Barker’s brother, Gary, passed away 13 years ago
Boxers are confronted regularly with the thought of their own mortality, and that of their opponents, when they get into the ring. It is a violent sport, and every competitor must make peace with the fact that they are endangering themselves when they embark on their own career path.
A recognition of the dangers of your sport does not however prepare one for confronting tragedy and death outside of it. And it was exactly this that former IBF middleweight Darren Barker discussed with Chris Lloyd on the latest episode of TKO, together with 32Red.
Barker’s brother Gary, who was a successful amateur boxer at the time, was killed in a car accident in 2006 after a night out with Darren and friends.
During his chat with Chris, Darren recalls his last evening with his brother, the “sign” that this would be the last time they ever spoke to each other, and how – 13 years on – it remains just as raw as it was back then.
Elsewhere in the episode talks about his journey as a professional, from turning over with Tony Sims his comeback all the way to winning a world title.
