Macklin won’t see the 10th against Sergio Martinez

By Boxing News - 01/07/2012 - Comments

Image: Macklin won't see the 10th against Sergio MartinezBy Scott Gilfoid: If there was ever a fighter that was perfectly tailor made for Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO’s) to knock cold it’s Matthew Macklin (28-3, 19 KO’s). This guy is a knockout waiting to happen on March 17th at Madison Square Garden in New York.

This will be an easier fight than Martinez’s last bout against Darren Barker, not that Macklin is worse fighter than Barker or anything like that. I actually think Macklin is a lot better than Barker. The difference is Macklin isn’t afraid to fight and really only has one way of fighting and that’s by brawling. He’s got the wrong style for a fight against Martinez.

If Macklin had huge power and a great chin, he’d have a chance, but he doesn’t. Macklin is just a slow guy with average power, poor stamina and a shaky chin. We just saw Macklin’s limitations highlighted for the entire world to see in his recent loss to WBA Super World middleweight champion Sergio Martinez last June. Macklin looked like an amateur, fighting hard for four rounds and then running out of gas completely. Sturm then took over the fight and battered Macklin in the last eight rounds of the fight with his much harder punches.

Macklin is going to make this so easy for Martinez it’s not even funny. When Macklin comes forward, he’s going to be coming right at a truck-like Martinez and he’s going to get blown apart very quickly. My prediction is Macklin being knocked completely out before the 10th. In truth, I see Macklin flat on his back with his eyes seeing nothing but stars by the 5th round. He could last like Barker if he ran and played timid like Barker did, but Macklin doesn’t do that.

He has too much confidence for his own good and it’ll cost him by him getting knocked completely old cold. Macklin is going to have to reassess his own talent level after this fight, so it’s kind of a good thing that he’s going to get knocked out. If I was Macklin, I guess I would try and learn some defense. And depending on how beat up I’d be getting in my sparring sessions, I might make some adjustments by working on running. Maybe Macklin can take Martinez deep and then try and overwhelm him with shots? But I tell you this if Macklin goes after Martinez early it’s going to be so ugly for Macklin. He going to get parked on that canvas and he’ll be reduced to a huge pile of hurt on the canvas. He thinks he’s the bigger fighter but that won’t mean a thing on March 17th. He’s still getting knocked out and there’s not much he can do about it.



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