Nicknamed 'Black Flash' and trained by Brian Hughes, Barrett took up boxing at the age of 16 and was an area champion as an amateur before making his professional debut in May 1987 with a win over Gary Barron. He won 13 of his first 15 fights, including a win over Dave McCabe, with a draw against Sugar Gibiliru, and the only defeat to Paul Burke. In November 1988 he Kevin Plant on points in his home city to win the vacant BBBofC Central Area light welterweight title. He successfully defended this title against Gibiliru in April 1989, and Tony Willis four weeks later, and in October that year beat Robert Harkin on points at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall to take the British title. He relinquished the British title in 1990 to pursue higher honours. In August 1990 he challenged for Efrem Calamati's European title in Salerno, Italy, knocking the defending champion out in the fourth round to take the title. He made three successful defences of the European title, against Salvatore Nardino in February 1991, Mark McCreath, and Racheed Lawal, stopping all three challengers. He relinquished the European title and moved up to welterweight. In July 1992 he challenged for Manning Galloway's WBO World welterweight title at the G-Mex Centre, losing a unanimous decision, after the fight had been postponed several times, a situation that led him to leave promoter Mickey Duff to join Frank Warren's stable. In September 1993 he faced Del Bryan for the vacant British welterweight title at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, Bryan taking the title on points. He moved up in weight again to light middleweight, and in November 1993 met Patrick Vungbo in Belgium for the vacant World Boxing FederationWorld title; Vungbo won on a split decision. Legal problems led Barrett to leave the UK and travel to the United States to work with Lennox Lewis's former trainer John Davenport in the hope of securing a multi-fight contract and a second worldtitle fight, and in March 1994 stopped journeyman Donnie Parker in four rounds. He returned to the UK, however, and shortly afterwards was arrested for failing to pay £6,000 of fines incurred for failing to produce his vehicle details after being repeatedly stopped by the police, and was declared bankrupt. He served three months in HM Prison Risley followed by 12 months probation. In December 1994 he beat Belgian champion Marino Monteyne in points in what proved to be his final fight, retiring the following year.
Later life and career as trainer and promoter
In February 2003 Barrett was arrested after being found with a loaded pistol in a hotel room in Chingford, with small quantities of heroin and cannabis also found. He denied all knowledge of the gun and drugs, claiming that he was set up, but was sentenced to two consecutive three-month terms in prison. Barrett later described the sentence as "the best thing to happen to me. I got caught and it opened my eyes." On leaving prison, Barrett attempted to obtain a trainer's licence, a process which took him five years. Barrett went on to run a security company and work as a trainer at the Moston and Collyhurst Gym, initially under Hughes, but later running the gym with Thomas McDonagh after Hughes retired, working with boxers such as Scott Quigg, Matty Hall, Matty Askin, and Barrett's nephew Zelfa. In 2011 Barrett got a promoter's licence, initially working with Wally Dixon, and in 2014 started Black Flash Promotions.
