Photo © Justin McKie - Darren Barker prepares to unload a right hand on Danny Butler.

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Dave Oakes recaps Saturday's British middle-weight title match-up between Darren Barker and Danny Butler.

Darren Barker eased his way to becoming the British middleweight champion on Saturday night after a comfortable seventh round stoppage of Danny Butler. Butler stepped in at the last minute after Barker’s original opponent, Wayne Elcock, pulled out due to illness.

Butler was never going to cause an upset but impressed most spectators with his heart and commitment. He came storming out in the first round and took the round on my card on work-rate alone. Barker was never troubled by Butler’s efforts and seemed content to take a look at his opponent early on.

Barker stepped it up from the second round onwards; he was using his trademark jab to good effect, finding the target time after time. The fight from there on in was fairly one-sided, Barker methodically walked down and busted up Butler. Butler, to his credit, was still putting up a brave effort but was coming off second best every time he tried to retaliate.

Butler was visibly tiring as the fight wore on, he’d also suffered a nasty cut to the bridge of his nose during the fourth and this added to the dishevelled look he was now sporting.

The end came inside the first minute of the seventh round; Barker was hardly missing with any punches, firing two-fisted combinations at a bewildered looking Butler. The referee correctly called a halt to proceedings to save Butler from taking further punishment.

Barker takes his record to 21-0 (14KO’s) and will be looking to step up in class during 2010. Hopefully the Elcock fight will be rescheduled and he can settle the score there before targeting Matthew Macklin, or even a world title.

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