Iran Barkley

Iran Barkley, also known as "The Blade," is a former American professional boxer who competed in the ring for almost 17 years. Throughout his career, he fought a total of 63 times, winning 43 times and suffering 19 losses, with one draw, and no-contests. Barkley won three world titles across three weight classes, including the WBC middleweight title from 1988 to 1989, the IBF super middleweight title from 1992 to 1993, and the WBA light heavyweight title in 1992.

Barkley was born on May 6, 1960, in New York, United States. He made his professional boxing debut against Larry Jordan in December 1982, defeating him via 2nd round TKO. He won his next three consecutive fights, including two by stoppage.

At the age of 27, Barkley had his first world title fight on October 23, 1987, against the highly skilled Italian Sumbu Kalambay in Livorno, Toscana, Italy, fighting for the WBA (vacant) middleweight title. However, he lost to Kalambay via 15-round unanimous decision.

Barkley's professional boxing career spanned more than 16 years — from 1982 to 1999. His career highlights included several notable victories over some of the best boxers in history. Some of Barkley's greatest fights include wins over two Hall-of-Famers, Thomas Hearns, and Jose Torres. He also defeated Darrin Van Horn, Gerrie Coetzee, Marcelo Aravena, Caseny Truesdale, Dave Fiddler, and Robert Folley.

Barkley's professional boxing record includes 27 knockout wins, with seven losses via knockout. He had a total of 19 losses in his professional boxing career, with six of them in title bouts and 13 in non-title fights. His first loss was against Osley Silas via 6 round PTS on March 31, 1983. In his last professional fight on July 31, 1999, he lost to Keith McKnight via 6th round TKO, ending his career with a record of 43-19-1.

After his boxing career, Barkley made a brief return to the sport in 2006 and 2008, despite being in his forties. He won an unsanctioned fight in Aruba by second-round stoppage and fought to a six-round draw in an unsanctioned exhibition bout against heavyweight Chauncy Welliver in Lapwai, Idaho, at the Pi-Nee-Waus Community Center of the Nez Perce Tribe.

Despite his unsuccessful comeback, Barkley will be remembered as a great fighter, whose career spanned more than a decade and a half. The Blade was known for his exceptional skills inside the ring and his unmatched record across three different weight classes.

He won his first world title in June 1988 when he defeated Thomas Hearns via 3rd round TKO to capture the WBC middleweight title. He went on to beat Darrin Van Horn via the 2nd round TKO to win the IBF super-middleweight title in January 1992.

Just two months later, Barkley further proved his dominance in the ring when he defeated Hearns again, this time by a twelve-round split decision, to take his WBA light heavyweight title.

In Barkley's fight against Hearns for the WBA light heavyweight title, "The Blade" showed the world his devastating power and finesse inside the ring. Barkley came out firing punches in the early rounds of the fight, but Hearns was an elusive target, using his speed and movement to avoid the shots. Barkley, however, managed to land some heavy punches that had Hearns in trouble. Despite this, the fight went the distance, and Barkley was awarded a split decision victory, which cemented his status as one of the greatest boxers of all time.

Barkley vacated the WBA light heavyweight title without defending it, opting instead to defend his super middleweight title against IBF and lineal middleweight champion James Toney. Despite dropping a close majority decision, Barkley's legacy as one of the best boxers in history remained intact.

Barkley's boxing style was relentless and aggressive, with a focus on power punching. His nickname, "The Blade," was fitting, as he was known for his razor-sharp punches that cut through his opponents' defenses. Barkley often relied on his powerful right and left hooks to wear down his opponents and score big knockouts. However, he also had excellent footwork and was an expert at maneuvering around the ring, making him a difficult opponent for any fighter.

Barkley's boxing career is a testament to his skill, determination and resilience. Despite facing some of the best boxers in history and losing some of his fights, he always got back up, ready to fight again. His three world titles across three different weight classes is a testament to his versatility and adaptability as a boxer.

Finally, Iran Barkley's fighting spirit is hard to match, as he was always willing to take on the toughest opponents, regardless of their record. This made him one of the most exciting fighters to watch, as he would never back down from a challenge, always putting on a great show for his fans.

Iran Barkley Fight Record