He was nicknamed “Blade” when he was 14 years old by Davey Moore’s trainer, Leon Washington. At the Morrisania Youth Center in the Bronx, Barkley cut the five-time New York Golden Gloves champion while sparring.
“I cut him in the ring when he was boxing me,” said Barkley. “I was sparring with Moore sometimes in Japan, I was still an amateur. I fought my way to the top.”
Barkley made his professional debut in 1982. Iran Barkley was ferocious in the street. Mean is no stranger to Barkley, who grew up in a street gang in the Bronx called the Black Spades. He was raised to fight, to survive, and he imprinted early with a kill or be killed mentality.
“I’ve always loved boxing,” said Barkley. “What drew me to it was that I didn’t like hanging around in the streets, just beating up guys. Why not get in the ring and beat up guys and get paid for it?” Barkley was one the great fighters of the 1980s; the era more commonly associated with “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns. If there were a biography written about Barkley, perhaps it would be titled, “The Fifth and Forgotten Champion.”
Perhaps his high point was his knockout win over Thomas Hearns in Las Vegas in 1988 (WBC middleweight title). Before he fought Hearns, the champion’s trainer Emanuel Steward knew Barkley had the attitude to be dangerous. “He’s not that skillful, but he just don’t give a damn.”
On the brink of defeat, Barkley found the right hand to drop Hearns on his back. Seconds after regaining his feet, Hearns was rescued by the referee.
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