Barnes set for British debut by Kevin Taylor Jun 15th 2007

Liverpudlian Justin Barnes, who we featured on BBN prior to his professional debut in Holland in June 2006, is set to return home to fight unbeaten Brian Rose at the Robin Park Arena in Wigan on the 24th of June. Barnes had a few amateur fights in England before moving to Holland to continue his career which saw him twice become vice Dutch amateur champion in 2001 and 2002 and win gold in the Hillirod Box Cup in Denmark in 2004. Barnes' pro career kicked off last June in Amersfoort where he got off to a great start with a first round stoppage of Miroslav Vymislicky, this was followed up by another five straight wins, before Barnes ventured outside of the Netherlands looking for win seven in Finland against local hero Mika Joensuu. Barnes takes up the story of his career from fight number seven, "The seventh fight was a great fight as we both had an unblemished record of 6 fights, 6 wins. It took place over 6x3 min rounds and I took the fight to him in every round nearly stopping him in the 3rd round with a left hook. It was a good fight with everyone on the edge of their seats. At the end of the fight his hand was raised and the crowd in disbelief started booing. I couldnt believe it either I thought I had done enough to win the fight. "I then had a return match with fellow Dutchman Ronnie Daniels in my adopted hometown of Spakenburg. The hall was filled with all my freinds and fans so I had too win. "In the first round I was hitting him from all angles with hard right hands and explosive left hooks, but Ronnie refused to go down as always. The second round was the same and then in the 3rd round every boxer's nightmare happened Ronnie threw a big right hook that hit me and opened up a cut on my left cheek the ref stopped the fight due too excessive bleeding, I was devastated." Justin was back in action just a month later when once again he visited Finland, this time taking on Samuli Leppiaho over six rounds, live on television. Justin again describes the fight "I started the fight slowly, letting him work in the first round, but still applying just enough to keep the round even. Then in the second I picked up the pace hitting him all over ring, the third was much the same and I opened up a cut above his left eye. "In the 4th I hit him with a big right hand sending his mouthpiece flying, but he was saved by the referee as he got almost 40 seconds rest, while samuli's trainer cleaned his mouthpiece. In the 5th and 6th rounds he came back strongly and had a very good last round. "Once again the decision went against me, four rounds for him and two even, but I know I was robbed again as it should of been the other way around, but I took the decision on the chin. "Now my next fight is in sight and this fight is a fight I have been waiting for, for a long time. I would like to thank Mr Wood from VIP boxing promotions for giving me this chance. I will be boxing on the 24th June in Wigan against former hot british amateur and unbeaten professional, Brian Rose of Blackpool who has had four fights and four wins. "I have something to put right and that's what I'm going to do my only plan is to win." For Barnes it's a chance to fight in the country of his birth for the first time as a pro, and a chance for his family and friends in the UK to see him fight. He's up against it against Rose who has impressed during his career to date. BBN will be there to cover the fight, so look out for details of Barnes' British debut the week after next.

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