undefeated, Sergiy Dzinziruk. Martinez dropped Dzinziruk, who had never before tasted the canvas as a professional, five times en route to an eighth round stoppage win.

“It is an honor to be returning to HBO for the second time this year,” said Martinez. “Just like my nickname and the title of the show say, I will put on a marvelous performance for fight fans worldwide. I know Darren Barker is a tough challenger and will bring a loud contingent of fans, but so did Kelly Pavlik when I fought at Boardwalk Hall last April. Being universally recognized as the pound-for-pound king is my ultimate goal and I won’t stop until I’ve achieved that.”

Barker, 29, a native of London, England, recently completed the trifecta that all fighters from the UK strive for. In 2007, Barker won the Commonwealth title at middleweight by scoring a unanimous decision over then undefeated Ben Crampton at the world renowned York Hall in London, where Barker has fought more than anywhere else. In 2009, he added the British middleweight title to his collection with a seventh round stoppage of Danny Butler. Finally, on April 30 of this year, in his most recent outing, Barker dominated Italian contender and former world title challenger Domenico Spada over 12 rounds to capture the European championship. Now, Barker has his sights set on the ultimate prize, the world middleweight championship.

“I’ve heard all the hype about Sergio Martinez, but I am not going to let that get in the way of my dream of becoming middleweight champion,” said Barker. “I respect Sergio Martinez as a fighter, but he has what I’ve always wanted and on October 1 I’m coming to take it.”

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

“Noche de ‘Maravilla’” featuring Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez defending his middleweight title vs. “Dazzling” Darren Barker on Oct 1 in Atlantic City

Sergio Martinez, Middleweight World Champion:

“I want to thank HBO and DiBella Entertainment and Sampson Lewkowicz, my adviser. I also want to thank Darren and all of his team.”

“I hope to see everyone on October 1.”

Darren Barker, Challenger:

“It’s nice to see this New York sun keeping my belt warm.”

“I am from London, my father was a boxer; I grew up around boxing. I’ve dedicated my life to this sport. I had over amateur 100 fights, fighting in hostile environments in other countries and coming away with medals. I live for that moment.”

“There is a great series of movies, Rocky. They captured the mentality of the underdog. If the favorite always won in sport, it wouldn’t be any fun. I’m here to prove that the underdog can cause a massive upset. So, you may not know who I am now, but come October 1, you will know exactly who ‘Dazzling’ Darren Barker is.”

Lou DiBella, Promoter of “Noche de ‘Maravilla’”:

“We believe this will be Maravilla’s night, but there is a man, ‘Dazzling’ Darren Barker, who wanted this fight. He called for this fight. And you should reward those who want the big fights.”

“There are plenty of $50 tickets, so this is an affordable night of great boxing.”

“HBO has made a commitment to Sergio Martinez since he came to America. HBO has made a commitment to showcasing the best of boxing.”

“Sergio Martinez respects Darren Barker and that’s why this fight is happening. Darren took to twitter and, bizarrely, that is how this fight happened. Eddie Hearn and I basically did the negotiations over twitter. This might be the first major fight ever made over twitter.”

“Sergio Martinez is a great champion. Not only one of the best fighters I’ve ever promoted, but one of the best guys I’ve ever promoted. He’s an extremely bright guy with a wonderful social consensus. He is, in fact, maravilla.”

Eddie Hearn, Barker’s Promoter:

“This fight was made in about 20 minutes on twitter, but that’s the relationship we have with Lou.”

“It’s been interesting talking to the press today, and they’re asking me who Darren Barker is. In England, he’s well renowned, but we quite like not being known. Darren has never even been in a fight where he has remotely been in trouble, so it’s hard to say how good Darren Barker is.”

“When we signed Darren Barker, we sat down and looked at the future, and he said to us ‘you might think I’m crazy, but if you ever get the chance to make a fight with Sergio Martinez, make it happen.’ And that’s why we take our hat off to Darren. He wants to fight the best middleweight in the world, because if you beat the best middleweight in the world, you are the best middleweight in the world. On October 1, Darren has the chance to become the best middleweight in the world.”

“Darren is a determined young man who has been through a lot of trials and tribulations, but he has remained committed to his dream. And [the press conference] is part of the dream, but it’s only half of the dream. We believe we can shock the world, and we wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Kery Davis, Senior VP Programming for HBO Sports:

“What can you say about Sergio Martinez? 2010 FOY of the year, 2010 KOY, a great start to 2011 with a knockout of Sergiy Dziniziruk. This is Sergio’s sixth appearance on the network and he always puts on a great performance. He is quick, powerful, charismatic, and I swear Lou and Sampson are going to announce soon that they have signed him with Dos Equis to play “The Most Interesting Man in the World.”

“In looking at tapes of Darren Barker, he has a tremendous background. And he impressed us quite a bit with something he said leading up to this. He said he has been fighting for 16 years and its all leading up to this. That is the kind of fighting spirit we are looking for.”

Ken Condon, Representative of Caesars Atlantic City:

“Tickets are very reasonable for this level of fight, starting at $50 going up to $300 for ringside. This will be Sergio’s fourth fight in Atlantic City and he has developed a following here. It has become his home away from home.”

“From what I’ve heard, not too many people what to fight Sergio Martinez, but Darren Barker stepped up to the plate. I urge people to come down, enjoy the fall in Atlantic City, and enjoy your weekend on the shore.”

Jim Mercante, Representative of the World Boxing Council:

“We are here on a hot, hot day for New York to kick off what is going to be a hot, hot fight. This is the type of fight that my father, Arthur Mercante, would have wanted to referee.”

“Noche de ‘Maravilla’: Martinez vs. Barker” is being presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with Matchroom Sport, and Caesars Atlantic City, and is sponsored by Corona. The show will be aired live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.