I am not sure what you are really on about with DH but he went fact to face with Iron Man.
Yeah. So did Spider-Man.
Did I also mention that he beat Firelord?
Oh, and he beat Iron Man 2099 to bloody mess of scrap metal?
Or did I mention how he was about to take down Eric Masterson if he had not used lightning?
Or how he knocked down Class 80 Rhino, just by punching him until he fell?
Maybe I should tell you about the time he went against Prince Namor.
Should I mention his fights with Hulk?
Or Doctor Strange? Quasar?
How he went toe to toe against Fantastic Four and held his own?
How he defeated Man-Thing?
Knocked out D'Spayre?
She-Hulk? Silver Surfer? X-Man? The entire X-Men Classic Team? Absorbing Man? Blackheart? Crimson Dynamo? Digger? Doctor Doom? Dragon Man? Juggernaut?
Spider-Man is the milestone here, and I can assure you, when it comes to battle formidability, Darkhawk is NOT above Spider-Man. Some people do seem to underestimate him. It was the same thing with the last tournament I was in. Thanos was the milestone and most thought he was just one step above Surfer. He isn't.
There is a link under my sig, concerning Spider-Man. I suggest you to take a look at it.