By Scott Gilfoid: Recently beaten Matthew Macklin (28-3, 19 KO’s) is hoping that former WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (47-2-2, 26 KO’s) looks his way after his fight with No.3 ranked WBC contender Darren Barker (23-0, 14 KO’s) on October 1st at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Macklin, 29, wants to get a fight with Martinez, the best middleweight in the division so that he can prove himself. It’s a mismatch, but maybe a little more interesting than Martinez’s easy upcoming fight against the overmatched Barker. Macklin will come to slug and will likely get pole-axed by Martinez in the first three rounds.

However, it will be good experience for Macklin to see what it’s like to face the best fighter in the division. Macklin was beaten by WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm by a 12 split decision last June in Germany. Macklin fought surprisingly well for the first four rounds, throwing a lot of punches and connecting a lot. However, after the 4th round, Macklin turned red in the face and pretty much gassed out for the remainder of the fight.

To his credit, he continued to throw a lot of punches but he had absolutely nothing on the shots. He was in affect shooting blanks. It was Sturm, who’s not noted for having any power, who was throwing the harder shots in the last eight rounds of the fight. Being a kind person, Sturm recently offered Macklin a rematch. However, to Sturm’s surprise, Macklin turned it down because he felt the offer wasn’t enough. Oh well, Macklin had his chance.

Sturm is now moving on to bigger and better things while Macklin is left hoping to get a shot against the destroyer Martinez. It doesn’t seem like Macklin came out ahead on this, does it? Even if he faces Martinez, he’s only get destroyed in a humiliating fashion in my estimate. He might as well take the offer from Sturm, because he has a chance to win that fight. It’s not a good chance but he has a chance.