- Iran Barkley, 64, held titles in three different weight classes during his career
Former three-weight boxing champion Iran Barkley was hospitalized over the weekend after suffering a stroke.
The 64-year-old, who is the great-uncle of Eagles star Saquon Barkley, is said to be recovering after the harrowing episode.
Promoter Lou DiBella initially wrote on Saturday that the older Barkley had been taken to the hospital following the emergency, before providing a positive update shortly after.
‘Just spoke to Iran,’ DiBella wrote late Saturday night.
‘He sounded really strong and was joking around. Said no little stroke keeping him on the canvas. He’s grateful to everyone for the love and prayers. God is good.’
The New York-born fighter held the WBC middleweight, IBF super middleweight and WBA light heavyweight world belts during his career.
Iran Barkley, seen in 2010, was hospitalized over the weekend after suffering a stroke
The boxer is the great-uncle of Eagles star Saquon Barkley, seen earlier this month
Barkley is seen fighting Thomas Hearns during the WBA World light heavyweight title in 1992
He had a record of 43-19-1 during his memorable career, which spanned from 1982 to 1999.
Barkley is remembered by some boxing fans for his middleweight title fight against former British champion Nigel Benn in 1990, which the American lost.
He also secured impressive wins against the likes of Thomas Hearns and Darrin van Horn to earn the middleweight and super middleweight belts respectively.
The younger Barkley, who helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl win last month, previously spoke about his connection to boxing growing up.
‘Boxing was forced onto me,’ he told USA TODAY in 2017, when he was still at Penn State.
‘I truly, truly, truly believe that if I didn’t I didn’t fall in love with football, I would’ve ended up being a boxer.’
Following DiBella’s update that Barkley was on the mend, fans flooded the promoter’s replies on X to offer their well-wishes to the former boxer.
‘My prayers for the Blade!,’ one said.
‘Get well soon!!,’ another added.
And a third said, ‘Once a fighter, forever a fighter.’
