By Scott Gilfoid: Middleweight contender Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (28-3, 19 KO’s) has a style of fighting where he loads up with everything and throws a lot of punches to try and take out his usually overmatched opposition.

Sometimes it works and he’s able to score a knockout; other times he fails and loses the fight when he runs out of gas like he did against WBA World middleweight champion Felix Sturm in Macklin’s 12 round split decision loss last June.

Macklin’s high punch output helps him against most opposition he faces, but on March 17th he’ll be fighting WBC Diamond middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO’s), who punches very hard and is capable of knocking Macklin, #3 WBC, #5 WBA, #6 WBO, out with a single left hand to the head if Macklin is stupid enough to try and stand in front of Martinez to throw a lot of punches.

Martinez does really well against guys like Macklin and he’ll produce an early knockout in this fight unless Macklin figures out a different way to fight by running all night long. He probably won’t. Macklin will be too cocky for his own good and will want to go out there thinking he can unload on Martinez.

What will happen then is Macklin will walk into a big left hand from Martinez and get stretched. Mack The Knife is going to find himself out cold and when he comes to he’s going to be wondering what hit him. This isn’t going to be a tough fight or anything resembling a fight. It’s going to be a case of a naïve fighter foolishly walking into some huge shots from Martinez, which will render him unconscious.