(Interview by Declan Warrington)

BN: How is life in retirement?

DB: I smiled as you requested me that query – I’m residing the dream. It’s a bizarre feeling, contentment. I’d been driving my complete life; chasing a objective; a dream, after which it stopped. Just a few years again I began pondering, “Now what?” However that’s all fallen into place properly – one way or the other I landed a commentary gig, which was by no means a plan. I didn’t have aspirations of being within the media, and right here I’m commentating for DAZN. I pinch myself – I mentioned it to Barry [Jones] through the Anthony Joshua card final summer time. “How mad’s this? What a fantastic gig we’ve received.”

Boxing – improbable, so far as every part I used to be in a position to obtain. My profession now – improbable, doing a job I by no means thought I might, and I prefer to assume I’m doing okay. My household life – improbable. I’m married [to Beth]; I’ve received 4 children [Scarlett-Rose, Charlotte, Poppy and Joe, named after Joe Calzaghe]. I attempt to set targets however I’m very blissful.

BN: Accidents undermined the latter years of your profession. How snug are you, bodily?

DB: I’m positive I’ve smashed my physique to items, however was it value it? In fact it was. I’m managing it day by day. I’ve began stretching a good bit within the morning; I keep away from sure issues. I’d prefer to play extra soccer. My again tightens up; my hips harm. I can’t run any actual distance or with any actual depth. I’m getting a bit pissed off – I used to be by no means actually in a position to elevate any weights, boxing – I discover it pleasing once I go to the gymnasium however now my shoulder’s actually hurting so I’m having to cease that. It’s annoying, however a sacrifice value making.

BN: Did you earn sufficient as a fighter to retire when accidents compelled you to?

DB: Yeah, I’m in a very good place. I received $400,000 for [Sergio] Martinez, which purchased my home; I received $150,000 towards [Daniel] Geale, and it was €1.2m to struggle [Felix] Sturm in Germany. I opened a gymnasium – 12x3s Health club in Aldgate. I’m alright – don’t get me unsuitable, I want I used to be £1 behind Eddie Hearn. I’m alright although. I don’t need for a lot – so long as my children are alright.

BN: Do you may have any regrets?

DB: Yeah. Two within the amateurs. On the earth championships in 2003 in Thailand, I boxed Andre Berto within the quarter-finals and I used to be seven factors up; I misplaced by two factors. I’ve watched that struggle again 1,000,000 instances – I didn’t lose. That will have been for a bronze medal. The second is I can by no means name myself an Olympian. The weights received rejigged; I’d outgrown welterweight and was too small for middleweight. I went to each main match within the amateurs, bar the Olympics [in Athens in 2004]. They don’t eat away at me, however I want I might have mentioned I used to be an Olympian. It’s an actual particular factor.

I don’t have regrets about [getting injured against] Sturm. My physique had been knackered for one of the best a part of 10 years. I used to be content material; I wanted the cash. I believed I had sufficient to beat Sturm – I believed I’d be too busy, however my physique gave up. My hip really got here out of its socket – it’d by no means achieved that earlier than. It was a freak harm. I received again to my toes, and Tony [Sims, my trainer] threw the towel in – rightly so – and I used to be nonetheless throwing pictures. I used to be in agony, so weirdly I used to be beaming with pleasure.

BN: How a lot of a frustration is it that you simply, Matthew Macklin, Martin Murray and Andy Lee by no means fought?

DB: Generally the celebrities have gotten to align, and every part’s started working. We have been slated to struggle twice, me and Macklin, and one apiece we needed to pull out. Would I’ve appreciated these home dust-ups? Sure, in fact I might. Am I gutted – do I’ve regrets that I by no means? No, I don’t. My profession was higher than I might ever have dreamed of.

BN: Which ones was one of the best?

DB: The most important rival out of them was Macklin. However one of the best out of them, in all probability Andy Lee – we’re actually good associates now. We reminisce on a regular basis at exhibits, sat on the commentary desks – it’s good. Two boys from Repton [ABC].

I genuinely imagine I used to be one of the best out of all of them and I’d be very, very positive that they’d all say the identical [about themselves]. Macklin – probably the most aggressive out of everybody. Can actually, actually punch. Martin Murray, probably the most bodily robust; had an excellent defence. Andy Lee, large puncher; very awkward. I had a very good boxing mind; a good whack on me; in all probability the faster arms out of everybody.

BN: Who was one of the best you fought?

DB: Sergio Martinez [in 2011]. Very expert. Very tough, and really skilled. I realized quite a bit from preventing him, not simply within the ring however out of the ring. The expertise I gained actually helped me going into the Geale struggle. I do know I fought properly but when I believed in myself a bit extra I might have carried out higher, however I don’t actually have a remorse over it.

BN: How a lot do you owe your success to Tony Sims?

DB: He was completely instrumental. I respect Tony a lot – his information – and he knew the way to extract that additional share from me. Learn how to flip me from a very good fighter into an excellent fighter; he didn’t change me an excessive amount of. I used to be a really technically sound boxer however I wanted to vary barely as a professional and he did it completely; his coaching strategies.

I bear in mind Tony telling me that Conor [Benn] was harmless. He mentioned it’d be like me mendacity to him. I believed him from the off anyway however when he mentioned that – should you’ve received the identical kind of relationship that I did with Tony… It might have been very simple for Tony and Eddie [Hearn] to shrink back from the Conor Benn state of affairs however they by no means. They’d his again they usually believed of their man, and that’s what you need out of your crew. You need individuals who have gotten your again. Eddie’s very a lot within the limelight and he might have made life simple for himself and distanced himself from Conor, however he didn’t, and nor did Tony. They believed of their man, and that confirmed how loyal they’re and the way a lot they’ve received your again.

BN: How a lot does being a commentator fill the void your preventing profession might have left?

DB: Massively. Massively. Massively. I’ve by no means had any want [to return] – there’s by no means been an itch. I’ll all the time miss successful – don’t get me unsuitable – I’ll all the time miss my arm being raised. It’s probably the most addictive; most lovely, fantastic feeling on the earth. Or, it was again then. I’m so naturally aggressive nothing will fill that void. However, being content material and with the ability to be sat ringside, calling fights in my very own manner – I do know I’m not probably the most articulate man on the earth, however my ardour for the game can’t be bettered – I’m residing the dream. It’s onerous – I’m away an terrible lot – however I’d do that week in, week out. If there was a present each week it wouldn’t be sufficient for me. Simply preserve ‘em coming. Get me sat behind that mic calling fights. It truly is a dream job.

BN: What’s been your spotlight to this point?

DB: [Pauses]. I’m going to say [Oleksandr] Usyk-AJ at White Hart Lane, and the rationale I say that’s I used to be commentating alongside Roy Jones Jnr. Any individual who commentated on my struggle [with Geale]. He was considered one of my favorite fighters of all time, and I’m commentating alongside him. He’s saying my title as we’re commentating. I nonetheless assume it’s psychological. I ran into him in Dallas. “Hey, Darren Barker, the way you doing?” I feel it’s mad that he is aware of my title. For him to be sat ringside at a packed-out soccer stadium watching Anthony Joshua tackle Oleksandr Usyk – one of many greats additionally – commentating with Roy Jones. That was an actual field ticked – and it was a field that didn’t even exist. It was a field I’ve had made and it’s received an enormous gold tick in it.

BN: How a lot do you continue to take into consideration your brother Gary?

DB: Day by day. He’s the screensaver on my cellphone. I take into consideration him on a regular basis. I typically say slightly prayer in my head, or out loud. “Love you, Gal; love you, Grandad”. All the time. All the time. On a regular basis. He’ll by no means be forgotten. By no means, by no means be forgotten. Everybody who is aware of us as a household unit is aware of how shut all of us are. We’re all about our household – so shut. So, so shut. So, to lose my grandad and my brother was so devastating, however we take into consideration them on a regular basis. I’m all the time saying, “I like you, Gal; I like you, Grandad; blah, blah, blah”. So, each single day.

BN: How a lot does your sense of spirituality nonetheless deliver you peace?

DB: I used to be introduced into a spiritual household – we’re Christians. Not your typical, go-to-church Christians, however there’s an actual perception and religion there that’s helped us all when my brother [Gary] died. I’ve all the time been non secular; I’ve all the time been conscious of sure feelings, and so on – extra so now, as I become old. I’ve booked twice to go to Portugal to do an ayahuasca ceremony [ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic drink prepared from the bark of ayahuasca], however I’ve bottled it. I’ll do it sooner or later, however I’m all the time wanting into the best way I’m feeling and others are feeling. I discover it fascinating. “The place does that emotion love come from? What’s hate – the place does this come from?” I’m all the time delving out and in and fascinated by these kind of issues, each day.

It’s humorous the best way the world works generally. The celebs align; issues are alleged to occur. There’s sure issues I imagine occur and don’t occur. I don’t imagine what goes round comes round – I don’t imagine in that – however generally you’re drawn to sure folks. You’ll be able to name it coincidence if you need – I feel there’s one thing a bit deeper. That magnet, being drawn to anyone. I’m an enormous over-thinker, and it may be a nightmare generally, however it additionally uncovers rather a lot as properly.

Me and Tony have been to church collectively, and had some fascinating experiences going to Canada and America. I noticed a therapist after my brother died, ‘trigger I wanted some assist coping with grief, and Tony was instrumental in me going to see this bloke, Bruce Lloyd, together with Tony’s good friend, and he performed an enormous half in my life. He all the time referred to grief as, “A wound that wants clearing out however the clearing out course of could be very painful”. He received me on a non secular journey as properly – I bear in mind studying a really poignant ebook referred to as The Energy of Now. About staying current and never worrying an excessive amount of concerning the future or the previous. It’s a really, very onerous process to grasp – I don’t assume you ever do grasp it – however should you can keep current life turns into much more pleasing. It actually does. You do want issues to look ahead to, and that you must look again on reminiscences with fond ideas, however each second that passes is a reminiscence, so makes these reminiscences good, and also you try this by staying current and within the second. Me and Tony had lots of in-depth conversations, and lots of issues in frequent in terms of faith and spirituality.