Nigel Benn put himself in position to challenge for a major middleweight championship Saturday when he stopped Iran Barkley at 2:57 of the first round Saturday.
Benn knocked down Barkley three times in the first round to retain his World Boxing Organization middleweight championship and create a quick end to a bout in which both fighters slugged to the head non-stop from the opening bell.The fight ended after Benn dropped Barkley with two rights to the head. There was momentary confusion, however, as to whether Barkley's third trip to the canvas was a knockdown or a slip.
Referee Carlos Padilla conferred briefly with members of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, who ruled it a knockdown under commission rules and gave the victory to the 26-year-old British star.
Benn said he "was a bit confused at the finish. I wasn't sure he was down.
Benn, who entered the bout weighing 1591/2 pounds, knocked down Barkley for the first time in the opening seconds of the round with a left-right-left combination to the head.
Barkley, the former World Boxing Council middleweight champ who has shown over the years that he has little defense but great resilience, got up quickly and responded with a left to the head that shook Benn and sent him reeling across the ring.
Benn responded by landing three rights to the head that staggered Barkley. Benn followed up his advantage and landed a right-left combination and a looping right to the head that put Barkley down for the second time.
Both fighters, as they did the entire round, then unloaded and landed punches to the head, concluding with the two rights that put Barkley down for the final time.
"I was trying to draw him into me," Benn said. "I just wanted to trade punches with him. I felt the punches, but never thought I was going down."
Barkley claimed: "I hurt him more than he hurt me."
"I don't buy this fight. The referee was very confused," said Barkley's manager, John Reetz.
Reetz also said he plans to file a protest Monday with Nevada State Athletic Commission. He claimed Benn landed a blow late to the head of Barkley after the challenger was on the floor following the second knockdown.
Benn, who won the WBO title in April by stopping Doug DeWitt in the eighth round, improved to 27-1 with 25 knockouts.