13.03.06 – Current Irish middleweight champion Matthew Macklin launches his 2006 campaign in New York this week hoping to set up a British title shot. The 23-year-old has linked up with new manager Brian Peters and Macklin’s first fight under the new arrangement will see him share top billing with John Duddy at Madison Square Garden this Thursday.
A win in the Big Apple would secure a shot at British light middleweight champ Jamie Moore. All in all it could be a very big year for Macklin who says he’s delighted to have linked up with Peters.
“I decided to sign with Brian because I feel he’s a very genuine guy with a lot of contacts, not just in Ireland and England but in the U.S. and Europe. He knows his stuff and works very hard for his fighters. You only have to look at the job he’s done with Bernard Dunne to realise what a good manager he is.”
Macklin meets Chris Troupe over ten rounds in New York and he says he expects a tough nights work. “I’ve seen a few tapes of him and he looks to be a tough, durable guy. He has an awkward style and throws big, wide hooks so he can be a bit erratic.”
“He has good hand speed and varies his attacks to head and body so I’m expecting a good, tough fight. I’m feeling as fit as a fiddle at the moment though and my training’s gone well so I can’t wait for it.”
Macklin won’t be without support either in New York with over 50 family and friends making the trip over for the fight.
If everything goes to plan against Troupe Macklin will be in line for a shot at Jamie Moore’s British light middleweight title. The British Boxing Board of Control have made Macklin the mandatory challenger for the Mancunian’s title and it’s a fight Macklin is desperate for.
“I think that’s a fight an awful lot of people want to see. Some people might think I’m the underdog for that fight but that suits me fine because when I win it will make people sit up and take notice. I really want to win the British title but I firmly believe that’s not the be all and end all for me. I want to go all the way to a world title and I believe I can do it.”
Macklin is trained by Billy Graham the Manchester based trainer who guided Ricky Hatton to his famous win over Kostya Tsyzu last year. Macklin has sparred countless rounds with Hatton and says he’s learned plenty from both Graham and Hatton.
“Billy’s a great trainer and you can’t help but improve working with him and of course sparring with Ricky is a great education too.”
New manager Brian Peters believes Macklin can go on to become as big a star as his sparring partner. “I honestly believe that alongside Bernard Dunne Matthew is one of the best prospects in Europe. He has so much going for him in terms of ability and power and I really think he can make a big name for himself.”
“Once he gets over next weeks fight we’ll start looking towards the Jamie Moore fight and I really can’t wait for that one to happen because I think Matthew will make a lot of people sit up and take notice when that fight happens.”
Peters also plans on fulfilling one of Macklin’s ambitions by handing him a fight in his hometown of Birmingham. “Matthew will fight in the U.K. under Barry Hearn’s Matchroom promotions so we’ll certainly be looking at promoting fights in Birmingham. I think with Matthew’s ability he’s capable of re-igniting the boxing scene there.”
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Matthew Macklin
Irish Middleweight Champion
Date of Birth: 14 May 1982
Height: 5′ 10
Manager: Brian Peters
Trainer: Billy Graham
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Professional Career
– 2001 –
17 Nov Ram Singh Glasgow W TKO 1
15 Dec Cristian Hodorogea London W KO 1
– 2002 –
9 Feb Dimitri Protkunas Manchester W TKO 2
11 Mar David Kirk Glasgow W PTS 4
20 Apr Ilia Spassov Cardiff W KO 3
1 June Guy Alton Manchester W TKO 3
28 Sept Leonti Voronchuk Manchester W TKO 5
– 2003 –
15 Feb Ruslan Yakupov London W PTS 6
24 May Paul Denton London W PTS 6
6 Nov Andrew Facey Dagenham L PTS 10
– 2004 –
21 Feb Dean Walker Cardiff W KO 1
24 Apr Scott Dixon Reading W TKO 6
12 Jun Ojay Abrahams Manchester W PTS 4
– 2005 –
14 May Michael Monaghan Dublin W KO 5
4 Aug Leo Laudat Atlantic City W TKO 3
28 Oct Anthony Little Philadelphia W TKO 2
26 Nov Alexey Chirkov Sheffield W KO 1
Fights: 17 Won: 16 (12 KO’s) Lost: 1