By Simon Hirst: Some very good boxing was on offer last night to warm the tastebuds of next week’s fight of the year. Three interesting matches with different expectations for all of them. Brook’s test against N’dou was to see how good Brook was. Macklin had his first world title shot to see if he could mix it at world class level and Alexander was rebounding off his first loss against the dangerous, big punching Lucas Matthysse in what should test Alexander’s heart.
Felix Sturm
Sturm looks past Macklin, almost pays the price
By Ben James: Now that the dust has settled after last nights war between WBA Super World Middleweight title fight between champion Felix Sturm and challenger Matthew Macklin, it is clear that Felix Sturm looked past Macklin and did not seem to take the hungry Brit seriously.
Macklin-Sturm: Macklin promised a rematch by Sturm after controversial decision loss
By Peter Wells: Well first of all I’d like to start on a bright note, as Matthew Macklin and Felix Sturm gave us a great 12 rounds of boxing which was truly an honour to watch. It was a champions performance from Macklin and when the final bell went it looked certain that he’d done it, he’d prove all the critics wrong and he was to get a heroes welcome when he returned home. But then the scores came through and the controversy started.
Sturm-Macklin: Matthew’s chance to prove he belongs
By Peter Wells: For some fighters they were born into the boxing world with 9 lives. Meaning if they lost their first world title shot it wouldn’t matter because the next year they’d get a second shot. This can sometimes be to do with age as they are still young enough to have another couple attempts, or usually it’s to do with money.
Prediction: Sturm will easily beat Macklin
By Scott Gilfoid: The UK’s Matthew Macklin (28-2, 19 KO’s) has a pretty much impossible task of facing WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Lanxess-Arena, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. I wish I could give the 29-year-old Macklin a real chance at winning this fight but I can’t. Macklin is too basic and lacking in the power department to have any real chance at beating a fine fighter like Sturm.
Macklin vs. Sturm this Saturday
By Jim Dower: 29-year-old challenger Matthew Macklin (29-2, 19 KO’s) will be fighting for a world title for the first time this Saturday night against WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KO’s) at the Lanxess-Arena, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Macklin has been a pro for 10 years and it’s nice to see him get a shot after all these years, but he’s going to have a tough time trying to get a win fighting Sturm in Germany.
Macklin vs. Sturm: Matthew too short on experience to win
By Sean McDaniel 29-year-old Matthew Macklin (28-2, 19 KO’s) is being given a great opportunity in his title match against WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KO’s) on June 25th at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany. Macklin is roughly the same age as Sturm, but his experience is much less than the German based Sturm because much of Macklin’s career has been spent being matched against domestic quality opposition.
Macklin-Sturm: Can Matthew make it past Sturm’s jabs
By Eric Thomas: Matthew Macklin (28-2, 19 KO’s) has reportedly been looking very good in training camp for his June 25th fight against WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KO’s) for their title clash at the Lanxess- Arena in Cologne, Germany. If there was ever a time for the 29-year-old Macklin to beat the 32-year-old Sturm it’s right now with Sturm starting to show a little age a little rust from not a lot of recent activity.
Sturm: I’m going to bombard Macklin from the 1st round
By Sean McDaniel: Former British and EBU middleweight champion Matthew Macklin (28-2, 19 KO’s) appears to have bitten off a little more than he can chew in WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KO’s), who the 29-year-old Macklin win be facing on June 25th at the Lanxess-Arena, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
Sturm-Macklin on June 25th: Matthew out of his league in this one
By William Mackay: Middleweight contender Matthew Macklin (28-2, 19 KO’s) is taking a big step up in competition on June 25th in his title challenge of WBA Super World middleweight champion Felix Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KO’s) at the Lanxess-Arena in Cologne, Germany. Macklin, 28, has been facing European fodder for most of his fights during his 11-year pro career, winning the British and EBU middleweight title along the way.