1. Iran Barkley is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 1999.
21 Facts About Iran Barkley
1. 2.
Iran Barkley held world championships in three weight classes, including the WBC middleweight title from 1988 to 1989, the IBF super middleweight title from 1992 to 1993, and the WBA light heavyweight title in 1992.
3.
Iran Barkley was the youngest of eight children raised in the Patterson Houses.
4.
Iran Barkley was a member of the Black Spades street gang in his youth, along with former heavyweight contender Mitch Green.
5.
Iran Barkley is the great uncle of NFL running back Saquon Barkley.
6.
Iran Barkley returned in 1988 with a split decision over Sanderline Williams and a fifth-round stoppage of Michael Olajide, before winning the WBC middleweight title with a third-round knockout of Thomas Hearns, voted 1988 Upset of the Year by The Ring magazine.
7.
Iran Barkley next fought Nigel Benn in a challenge for the WBO middleweight title and was stopped on the three-knockdown rule at the end of a wild first round in which both fighters were hurt.
8.
Iran Barkley returned with two low-key wins at light heavyweight in 1991, then defeated Darrin Van Horn to win the IBF super middleweight title in two rounds in January 1992 in Paramount Theatre, New York.
9.
Iran Barkley vacated the title without defending it, choosing instead to defend his super middleweight title against IBF and lineal middleweight champion James Toney.
10.
Iran Barkley's final shot at a title would come against undefeated Henry Maske at light heavyweight for Maske's IBF title in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany in October 1994.
11.
Iran Barkley continued to fight after this loss, eventually moving up to the heavyweight division.
12.
Iran Barkley's last fight of note was a June 1997 win for the WBB heavyweight title, a bout in which Barkley retired former WBA heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee with a 10th-round TKO.
13.
Iran Barkley 'retired' in 1999 after losing a bout in Mississippi by sixth-round stoppage to Keith McKnight.
14.
In 2006, at the age of 46, Iran Barkley won an unsanctioned bout by second-round stoppage in Aruba.
15.
In 2008, at age 48, Iran Barkley fought to a six-round draw in an unsanctioned exhibition bout against heavyweight Chauncy Welliver in Lapwai, Idaho at the Pi-Nee-Waus Community Center of the Nez Perce Tribe.
16.
Iran Barkley's first child was born to Iran Barkley's common law wife Pam in 1981.
17.
Iran Barkley has four children and has been divorced twice.
18.
Iran Barkley has fallen on some difficult times since his retirement from boxing.
19.
Iran Barkley is a ringside regular at boxing matches in New York City.
20.
Iran Barkley's great-nephew, Saquon Iran Barkley, is an NFL running back who was selected with the second pick in the 2018 NFL draft, and won NFL Offensive Player of the Year after a record-breaking 2024 season.
21.
Iran Barkley is a member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.