DiBella Entertainment has added Irish middleweight contender Matthew
“Mack the Knife” Macklin to its ever-growing stable of fighters.
Macklin, 29, is an intelligent boxer-puncher, who has shown that he
is not afraid to engage or press the action when necessary. He is
currently ranked #4 by the WBA, #7 by the WBO, and #12 by the IBO,
and has nothing but big fights on his mind as he joins the same
promotional roster as middleweight champion Sergio Martinez and
middleweight contenders Andy Lee, Brian Vera, Ronald Hearns, Peter
Manfredo, Jr., and Ishe Smith.
There are times when a loss brings more positive attention to a
fighter’s career than any of his previous victories. Coming off his
most recent fight, a controversial loss to “Super” WBA middleweight
titlist Felix Sturm, that statement could not be truer of Macklin,
28-3 (19 KOs). But now, Macklin is looking for redemption under a new
promotional banner, a deal to bring him to the United States that was
facilitated by Brian Peters, his manager since 2005.
“I am really happy to be signing with DiBella Entertainment,” said
Macklin. “I’ve known Lou DiBella for many years. I met him in
Manchester when Paulie Malignaggi fought Lovemore Ndou in 2008. We
spoke about doing something together last year, but the timing wasn’t
right. I feel that we’re now on the same wavelength. I’m excited about
the future and I feel that I am in very good hands with Lou.”
Big times ahead
High Quality Photo
Born in Birmingham, England, to Irish parents, Macklin was studying
law at Coventry University while simultaneously competing as an
amateur boxer. After winning the national senior Amateur Boxing
Association of England welterweight title in 2001, Macklin made the
decision to put his studies on hold, to the ire of his parents, in
order to pursue a professional boxing career.
In Glasgow, Scotland, on the undercard of future featherweight
champion Scott Harrison, Macklin stopped Ram Singh in just 112
second, on November 17, 2001. Going on to win his first nine bouts,
six by knockout, Macklin built up enough of a reputation to challenge
for the British junior middleweight title. Fighting Andrew Facey on
November 6, 2003, Macklin lost a razor-thin 10-round decision by one
point, with a score of 96-95.
Macklin bounced back from that defeat winning three straight before
fighting professionally in Ireland for the first time against Michael
Monaghan for the Irish middleweight title, on May 14, 2005, his 23rd
birthday, at National Stadium in Dublin. Macklin won the belt with a
fifth-round knockout, at 1:28 of the frame.
Three months after winning the Irish middleweight title, Macklin
traveled across the pond to get his first taste of fighting in the
United States, winning two bouts by knockout, stopping Leo Laudat in
three in Atlantic City, and Anthony Little in two in Philadelphia.
Three fights later, Macklin would engage Jamie Moore in one of the
best fights of 2006, in his second attempt to win the British junior
middleweight crown. Fighting Moore at George Carnall Leisure Centre
in Manchester on September 26, Macklin was quickly drawn into a brawl
and the two continued to fight in the trenches for over nine brutal
rounds, before the Irishman would succumb to a knockout halfway
through the 10th frame.
“I fought Jamie Moore at the wrong weight,” said Macklin. “Although I
shouldn’t have fought Moore’s fight, making weight was the problem in
that bout. I felt weak, I had no stamina and no reflexes. I stayed at
welterweight and junior middleweight for far too long. I am a
middleweight.”
Maintaining a busy schedule over the next two years, Macklin would
win his next six fights, three by knockout, including a 10-round
decision over veteran Yori Boy Campas. Macklin then returned to his
hometown of Birmingham to challenge Wayne Elcock for the British
middleweight title on March 14, 2009, winning by TKO in the third.
Macklin followed that up with a fight against Finnish Amin Asikainen
six months later and destroyed him inside one round to add the
European title to his collection.
After defending the European title in two of his next three
victories, Macklin was poised to make a big slash on the world-boxing
scene with a bout against former junior middleweight champion Winky
Wright set for Las Vegas. However, that bout did not come to fruition
when Wright pulled out after suffering an injury in training. A WBA
eliminator against Khoren Gevor next presented itself with the winner
to face Felix Sturm. Contractual issues led to Macklin pulling out of
that contest, but he was rewarded with a direct shot at Sturm and,
despite losing a highly controversial split decision on the
champion’s home turf, made a statement with his dynamic performance.
“I went over to Germany and I proved myself. I felt that I won,” said
Macklin, who lost the split decision by two votes of 116-112 for Sturm
and a 115-113 tally in his favor. “I feel that if we fought 100 times,
I would beat him every time. If it were up to me, I’d fight him next,
although I don’t think he has any intention of pursuing a rematch
with me. If he wants to fight me again, it’s an easy fight to make,
as he is his own promoter. I think he knows that he cannot beat me.
He’s not going to come to Ireland or England. Fighting Sturm in New
York would be great, but I would go back to Germany if I had to. I’d
expect a fairer crack at the fight. I think the German officials
would be under a lot more pressure to make sure things were on the
level, given the controversy of our first fight.
“I think the Sturm fight was an eye-opener for the boxing public at
large. Sturm is a leading man in the middleweight division and I
think I proved that I am among the top three middleweights of the
world.”
DiBella Entertainment President Lou DiBella is excited about his new
recruit.
“I viewed signing Macklin as a no-brainer,” said DiBella. “I have
Sergio Martinez, the real middleweight champ, the best in the world.
But clearly Matthew handled Sturm with ease and he has a claim at
being the second-best middleweight in the world. He’s going to want a
shot at Sergio and eventually that will make sense.
“I’m very, very happy with the deal,” he continued. “I happen to like
the kid very much and that is part of it. There are certain guys who
have very pleasing styles for TV. This guy rumbles but he also has
skills. He’s fun to watch and made a case that he stands near the top
of the middleweight division with the way he fought Sturm.”
