Iran Barkley, Blade in the Game
By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media Correspondent
There’s an old song by the late Dan Fogelberg called ‘Leader of the Band’ which goes, “The leader of the band is tired, and his eyes are growing old, but his blood runs through my instrument, and his song is in my soul. My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man, I’m just a living legacy to the leader of the band.”
Iran ‘The Blade’ Barkley went through five million dollars in his career for his image, fancy homes, luxury cars, jewelry, and money to help friends. When it was all gone, Iran got locked out of his family apartment in the Bronx and wound up going from hotel rooms to homeless on subways and streets. After years of boxing, and years of volunteering as a boxing coach, ‘the blade’ had lost his sharpness.
Thanks to Ring 10 and the Bronx nonprofit group BronxWorks, Barkley lives in a studio apartment in the Morrisania section of the Bronx and is doing well. I see Iran frequently at boxing events in New York City area. A well spoken gentleman with a good mind for boxing analysis, Barkley is back as the ‘blade in the game’ of boxing.
Iran ‘Blade’ Barkley turned pro at middleweight in December 1982 with a second round knockout of Larry Jordan in Atlantic City. Iran had 25 professional fights under his belt, including wins over Norberto Sabater, Marciano Bernardi, Carlos Betancourt, Mike Tinley, Troy Harrison, James Kinchen and Wilford Scypion, when he lost a 15 round unanimous decision for the WBA World Middleweight title against Sumbu Kalambay in Toscana, Italy, in October 1987. Barkley then beat Sanderline Williams, Michael Olajide and Thomas Hearns, winning the WBC World Middleweight title from Hearns by third round stoppage in June 1988.
Iran then lost his next three bouts in 1989 and 1990: a 12 round split decision to Roberto Duran which cost him his WBC title in Atlantic City; a 12 round decision majority loss to 33-0 Michael Nunn for the IBF Middleweight title in Reno, Nevada; and a first round stoppage to Nigel Benn for the WBO Middleweight title in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Barkley then won his next five fights in a row, and another two world titles in less than 70 days! Iran stopped Darrin Van Horn in the second round to win the IBF Super Middleweight title in January 1992; and Iran won a rematch by 12 round split decision over Thomas Hearns to win the WBA World Light Heavyweight title in March 1992. After knocking out Robert Foley, Barkley was topped by 33-0-2 James Toney in the ninth round in February 1993 and lost his IBF Super Middleweight title.
After winning three of his next four fights (he was stopped by Adolfo Washington), Iran lost three fights in a row: a ninth round stoppage to Henry Maske in Germany for the IBF World Light Heavyweight title; a strange ten round loss to 1-0 Tosca Petridis in Australia weighing over 198 pounds; and an eight round majority decision loss to Rocky Gannon in Las Vegas weighing 186 pounds.
Barkley’s career seemed to be over at this point, but Iran had enough left in the tank to win his next nine fights in a row, including the WBB version of the World Heavyweight title by stopping former WBA World Heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee in the tenth round in Hollywood, California, ending Coetzee’s career.
Now 37 years old, Barkley was able to stop Marcelo Aravena and Caseny Truesdale, and earn a technical draw with Dan Kosmicki, but his best boxing days were behind him. Losses to Tony LaRosa, Tue Bjorn Thomsen, Joey Guy, Thomas Williams, Tony Halme, former WBC Heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick, and Keith McKnight, Barkley retired in July 1999 at age 39, his best boxing days behind him.
In 2006 at age 46, Barkley won an unsanctioned bout by second round stoppage in Aruba. In 2008 at age 48, Barkley fought a six round draw with heavyweight Chauncey Welliver in an unsanctioned bout in Idaho on Native American soil at the Pi-Nee-Waus Community Center of the Nez Perce Tribe.
Iran ‘Blade’ Barkley finished his professional career with 43 wins, 19 losses, and one draw, with 27 knockouts. He fought bouts in five foreign countries out the USA. Iran went from 171 pounds for his bout with Henry Maske in Germany in 1994, to 198 pounds for his fight in Australia in 1995, and should have stayed at 171 pounds because Iran was not effective as a 230 pound plus heavyweight. He was too heavy.
The leader of the band is Barkley, and his scarred boxing eyes are growing old. The blood of his bouts runs through my writing instruments, and the song of his life is in my sports soul. In my reporting life I saw the sad eyes of Iran on the funeral line in Spanish Harlem for Hector Macho Camacho, as he waited to pay tribute to the man.
I’m just a living legacy to the local surviving leader of the pugilistic band.
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