Determined star Macklin can smell victory in Cologne
It’s his dream, his ambition and his passion as he bids to follow in the footsteps of former middleweight champ Steve Collins.
To do that, the former Tipperary underage hurling star has to take the treasured belt from champion Felix Sturm, who has owned it for almost a decade and has battled triumphantly 15 times in world title fights.
Few pundits give Macklin a chance, in Sturm’s native Germany. Richie Woodhall, the former world super middleweight champion-turned Sky TV boxing commentator said: “It’s going to be an extremely difficult task. Sturm is a good world champion and to beat him will be hard enough but to do it in his home country of Germany will be near impossible. Matthew has to stop Sturm to get the verdict. Realistically Matthew has one hell of a tough job.”
Birmingham-born Macklin was quick to snap back: “Punters also look at Sturm’s style and point out that he has a terrific jab — probably the best in boxing — and a damaging right hook. He is a genuine world champion.
“They also take the view that to win a boxing match in Germany is damn near impossible. Any close rounds will be voted by the judges to have been won by the home champion. Fighting in Sturm’s backyard is a big mistake. In order to bring the title back I have to knock him out. Don’t you think we know all of that? We — manager Brian Peters, trainer Joe Gallagher, my brother Seamus and myself — have worked so hard on the research and tactics that we probably know more about Sturm than Sturm does himself.
“We are ready. No matter what he tries to do, we are prepared. His style is not going to change. His tactics will stay the same because that is why he has been so successful. Why try mend something when it isn’t broken?
“The Sturm camp will have done the same homework about me. And I hope that they have examined a tape of my last fight against Ruben Varon. I won but I was awful, finishing bloodied and bruised and maybe that’s why I’ve got this fight. Sturm has also been in with Varon and he beat him easily.
“I hope they think that was the best of Matthew Macklin.
“What they don’t know is how good Matthew Macklin can be. Even I am not sure. I know what Joe Gallagher tells me. I do know that I have the strength, determination and willpower to be a world class fighter. I also know Sturm is in for a surprise or two. He is on a plateau. I am on my way up and I am going to take his WBA belt with me,” he grinned.
Manager Brian Peters added: “Matthew has dreamed of this day since he was a boy playing hurling for Tipperary and he will deliver. He will be supported by hundreds of Irish fans making the trip and they will not be disappointed.
“Matthew has the tools, the heart and a fantastic future. He is flying the flag for Irish boxing as the highest rated Irishman in the world. I have been making plans about possible fights for him in Ireland as the world champion.”
PATRICK HYLAND bids to stretch his unbeaten run to 23 consecutive wins and collect the WBF world featherweight title in the process when he takes on France’s Philippe Frenois at the National Stadium in Dublin this evening.
Hyland is in confident mood: “It’s the biggest fight of my career and the prize on the line has made me push even harder in the gym. I’ve been doing a lot of strength and conditioning work with Joe Clifford. I feel really strong at the weight. I’ve found it a lot easier to make the nine stone limit this time and there is also a real snap to my punches. It’s been a hard eight-week camp but preparations couldn’t have gone any better. Frenois has never been stopped so I’m more than ready to go 12 hard rounds and if the stoppage comes, it’s a bonus. His only defeats came against good, undefeated fighters and he’s been mixing in very good company so it’s a good test.”
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