Time you guys gave Sergio his...

[dan_cov]

Thats right Euro champ. ONCE. Plus he barely beat the guys

He had a relatively close fight with spada too, there was no complete blow out that youre referring too.

He then went and get pummeled by sergio. Tell who he has a better resume then in the top 10.

PLus the only Ukrainian fighters i support are the Klitschkos

He boxed the head off Spada & was gave no chance against Sergio. 95% of experts gave Barker 5 rounds at the most, he went 11 in a competitive fight that was much closer than just about anybody fought.

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=511666

Like it or lump it, Barker came up the hard way & was a worthy opponent against Sergio who happens to be leagues ahead of any other middleweight.

[HeroBando]

Pirog has a punchers chance, Quillin - maybe. The rest Barker schools, only fight I see him losing potentially out of them is against Sturm via hometown robbery!

IMO Barker is much better than Macklin. If Barker didn't stop Chavez Jr he'd get robbed as well & how is he getting better? He threw about 40 punches against Manfredo & landed 2 cuffing shots, got beaten to a pulp by Zbik. In 45 fights he is only just approaching world level & he likely gets iced by Rubio who has been successful yet is very limited.

It's extremely hard to believe Rubio is still only 31, he's more like a shopworn 41 yr old. That said he probably stops Chavez Jr

Pirog wins whatever way he wants. Quillin by KO. It's wishful thinking he schools the rest, 0 evidence for that. I don't even know if he beats Zbik. Lee also struggled against Belghecham, but not as much. He's just as good a boxer, as big or bigger, but better punching, faster handed, and a southpaw. And gets better sparring. If his chin or stamina is a liability, Barker is not the guy to exploit it.

I agree he's probably better than Macklin, which is what makes the upcoming Martinez bout so weak. As for Chavez, he'll be the much bigger, stronger guy, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up like Alvarez Rhodes.

[daggum]

He boxed the head off Spada & was gave no chance against Sergio. 95% of experts gave Barker 5 rounds at the most, he went 11 in a competitive fight that was much closer than just about anybody fought.

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=511666

Like it or lump it, Barker came up the hard way & was a worthy opponent against Sergio who happens to be leagues ahead of any other middleweight.

experts didn't give him a chance because they saw his other fights and labeled him as garbage. yes he did better than expected so props for that but he also got grazed and grabbed his head like a grenade just exploded in his face which calls into question the validity of the entire fight.

[dan_cov]

Pirog wins whatever way he wants. Quillin by KO. It's wishful thinking he schools the rest, 0 evidence for that. I don't even know if he beats Zbik. Lee also struggled against Belghecham, but not as much. He's just as good a boxer, as big or bigger, but better punching, faster handed, and a southpaw. And gets better sparring. If his chin or stamina is a liability, Barker is not the guy to exploit it.

I agree he's probably better than Macklin, which is what makes the upcoming Martinez bout so weak. As for Chavez, he'll be the much bigger, stronger guy, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up like Alvarez Rhodes.

Good post bro, but what has Pirog done but a very raw prospect in Jacobs?

I'm not sure about Quillin, the guy definitely has tools but I can't help but think this guys very protected more than avoided.

Affif Belghecham is just awkward apart from his last fight he has given everybody problems despite his lack of power though I believe Barker in a way made a very tough, awkward journeyman look like a C level club fighter.

I see what you mean with the end part & I don't mind the fight as Macklins a tough dude that kinda has nothing to lose but I do think after that Sergio should look to take out these top middles & silence the critics before his prime passes him.

[dan_cov]

experts didn't give him a chance because they saw his other fights and labeled him as garbage. yes he did better than expected so props for that but he also got grazed and grabbed his head like a grenade just exploded in his face which calls into question the validity of the entire fight.

Again that is true but he was taking vicious bodyshots & you could see he was on his way out & whilst it may of appeared to be a grazing shot he was 'clipped' to the temple several times & ended up with a perforated eardrum. A lot said he took a dive etc but you could see he was spent & those are the type of shots that hurt the most & throw your equilibrium off.

He came, did way way better than just about anybody expected & really pushed Sergio so IMO we can't complain & have to give the guy props.

It's easy for people to say he wanted out etc & you could almost see he did but you could also see he was having to dig deep.

He made me proud that night & I'm sure if his brother Gary was looking down, he'd of been proud too. He'll be back & has all the tools to do real well.

[HeroBando]

Good post bro, but what has Pirog done but a very raw prospect in Jacobs?

I'm not sure about Quillin, the guy definitely has tools but I can't help but think this guys very protected more than avoided.

Affif Belghecham is just awkward apart from his last fight he has given everybody problems despite his lack of power though I believe Barker in a way made a very tough, awkward journeyman look like a C level club fighter.

I see what you mean with the end part & I don't mind the fight as Macklins a tough dude that kinda has nothing to lose but I do think after that Sergio should look to take out these top middles & silence the critics before his prime passes him.

Well even a guy like Jantuah counts more than Spada or Belghecham, and that was a shutout. You' or anyone else interested in MW up and comers, should check out this thread from a few years back, when Pirog was rumored to be fighting Macklin for the EBU belt:

http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=116707

[daggum]

Again that is true but he was taking vicious bodyshots & you could see he was on his way out & whilst it may of appeared to be a grazing shot he was 'clipped' to the temple several times & ended up with a perforated eardrum. A lot said he took a dive etc but you could see he was spent & those are the type of shots that hurt the most & throw your equilibrium off.

He came, did way way better than just about anybody expected & really pushed Sergio so IMO we can't complain & have to give the guy props.

It's easy for people to say he wanted out etc & you could almost see he did but you could also see he was having to dig deep.

He made me proud that night & I'm sure if his brother Gary was looking down, he'd of been proud too. He'll be back & has all the tools to do real well.

so he can only fight ten rounds at a moderately slow pace and he's spent? and he's gonna beat all the other middle weigths?

[dan_cov]

Well even a guy like Jantuah counts more than Spada or Belghecham, and that was a shutout. You' or anyone else interested in MW up and comers, should check out this thread from a few years back, when Pirog was rumored to be fighting Macklin for the EBU belt:

http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=116707

Sorry what exactly am I checking out? All I see is a load of guys (probably Canadian) saying David Lemieux was the best of the up & comers, a guy who I said would get brutally exposed that did. I don't follow hypetrains!

Pirog is a good fighter but he is being way way overhyped IMO! People can nit-pick Barkers record etc but Pirogs best win is over a very green prospect that had cancer & a load of other things going on in his life.

He fights like a chicken & by that I mean almost a crab style like that of Darchinyan, he is extremely wide open & he at times is overly aggressive. His defence is bad & I believe anybody with good handspeed gives the guys absolute fits. Not that Jacobs don't have good handspeed but he was still raw & has amateur style. I stuck my neck out & said Pirog beats the guy & by K.O/T.K.O
He is overrated & Martinez whoops him any day of the week, twice on sunday but reality is Pirog isn't a draw.

[dan_cov]

so he can only fight ten rounds at a moderately slow pace and he's spent? and he's gonna beat all the other middle weigths?

That was a fair pace for middleweights and anybody that has boxed before (not saying you haven't) will tell you just how much bodyshots slow you down and he was taking some huge shots beforehand.

Sergio adapted & started jabbing to the body etc and eventually broke Barker down & full credit to him for that as most guys wouldn't of been able to mix it up or adapt in that fashion.

[HeroBando]

Sorry what exactly am I checking out? All I see is a load of guys (probably Canadian) saying David Lemieux was the best of the up & comers, a guy who I said would get brutally exposed that did. I don't follow hypetrains!

Pirog is a good fighter but he is being way way overhyped IMO! People can nit-pick Barkers record etc but Pirogs best win is over a very green prospect that had cancer & a load of other things going on in his life.

He fights like a chicken & by that I mean almost a crab style like that of Darchinyan, he is extremely wide open & he at times is overly aggressive. His defence is bad & I believe anybody with good handspeed gives the guys absolute fits. Not that Jacobs don't have good handspeed but he was still raw & has amateur style. I stuck my neck out & said Pirog beats the guy & by K.O/T.K.O
He is overrated & Martinez whoops him any day of the week, twice on sunday but reality is Pirog isn't a draw.

That's all well and good, the fact is Jacobs is tons better than any name on Barker's resume. As far as his style, he sat in the pocket, hands down, against a fast handed, slick, decent punching guy. Kinda like Haye against Wlad at times, except, you know, he threw punches back and won the fight.