Barker, 30, dropped Italian Simone Rotolo in the first round to signal his intentions in the contest and never looked in danger against the veteran to the delight of the home crowd.
The experienced Rotolo was hardly given an inch as Barker looked for the stoppage from the start, and after being rocked at least three more times, the 37 year-old quit on his stool at the end of the fourth.
A huge domestic dust-up could now loom on the horizon for Barker, with fights against Matthew Macklin and Andy Lee potentially there to be made for the summer.
Also on the card, China Clarke continued his unbeaten run by inlficting a first defeat on Wadi Camacho to claim the vacant English cruiserweight title with a seventh round retirement after a see-saw battle.
