Barker intends on showing his class

Darren Barker says he'll prove that he deserves to be considered world class when he faces Italy's Simone Rotolo on September 8.

The Londoner co-headlines the season opener at the Alexandra Palace in what will be his first fight since pushing world champion Sergio Martinez all the way last October.

Barker won rave reviews for his brave performance against the pound-for-pound star and was well in the fight before being stopped in the eleventh, and the 30-year-old said that he proved to himself that night that he could compete at the highest level.

"I'm my own worst enemy and critic at times," said Barker. "I really needed to prove to myself that I am world class for me to continue.

"If I had got whitewashed or completely annihilated against Martinez then 100 per cent I would've jacked it in because I'm only in this sport to get to the heights and win a World title. In that fight I proved that I'm world class. It was unfortunate, I perforated my eardrum and I just couldn't continue anymore.

"It was fantastic being part of a massive occasion like that, a big fight. I've watched so many being a boxing fan and it was lovely taking part in one of them, headlining in Atlantic City."

Rotolo won the Italian middleweight title in his last outing with a final round stoppage of Matteo Signani in March, and Barker is aware that the 36 year old can cause him problems on the night.

"I've watched a fair bit of him, he's quite elusive, he likes to move around on the back foot and he's quite difficult to pin down," said Barker.

"He's had 37 fights and only lost three, so he's experienced, he's had that many contests so he'll be in there, he'll be durable. It'll be a case of closing down the distance and ultimately trying to put on a good show to prove to everyone that I belong on the world stage."