Felix Sturm vs Darren Barker (who wins)?

[Simurgh]

Darren is looking for his first defense. Felix said that after the Geale fight he changed a lot of things, mostly his diet. He struggled to make a weight for Geale fight (he was 188 pre camp).

Fight is in Germany, but refs are neutral and anyway I don't think Felix is getting favors anymore.

I think Felix will win this one. If he shows in the best shape, he's the better fighter IMO.

What's you take on this one?

[Evil Abed]

Very close fight. Giving Barker a slight edge.

[DoktorSleepless]

I've been looking forward to this because it's essentially another 50/50 fight for Barker. And I like Sturm more than most people do. He isn't as shot as people make him out to be, but he's so inconsistent. I hope HBO buys it and puts it with the Rigo card.

[King_]

Sturm has been in fantastic shape his past few fights and his speed looked to be decent- the problem for him, in the Geale fight for example, was he simply wasn't active enough. He wouldn't let his hands go on the inside whatsoever and he hardly followed up on his jab. Against Soliman early on when he decided to throw more then a jab at a time he hurt him when he actually opened up. In his last fight (against a lesser opponent) he looked great the whole fight, he let his hands go and he's still got such a strong jab that if he just follows up with the right hand even a little bit, he has a good chance.


I think Sturm knows if he doesn't win here he will never get another title shot and as I said he's been in fantastic shape and his problem IMO has been his lack of of combinations and just overall activity in general. I don't think Barker has great power so I see Sturm opening up a lot more in this fight and taking the W.

Barkers a tough SOB though so as long as its a good fight, i don't care who wins

[Humean]

Really tough to call, Sturm at his best would edge out Barker but is he past his best? The hunger and physical peak is probably with Barker so I think Barker might just edge this but I think it will be very close whoever gets it.

[teddycanyon]

Whoever wins, I think it's a safe bet it's going to the cards, considering both men have mediocre power and strong chins. Sturm has gotten a couple of nods that probably should have gone against him like against Macklin who in my mind clearly beat him, so there's always that possibility fighting on home turf.
Yet, after Barker's gutsy performance getting up from that body shot KD in the Daniel Geale fight, I think HBO is planning on taking a stake in Darren Barker's success from hereon in, that's why I think the judges won't be partial towards the German fighter. On skills alone, at this juncture, I favor Barker. I'm just basically relying on the triangle theory in that Barker beat Geale who beat Sturm. But really Sturm doesn't have enough power to pose many problems for Barker, and Barker's workrate is strong. I see it going like the Macklin-Sturm fight, only that Barker comes out victorious this time in a SD or MD.

[taansend]

I really don't know. As a Londoner I want Barker to win but I'm not one of those who put down fighters because of geography. I like Sturm but he hasn't really beaten a decent fighter since Sylvester 5 years ago and you could put in an argument that Sylvester wasn't that could (well several arguments).

Back in the day Sturm would have been no more than a European Champ & there's **** all wrong with that in my opinion.

I know he was robbed against DLH but he really hasn't beaten a top, top fighter - other than that travesty - and DLH's last decent win was against Vargas in 2002.

Barkers only decent win was against Geale. Every other win was against C list fighters. However, he also performed well in a losing effort against the excellent Martinez.

It will be a great fight for the purists. I hope I'm not working when it's on.

[kiaba360]

I think Barker will understand that since the fight is in enemy territory, he'll need to really make it clear who the better guy is.

[Drunk Punch]

Barker by close decision. But probably he will get robbed German-style.

[Cuban Linx]

I hope Barker wins, but this is a close fight. I'm leaning to Sturm.