BoxRec

http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=596820

Has this been confirmed?

Gevor is a good southpaw fighter, probably not as dangerous as Pirog potentially could have been. Will be a tough one for Matt if it goes ahead but I think he beats Gevor over the distance.

Gevor's not a big puncher, but he's a good boxer. I thought he deserved the verdict over Felix Sturm, so that shows he's at a good level.

If the fight goes ahead it's a really good one. I wish there were fights like that every week.

I would fancy Mackilin to stop him in the first 3, but if he fails to do this I would give Gevor more than a good chance at a points victory.

i would side with gevor slightly

Samuel Brooks wrote:I would fancy Mackilin to stop him in the first 3, but if he fails to do this I would give Gevor more than a good chance at a points victory.

Abraham didn't dispatch Gevor until the 11th round, and that was from a beautiful punch. I'd be amazed if Macklin stopped Gevor in 3.

Asterix wrote:

Samuel Brooks wrote:I would fancy Mackilin to stop him in the first 3, but if he fails to do this I would give Gevor more than a good chance at a points victory.

Abraham didn't dispatch Gevor until the 11th round, and that was from a beautiful punch. I'd be amazed if Macklin stopped Gevor in 3.

same here i dont think it would happen

think it will be a tough nights work for macklin, think he will win close on points

Adamj1987 wrote:

Asterix wrote:

Samuel Brooks wrote:I would fancy Mackilin to stop him in the first 3, but if he fails to do this I would give Gevor more than a good chance at a points victory.

Abraham didn't dispatch Gevor until the 11th round, and that was from a beautiful punch. I'd be amazed if Macklin stopped Gevor in 3.

same here i dont think it would happen

Me too.

That really was a stunner of a punch from Abraham that KOed Gevor. I doubt any middleweight would have survived it.

Asterix wrote:

Samuel Brooks wrote:I would fancy Mackilin to stop him in the first 3, but if he fails to do this I would give Gevor more than a good chance at a points victory.

Abraham didn't dispatch Gevor until the 11th round, and that was from a beautiful punch. I'd be amazed if Macklin stopped Gevor in 3.

Just think that the volume of punches that macklin tends to throw in the first 3 rounds could end up in a stoppage rather than a KO. It would be a massive ask, but he is good enough to pull it off.

makes sense as the next step up from asikainen (whom gevor also has stopped) and presumably it would be an elim for one of the world titles?

Gevor was doing quite well against Abraham until he unravelled and got badly KOd. I think it would be a good war and an excellent yardstick for Macklin's progress. If he beats Gevor he should definitely be in line for a world title shot next. But it's a very tough fight.

glahn wrote:Gevor was doing quite well against Abraham until he unravelled and got badly KOd. I think it would be a good war and an excellent yardstick for Macklin's progress. If he beats Gevor he should definitely be in line for a world title shot next. But it's a very tough fight.

agreed

Tough fight, with little reward nor public interest.

He's only lost at elite class.

feargalocuinneagain wrote:Is it in Birmingham?

Boxrec have it down for Birmingham so I'd presume so. Hoping for Dublin were you?

Another tough looking fight for Macklin. Big respect to him and his team for making this fight. Although the Barker fight is a fight I'd like to see, you can see why Macklin doesn't really see the point in fighting him; Barker has beaten no-one of note on the world scene whereas as Gevor has proven himself competitive in true world class. Winner should definitely be in line for a title shot.

black panther wrote:Another tough looking fight for Macklin. Big respect to him and his team for making this fight. Although the Barker fight is a fight I'd like to see, you can see why Macklin doesn't really see the point in fighting him; Barker has beaten no-one of note on the world scene whereas as Gevor has proven himself competitive in true world class. Winner should definitely be in line for a title shot.

I fail to see how Macklin is so revered above Barker I really do.

Especially to the point of saying "Macklin see's no point in fighting him" - who has Macklin beaten exactly at middleweight either ?

I like Macklin and he is a powerful, exciting fighter - but I also like Barker, who in Tony Simms has a top trainer and he's got sublime skills.

Fact is, Macklin vs Barker is the fight we all want. Not some Armenian who has failed 4 times at the top already.

I can appreciate people trying to sell us Ghevor as some huge test, but let's not dumb down Darren Barker in the process because he's an unbeaten British & Commonwealth title holder and a very good fighter.

G0mez wrote:

black panther wrote:Another tough looking fight for Macklin. Big respect to him and his team for making this fight. Although the Barker fight is a fight I'd like to see, you can see why Macklin doesn't really see the point in fighting him; Barker has beaten no-one of note on the world scene whereas as Gevor has proven himself competitive in true world class. Winner should definitely be in line for a title shot.

I fail to see how Macklin is so revered above Barker I really do.

Especially to the point of saying "Macklin see's no point in fighting him" - who has Macklin beaten exactly at middleweight either ?

I like Macklin and he is a powerful, exciting fighter - but I also like Barker, who in Tony Simms has a top trainer and he's got sublime skills.

Fact is, Macklin vs Barker is the fight we all want. Not some Armenian who has failed 4 times at the top already.

I can appreciate people trying to sell us Ghevor as some huge test, but let's not dumb down Darren Barker in the process because he's an unbeaten British & Commonwealth title holder and a very good fighter.

No not at all, I think it would be a fantastic fight. But in terms of securing a world title fight, a win over Gevor will get Macklin closer to a shot than a win over Barker, no? So you can see Macklin's teams thinking....that's the point I was making - why take the Barker fight when there are better fights out there in terms of risk/reward on the table.

black panther wrote:

G0mez wrote:

black panther wrote:Another tough looking fight for Macklin. Big respect to him and his team for making this fight. Although the Barker fight is a fight I'd like to see, you can see why Macklin doesn't really see the point in fighting him; Barker has beaten no-one of note on the world scene whereas as Gevor has proven himself competitive in true world class. Winner should definitely be in line for a title shot.

I fail to see how Macklin is so revered above Barker I really do.

Especially to the point of saying "Macklin see's no point in fighting him" - who has Macklin beaten exactly at middleweight either ?

I like Macklin and he is a powerful, exciting fighter - but I also like Barker, who in Tony Simms has a top trainer and he's got sublime skills.

Fact is, Macklin vs Barker is the fight we all want. Not some Armenian who has failed 4 times at the top already.

I can appreciate people trying to sell us Ghevor as some huge test, but let's not dumb down Darren Barker in the process because he's an unbeaten British & Commonwealth title holder and a very good fighter.

No not at all, I think it would be a fantastic fight. But in terms of securing a world title fight, a win over Gevor will get Macklin closer to a shot than a win over Barker, no? So you can see Macklin's teams thinking....that's the point I was making - why take the Barker fight when there are better fights out there in terms of risk/reward on the table.

It wasn't aimed specifically at you dude, but there seems to be a growing support for Matthew to face anyone but Barker right now. The wins over El Cock and Amin Asikeinin were emphatic and impressive, but I feel both were past their best.

As a fight fan, that's what I want to see and I think im in the majority too.

Whilst i will happily tune in and cheer for Macklin any time he laces up, it's the Barker fight that wets my appetite and from reading Barker's interview today, he seems well up for it too.

feargalocuinneagain wrote:

Deno1986 wrote:

feargalocuinneagain wrote:Is it in Birmingham?

Boxrec have it down for Birmingham so I'd presume so. Hoping for Dublin were you?

Doesn't matter, I'll be going no matter where it's on. Just have to brush up on my rebel songs first 8)

Thats the spirit. Thinking about heading over myself. I can fly out from Waterford to Birmingham on the Friday but I can't get home till Sunday evening which is no good as I have a match Sunday afternoon. Might chance Cork and Ryanair.

any Brummie be able to tell me is the Aston Event Centre in the city centre?

Nope its just of the m6 junction 6 in the aston area

jonp wrote:Nope its just of the m6 junction 6 in the aston area

Thank you sir.

‘Hot’ Birmingham middleweight Matthew Macklin defends his European middleweight title against former two-time ‘world’ title challenger Khoren Gevor in Birmingham on April 16.
Macklin, trained by Freddie Roach and, indeed, making his first appearance under the celebated American coach, will be determined to impress, but this is no ‘gimmee’ against a man who went 11 hard round with IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham in his first crack at a major world belt in 2007, before he was nailed, spectacularly so, and 12 hard rounds with WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm in his second, the latter crack just last year.
Since he was narrowly outscored by Sturm in July, the rugged Armenian southpaw has outscored a Brazilian over 10 rounds and comes over with ambition and obvious top-flight experience. At 30 Gevor is not a man to be perturbed by travel, not a man to be considered overly battle-worn, not an easy man at all.
However, it took him seven rounds to wear down and stop Finland’s Amin Asikainen in Finland in November 2008, which separates him from the champion. Macklin needed just over two minutes to smash the Finn to win the EBU belt last September in Manchester and is on a long winning run since weight problems – and Jamie Moore – accounted for him at light-middleweight in 10 thrilling rounds in 2006. At 27 the charismatic Brummie, once hailed by ex-promoter F rank Warren as “the future of British boxing” is now promoted by Ricky Hatton and brings flair, boxing skills and real power to any contest. He likes fighting in his hometown, where he tamed Wayne “Mad Dog” Elcock in just three rounds for the British middleweight title last March, prior to the Asikainen mauling.
All in all, one can expect Macklin to retain with a late stoppage on the way to a world title shot of his own.

I think anyone criticising this fight must surely have a bit of an agenda -- not trying to start or nuffink but a British lad is fighting a genuine top ten opponent in a European title fight, & the other guy isn't eleventy trillion years old, is not coming off a bad knockout loss & is known to be handy.

What possible criticism could you level at this fight that makes sense?

I shall try to get tickets for this one & I wish Macklin all the best.

Excellent fight that as mentioned above should be a title eliminator. Nice to see that for whatever reason the Pirog fight didn't come off that they didn't go an easier route.

I'd say Macklin with home advantage will take this one on points. A stoppage would be very impressive.