By Scott Gilfoid: The UK’s Matthew Macklin (28-3, 19 KO’s) has been bellyaching long and hard for the past eight months about his 12 round split decision loss to WBA World middleweight champion Felix Sturm last June, and he just won’t for some reason acknowledge that the better man – Sturm – won that fight. I don’t want to see any lip from Macklin after Martinez whips him, saying he should have won the fight.

Macklin just can’t accept that he got worn down by the light hitting Sturm and jabbed constantly in the last eight rounds of the fight in losing by the scores 115-113 for Macklin, and 116-112 and 116-112 for Sturm. I agreed with Sturm having won the fight by four rounds, and I have no dog in this hunt.

I didn’t particularly care one way or another which of these guys won or lost, but I do think Macklin was the loser big time. Now Macklin is finally about to fight again after all these months sitting and doing zero. He’ll be fighting WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez on March 17th at Madison Square Garden in New York, and I just have a feeling in my bones that Macklin is going to be full of excuses and denials after the fight when he loses this one.

I just hope that Martinez batters him to the point where he’s knocked out so I don’t have to hear Macklin crying about having been jobbed by the judges. I want Macklin to be a good sport and shower Martinez with praise whether he loses by a 12 round decision or get knocked cold. We don’t need any toe excuses from the visiting UK fighter who can’t take ownership with the fact that he got royally whipped in front of all those fans at Madison Square Garden.

I’m giving Macklin like 1% chance of beating Martinez and I think I’m being generous here. Macklin like a four round fighter and tends to fade after that when he punches himself to the point of exhaustion. The power isn’t there and he just throws punches in bunches hoping for the best. It won’t happen for him in this fight and he’ll end up getting beaten.