Darren Barker has been ruled out of action with an injury

Injury nightmare for Barker forces him to pull out of clash with Martinez

By Len Whaley, Boxing correspondent
Monday, August 27, 2012
5:10 PM

But stablemate Purdy gets his big chance

Darren Barker has been forced to pull out of his clash against Italian Simone Rotolo at the Alexandra Palace on September 8, his first fight since facing Sergio Martinez in a World middleweight title challenge in Atlantic City last October.

Barker damaged tendons in his arm in a sparring session and unfortunately for the 30-year-old, he has been advised that he will be unable to train again for a month.

So now Lee Purdy, his stablemate at the Hainault gym of manager Tony Sims, gets a big chance on the show when he faces Argentine Latino champion Gumersindo Carrasco for the IBF International welterweight title.

Carrasco has a formidable 13 KOs from his 16 victories, and the two 25-year-olds meet in the chief supporting bout to Liverpudlian Tony Bellew’s clash against the hard-hitting Edison Miranda.

Unlucky Barker has been trouble by a recurring hip trouble in the past, but this is a new problem.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said: “Darren been looking great in training and I know he was ready to get back to what he does best.

“The only good news is that it is a new injury rather than an aggravation of an old injury.

“We hope that Darren will in action very soon.”

Former Repton amateur star Barker’s withdrawal still leaves four fighters from the Hainault gym of east London manager Sims, booked for action at the Alexandra Palace on the night.

Purdy gets his title chance on the show which also features unbeaten middleweight, the hard-hitting John Ryder looking for his 12th straight pro success.

Another local fighter looking to continue his winning ways is hard-hitting lightweight Ryan Taylor, while in the same division, outstanding amateur Martin J. Ward makes his eagerly-awaited professional debut.

Light middleweight Erick Ochieng defends his English title against Southern Area champ Ryan Toms, while unbeaten Chris Evangelou tackles Danny Connor for the vacant Southern Area light welterweight title and exciting cruiserweight prospect Wadi Camacho goes for his fifth straight pro win.