DARREN BARKER PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

DARREN BARKER PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

By Rachel Aylett

I caught up with Darren Barker, former IBF middleweight champion, and current trainer of heavyweight Dave Allen, at today’s press conference announcing his charge’s fight with veteran contender David Price at the o2 Arena in London on 20 July 2019. The show will be screened on Sky Sports on pay per view and on DAZN in the USA. Here are Darren’s thoughts on the fight and the possible future for both Dave Allen and himself. My questions are in italics.

This is the fight you wanted isn’t it – tell me why?

It’s the right fight for him stylistically. Dave’s got momentum, David Price is a big name and is going to have to win this – well they both will as it’s a tough road back for the loser, although tougher for David Price. I just think it’s the right fight, Dave Allen is so tough and so strong and he’ll be a nightmare for him.

Are you surprised that David Price took this fight?

No, not really, because it is a big fight for him. If Eddie Hearn gets some sort of title on the line, an international or a ranking belt of some kind. I’m wanting something for him because Dave’s never won a title and I’d like him to get a belt.

I’m actually really looking forward to the show. It’s funny really because I’m working the corner of a guy who’s fighting someone who was my room-mate at the European Championships and now I’m training someone to beat him. Of course, this happens in boxing. They’re two gentlemen of the sport, there will be no bad blood, as you’ve seen today.

What’s the situation between you and Dave Allen now?

Well, I should be getting my trainer’s licence on 28th June and if all goes well, I’ll be in his corner.

He’ll come down on Thursday or Friday and he’ll train in my Paddington Gym. He did that last time for six weeks and it worked well. He’ll be down Mondays to Fridays and go home at weekends.

For the Browne fight he came down Mondays to Thursdays. We’ll probably do something similar again – I’l try to get him to stay Fridays, but I trust him anyway. He trains – if I’m not there he just does it.

He took a lot of punches in the two rounds against Browne, does that concern you?

No. It would have concerned me if he’d stopped Lucas Browne in the seventh round and he would have fought like that for six rounds – it would have pissed me off. But I’ll let him off because it was only two rounds. I’ll let him off – but not again! He’s got to move his head a lot quicker, because I’ve seen him do it in the gym and I want to see him do it on fight night. That was his one warning – I won’t have it. But I wasn’t in the corner so I wasn’t able to instruct him. I was near the corner but a board official was right in front of me so I couldn’t get to him. It was a little bit frustrating but, like I say, in the third round he looked a million dollars.

Remind me how this partnership came about?

We became mates during the Ritson-Patera fight week and he was asking me about the Browne fight. He asked “can I come down?” We shared the same opinion about how he could win and that’s it really. We did a bit together, he enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, but I’m not going to have a camp of fighters.

Might you take on an occasional fighter?

Maybe, maybe.

Why don’t you want to?

I’m so busy and I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket – I’ve got a couple of gyms, I do a bit of media work, now I’m with Dave. I don’t think I could have a camp of fighters. Never say never, it might be something I do later on in life, I don’t know. But right now, one’s enough.

I really enjoy my Matchroom work, I love it. We’re going out to New York – that’s the next one. I’m not doing the NxtGen show, I’m going to New York on 28th May. We’ve got the Dave fight, I’ll do the build up shows but won’t be able to do the world feed. I love it.

How far can David go?

Who knows? He’s got a great chin, if he does what I’ve seen him do in the gym on fight night …. I will say, if he doesn’t win a title of some sort, whether it’s a domestic title or a Commonwealth or European, he will have under-achieved.

What I want to do is instill a bit of confidence in him – he should be confident in his ability and preparation because he trains now!

What about David’s past mental health issues, does he have that under control now?

Yes. We all have demons, I have had my own due to grief. I think it’s about understanding who you are, understanding that there is help available and that talking to people can help. Dave understands that he has bad days, but they’re less frequent now. He’s got lots going on now, he likes being this “A-side”. I think he’s accepted the bad days but to make sure he has more good days.

Is there any reason you won’t get your trainers licence?

(Laughing) It would be pretty embarrasing if I didn’t – can you imagine? I’ve been in boxing my whole life so I should be alright.