THE first thing that springs to mind when I look back on beating Daniel Geale to win the IBF middleweight title is โ€˜job doneโ€™. I had set out to do what I wanted to do.

I never planned or expected to be a world champion who reigned for a long time. My goal was simply to win a world title and, at times, it seemed an unrealistic goal. The injuries I had, and with the loss of my brother Gary, I honestly didnโ€™t know if I had the strength to achieve that goal.

Exactly seven years on from that night, Iโ€™m still celebrating. I honestly donโ€™t think there could be a world champion who is happy as I am. I still canโ€™t believe I did it.

I felt Iโ€™d got as far as I could after losing to Sergio Martinez in 2011. Iโ€™d pushed one of the best fighters in the world, I was happy with that. I said to my trainer Tony Sims that I didnโ€™t think I could do it anymore. I had to have another hip operation. The injuries wouldnโ€™t go away. I even had a quiet word with my brother who had passed away: โ€œIโ€™m gonna have to leave it there, Gal, I hope youโ€™re proud of what I managed to achieve.โ€

But then as the weeks and months started to pass I started to look back on the Martinez fight and wondered if I could have done more. I could have beaten him. As soon as those thoughts started creeping in, I knew I wasnโ€™t finished with boxing. I couldnโ€™t let those thoughts rest. So I rang Tony and I told him I was getting back in the gym.

Before I fought Kerry Hope, in my comeback fight, Iโ€™d been out of the ring for 14 months. Before that I was supposed to fight Simone Rotolo. While sparring I caught an elbow in my bicep. I was in agony. My whole arm went black. My doctor told me not to fight. I was out of action again. I thought my body was telling me to retire. I had to develop a new approach, I knew I had to win every fight, I had to be more aggressive. I beat Hope and then Rotolo.

On the day of the Geale fight, it wasnโ€™t all going smoothly. Iโ€™d got my gloves that I wasnโ€™t happy with. Iโ€™ve got these really long thumbs and the gloves just didnโ€™t feel right. I had these horrible gloves on and then I started tapping myself on my stomach and my face โ€“ as I always did. I remember hitting myself in the body and thinking, โ€˜Blimey, that feels tenderโ€™.

When I went down in the sixth round from the body shot, I had no concept of time. I was down for nine-and-a-half seconds. When I think about what I was going through at that time, itโ€™s crazy. I must have been subconsciously listening to the count but I donโ€™t remember it. It was the thought of my brother, of my daughter, of my family, everyone. We were all on a journey together. I remember getting to my feet and it was like someone was helping me up. People might think Iโ€™m adding spice to the story, but thatโ€™s not the case at all. It was actually quite easy to get up, I just got to my feet. I was in pain, I remember the referee asking me how I was feeling, and a high pitched sound came out of my mouth.

Eventually, I started to get my breath back. I started to throw shots back. Then there was a shift of power. At the bell to end the sixth, I threw my arms in the air, it was all done to show Geale I was still there.

I went into the seventh round with a spring in my step. But it was such a hard fight. As a kid, I would play out my career, Iโ€™d be leaping around the kitchen imagining my future. The way I played my world title win, as a nine-year-old kid shadowboxing in the kitchen, was exactly as it happened. Iโ€™d get dropped, Iโ€™d come through a hard fight and I was world champion.

When I watched the fight back, I had a lump in my throat. It was exactly as I imagined it.

To hear Barkerโ€™s full recollections of the fight, including the boisterous aftermath, listen to Episode Three of the new Boxing News podcast, The Opening Bell โ€“ available free from all podcast providers or directly from our website.