By Scott Gilfoid: Analyst Teddy Atlas of ESPN is giving Matthew Macklin (29-4, 20 KO’s) not chance of beating undefeated IBO/WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (26-0, 23 KO’s) tonight in their fight at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort, in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
Atlas sees Macklin as being made to order for Golovkin because of his brawling style, and he thinks he’s going to make it incredibly easy for Golovkin to nail him with his big shots by coming to him.
Atlas said this to ESPN when asked if Macklin has a chance of beating Golovkin: “No, not at all. Look, Macklin’s a game guy. I think he’s got a lot of mileage out of going 11 rounds with [Sergio] Martinez. I think people are making him a better fighter than he is…he doesn’t fit in with Golovkin. As a matter of face his style fit in; it fits in too well for Golovkin where he’s too inviting, too cooperative and I think he’s getting stopped and maybe early. I think for the most part it’s one-sided fight. Golovkin goes right through him like a knife through butter.”
I hate to say it but I have to agree with Atlas. Whether Macklin has been told by his trainer to box Golovkin or not, I think he’s going to lose his sense once he gets nailed for the first time and fight with anger/pride or whatever you want to call it, and end up getting blasted out quickly.
I don’t care how much instructions Macklin’s trainer Buddy McGirt has given him about avoiding exchanges in this fight, Macklin is going to get heated once he gets smacked in the face with a hard shot, and that’s going to lead to him abandoning his game plan and wading into the battle. The thing is Macklin isn’t armed to do battle with Golovkin.
He’s like a guy with a slingshot going to war against a modern arm with rocket launchers and air supremacy. It’s just going to be a slaughter. I just hope Macklin doesn’t get it too bad. It would be sad to see him take a senseless beating when he basically has no chance.
The good thing is his trainer McGirt has a reputation for pulling out his fighters when it’s clear they have no chance of winning and are just taking punishment.
Look for McGirt to pull the plug early on this fight tonight unless Golovkin stops him in action suddenly. I think McGirt will throw in the towel early before it gets to that point though.
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