Darren Barker has announced he will embark on the toughest challenge of his life this August, in tribute to the late great Ricky Hatton.
The boxing and wider sporting world stood still last year when Ricky Hatton sadly passed away.
Hatton transcended just the sport of boxing before social media, and was loved by everyone.
A former world champion, yes Hatton will be remembered for his world class skills inside the ring, but he will also be known for his warming personality, and his relatability.
From headlining in his hometown of Manchester in front of major crowds, to trips to Las Vegas to take on the sports very best like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Another former world champion, and regular on DAZN Darren Barker has took to social media to announce a mammoth challenge.
The former IBF middleweight world champion has stated: “Right, I am back in camp, I am training, but I am not fighting”.
“I have another fight on my hands, arguably the toughest of my life”.
“Last September, I had the absolute honour of and privilege of sitting down with the legend Ricky Hatton. Days later, he wasn’t with us.
“I want to do something for mental health. I want to do something to try and break the silence. Strength isn’t silence — strength is speaking.
So I want to do something for the Ricky Hatton Foundation and CALM, two terrific charities in the space.”
He added: “I won’t lie, it’s going to be brutal. But after losing Ricky last year, I felt like I have a message to carry.
“This challenge is about breaking the silence around mental health, raising money for the charities out there doing the work and helping people who are struggling to find their voice.”
In August, Barker will cycle from Edinburgh to Dover, swim the English channel, and then ride to Gibraltar. He will then swim across the straight of Gibraltar to Morocco.
“I hope I’ll be doing Ricky proud. I’m incredibly grateful to DAZN, Matchroom Boxing, our charity partners and everyone supporting this journey.
“This is The Longest Round. Come join me, please support me and follow this journey. Together we can get it done and break the silence.”
Want to get the latest boxing news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
