Reigning European Middleweight Champion Matthew Macklin believes he can round out a sensational 2009 in style when he faces Uruguayan Champion Rafa Sosa Pintos on the Sierra Fight Night at the National Stadium, Dublin on Saturday, December 5th. The Birmingham based Irishman has had less than 10 minutes of competitive action this year but what an explosive ten minutes they’ve been. In March he ended Birmingham rival Wayne Elcock’s British title reign with a third round KO and then in September he followed that up with a sensational first round destruction of former European champ Amin Asikainen to claim the continental crown..
The impressive double has seen Macklin shoot up the World rankings and he is now rated fourth with the WBO, fifth with the IBF and eighth with the WBC. Clearly the future looks bright for the one time law student and underage Tipperary hurler.
With a World title shot on the horizon Macklin knows he simply can’t afford any slip ups when he takes on Sosa Pintos at the National Stadium next month. The bout headlines an event sponsored by the Sierra Support Services Group and will be televised live on RTÉ TWO. Pintos has an excellent record of 34 wins from his 38 professional contests and having fought in Australia and Germany previously the South American is no stranger to fighting on the road.
“It’s been a fantastic year but I have to put those wins behind me now and make sure I keep producing those kind of performances,” said Macklin. ”People are talking about World title shots but for me it’s pretty simple, I know that as long as I keep winning those chances will come my way but I just have to focus on one fight at a time.
“Obviously the World ratings show that I must be doing something right. The Ring magazine has me at number 6 in the World now at Middleweight and every time I see that I nearly have to pinch myself because I remember as a kid I used to be able to rattle off the Ring’s ratings almost by heart. You knew if a fighter was ranked by the Ring then they had to be a really, good fighter so even getting in to the Ring ratings is a little milestone in itself for me.”
Macklin last headlined at the National Stadium in March of last year when he saw off the challenge of former World Champion Yori Boy Campas and he says he’s delighted to be fighting in Dublin again. “I’m thrilled that the chance came up to fight in Ireland again. When I look back at my fights to date my best performances haven’t always come in Ireland but they’ve been the fights I’ve enjoyed the most from the whole pre fight build up to the atmosphere at the fights themselves and then I always like to spend a few days in either Roscommon where my Dad’s from or Tipperary where my Mum’s from after the fights.
“Hopefully I can go on to win a World title for Ireland, the whole country had a great sense of pride the night Bernard Dunne won the World title and I’d love to repeat that. I certainly believe I can and I’d look to have most of my defences in Ireland. I was born and raised in Birmingham but I’ve never lost touch with my routes and I definitely consider myself an Irishman first and foremost.”
Macklin turned 27 earlier this year and his career really seems to have come of age in 2009. “It’s fair to say I’ve had my up’s and down’s since turning professional back in 2001 but it’s all been a learning curve. I turned pro on the back of a good amateur career and with a lot of fanfare. I scored some good wins early on which kept the hype going but then I suffered the defeats to Andrew Facey and Jamie Moore and it’s amazing how quickly people seem to write you off after a defeat.
“I’ve always had that belief in myself though and the people around me have as well so I knew my time would come but it was just a case of building back up again and learning from the setbacks. This year I think I’ve raised my game to another level because of the opportunities that came my way and my whole mental approach is completely different now.”
His two back to back knockout wins at British and European title level suggest that Macklin’s power will be a factor at the highest level but he insists that it’s not something he’s tempted to rely on. “It’s an old cliché but when you go looking for the knockout it never comes. When you approach a fight like that you end up trying too hard and loading up but in my last two fights I’ve kept nice and relaxed.
“In both of those fights the plan was to outbox my opponent and not be overly aggressive in the early rounds but the power is obviously there, it’s just a case of letting it flow naturally. I knocked out Elcock with my right hand and Asikainen with the left so that was pretty satisfying to prove that I can punch with either hand.”
Macklin however believes that he could be in for a longer night against Sosa Pintos but he’s not unduly bothered. “He went the distance with Anthony Mundine who’s been a World Champion up at Super Middleweight. Mundine couldn’t stop him and neither could Khoren Gevor and he’s just come off a close points defeat to Felix Sturm for the WBA title so he’s mixed in very good company. I certainly won’t be going in there looking to knock him out because I think he’s the kind of opponent that will take a while to break down so I’m going to be patient and take my time and if the stoppage comes it comes.”
Assuming Macklin comes through against Pintos next in line will be a mandatory defence of his European title against undefeated Russian star, Dmitry Pirog. That bout has already been pencilled in for early in the New Year and Macklin says it’s a fight he would relish.
“I’ve watched bits and pieces of Pirog and there’s no doubt he’s n excellent fighter but he’s had it all his own way in his career so far. He’s been able to dictate the pace of all his fights so far because the guys that have been in there with him have been past their best and maybe lacking in ambition but it would be a different story against me.”
Macklin’s manager Brian Peters believes that Macklin can go on to win a World title in 2010. “Matthew’s knocking on the door for a World title shot now,” said Peters. “Kelly Pavlik aside there’s nobody lighting up the Middleweight division right now and even Pavlik has had his problems with injuries and inactivity so I think Matthew’s current World ratings are well deserved and a true indicator of his achievements this year.”
The undercard for the Sierra Fight night features a pair of Irish title fights with Dublin star Paul Hyland defending his Irish Super Bantamweight title against Eugene Heagney and Dublin fan favourite Anthony Fitzgerald battling it out for the vacant Irish Super Middleweight title against Lee Murtagh. Former top amateur Michael Kelly also features alongside Gavin “The Scarlet Pimpernel” Prunty, an exciting recent addition to the Irish pro ranks.
Tickets for the Sierra Fight Night priced from €40 are available from Ticketmaster (phone 0818 719 300 or visit ticketmaster.ie) and all usual outlets.
Heavyweight hope Hanna targets British title
While local hero Paul McCloskey will be looking to be crowned European Light Welterweight Champion at the Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt on Friday night the undercard will feature a new heavyweight hopeful taking the first steps in his professional career. At the age of 33, David “Hardway” Hanna is unlikely to be referred to as a young gun in the heavyweight division but the Lisburn native will make his pro debut believing that he still has plenty of time to fulfil his boxing ambitions.
Hanna’s boxing career was postponed by athletic ambitions of another kind but now the Harry Hawkins trained fighter says he’s ready to make his mark on the professional game.
“I started boxing when I was a kid at around 9 or 10,” revealed Hanna. “I started out around the same time as Brian Magee. He’s always been a great friend of mine and we joined the local boxing club at around the same time. I drifted from boxing a bit though eventually and concentrated on athletics instead. I was a decent javelin thrower and was the Great Britain and Northern Ireland number 1 at one point so I competed at quite a high level and held the Irish record.
“I finally got back in to boxing when I was living and studying in Scotland and I boxed for a club over there and won three Senior Scottish titles. My Granddad was from Scotland so I was eligible to represent the Scots and I fought for them at International level in EU Championships and Multi Nation events and I ended up as the number 2 Super Heavyweight in the UK just behind David Price.
“When I moved back home to Belfast I was still getting invited over to Scotland for International’s but I didn’t really have a coach over here so I was pretty much training myself and I got disillusioned with that after a while but I always fancied giving the pro game a go.
“I didn’t want to have any regrets when I’m 50 wondering about what could have been so Brian Magee recommended Harry Hawkins and the Holy Trinity gym to me because he trained there as well. There’s a great atmosphere in the gym and I’d known Harry for a long time and I’d seen the success he enjoyed with Brian and Bernard Dunne so I decided to go professional with him.”
While Hanna is under no illusions as to how tough the professional game is he believes he can make a major impact. “I think I can go all the way. I definitely have a British title in my sights, I wouldn’t be putting in all this work if I didn’t think I was at least capable of getting that far.
“I was there or there abouts in the amateurs without ever really being serious about my boxing career. I’ve been in the ring with guys who are now the top pro’s in the UK. I fought Derek Chisora in the amateurs and lost out on 2 points but most of the people there thought I was robbed. I sparred David Price a couple of times at the Great Britain training camps in Crystal Palace and I sparred Martin Rogan for almost a month before he beat Matt Skelton and I’ve never felt out of my depth with any of those guys.
“I know it will take me a while to adjust to the pro ranks but I’m willing to put in the work. Untill now I’ve pretty much been self taught so it’s been hard changing old habits but Harry has definitely made improvements and I feel I’m already throwing shots harder and faster after just six weeks of working with him.”
As for starting out his professional career in his 30’s “Hardway” Hanna subscribes to the old adage that age is just a number. “I’m 33 but I’m a young 33,” stressed Hanna. “I work as a personal trainer and I know that most people don’t mature in terms of strength and power until they reach 35 and that’s what heavyweight boxing is all about.
“In fact if you look at any sport that requires size and power you’ll see that the guys tend to be far older than average athletes. Look at the World strongest man competitions for example. Most of those guys are generally in their late 30’s and it’s the same with heavyweight boxers, most of them don’t seem to reach their peak until their well into their 30’s.
Hanna’s debut is part of an action packed undercard to the clash between Paul McCloskey and Daniel Rasilla for the European Light Welterweight title at the Meadowbank Sports Arena.
Belfast’ British Featherweight champion Martin Lindsay is also in action as he looks to stretch his perfect record to 15 straight wins. Fight fans will also get the opportunity to follow the progress of Barry McGuigan’s hot prospect, Carl Frampton. The 2009 Irish Senior Featherweight Champion turned pro in June and has already impressed in his two outings to date.
Liverpool’s “Dangerous” John Donnelly will also be in action as he builds towards a shot at the British bantamweight title while further local interest will come in the shape of Omagh’s popular light welterweight Damian Taggart.
The event will be live on Sky Sports and tickets priced £30, £60 and £90 are available from Ticketmaster, all usual outlets and the boxers on the bill. Contact Ticketmaster 0844 8472455 (0818 719300 from ROI), Box Office 01277 359900, Julie 07745698372, Emma 07703723074, Francie 07803282224 or Eurospar 02877741245.