BoxRec

http://www.BS.com/?m=show&id=29791

Matthew Macklin jets out to Freddie Roach’s Los Angeles-based Wildcard Gym this Thursday after successfully completing his first week of sparring for the September 18th British and European middleweight title challenge to Darren Barker at Birmingham’s LG Arena. Macklin, 26-2 (18 stoppages), has been sparring 2009 ABA middleweight champion Hosea Burton and fledgling pro Liam Cullen at the Kerry Kayes-owned, Denton-based Gallagher’s Gym.

Joe Gallagher, who is set to join Macklin in LA for the next two weeks and will be involved in the former British and European champion’s corner come fight night, is happy with the Brummie’s progress. “Macklin has just got back into sparring and has done some good rounds with Hosea and Liam,” declared Gallagher.

“He’s in good shape and looked sharp. Hosea and Liam are both good boxers and have been perfect early preparation for Matt, who has been able to work on certain things. Both lads have been doing similar things to what we expect Barker to do and they’ve shown Matt some good, orthodox boxing.”

“It’s good to see him looking sharp early and he can now go out and get some great preparation at the Wildcard, where Matt will spar [WBC ‘silver’ middleweight title-holder] Julio Cesar Chavez Junior, who will be perfect preparation for Barker,” revealed Gallagher.

Barker, 22-0 (14 early), annexed the EBU title vacated by Macklin with a stirring points win over Affif Belghecham in April; the Barnet-based boxer cruised to an early lead before weathering a spirited late-rounds surge from the Frenchman. Darren, who is trained by Tony Sims, has won Commonwealth, British and EBU titles in recent years, the 28-year-old stylist is in the form of his life going into this domestic blockbuster.

Macklin, though, has had an equally successful spell, the 28-year-old won the British title in March 2009 by knocking out Wayne Elcock in three rounds and added the EBU strap to his haul with a single stanza icing of Amin Asikainen last September; a nose-injury prevented Macklin from defending the belt, he had previously given up the British title in order to pursue EBU glory, neither title was lost in the ring.

Man, its 12 hours flight and 11 hours time difference. Whenever i head over there to the Westcoast, Im left blunted for a good few days. I hope the travelling dont write him off.

He'd be better stayin here i reckon with Joe G.

I bet Barker is shaking in his boots at the thought of Macklin getting to spar Chavez jnr!

G0mez wrote:Man, its 12 hours flight and 11 hours time difference. Whenever i head over there to the Westcoast, Im left blunted for a good few days. I hope the travelling dont write him off.

He'd be better stayin here i reckon with Joe G.

There's a lot to be said for staying in familiar surroundings. Macklin is a real jet setter and seems to think the grass is greener everywhere else. Powerful lad but what's wrong with putting down roots and staying with a trainer and a camp? He may get to stop off at Miami or Detroit on the way back and get some secret tips from Angelo Dundee or Manny Steward. Barker seems far more settled; a good win v Matthew will also do wonders for Tony Simms. Just coz the yanks are seen as the best trainers doesn't make it necessarily so!

I think Macklin is really and truly going to have his work cut out in this fight without a doubt.

I honestly don't think for one second Macklin was worried about fighting Barker, but perhaps he was viewed as a possible banana skin.

I think if anyone reads too much into Barker's last fight they are making a grave mistake. Barker is known for being a technical fighter, a tactician who uses his brains. But against Afiff Belgehem he seemed to want to get macho. To show off to his fans and to do what Andy Lee couldn't do and stop this guy. Ultimately he found out why he'd never been stopped, was because he was hard as nails.

Barker won't make that mistake again.

And his lack of steam at the end is not a chink to be relied either as he and Tony Simms are doing some seriously hard mountain runs up Mount Tiede in Tenerife, at altitude.

I still reckon he should have stayed in Manc with Joe and just worked worked worked.

G0mez wrote:I think Macklin is really and truly going to have his work cut out in this fight without a doubt.

I honestly don't think for one second Macklin was worried about fighting Barker, but perhaps he was viewed as a possible banana skin.

I think if anyone reads too much into Barker's last fight they are making a grave mistake. Barker is known for being a technical fighter, a tactician who uses his brains. But against Afiff Belgehem he seemed to want to get macho. To show off to his fans and to do what Andy Lee couldn't do and stop this guy. Ultimately he found out why he'd never been stopped, was because he was hard as nails.

Barker won't make that mistake again.

And his lack of steam at the end is not a chink to be relied either as he and Tony Simms are doing some seriously hard mountain runs up Mount Tiede in Tenerife, at altitude.

I still reckon he should have stayed in Manc with Joe and just worked worked worked.

agree strongly with both points there gomez, especially the first, macklin wasn't scared so much as weighing up Barker as a risk-reward proposition.

G0mez wrote:I think Macklin is really and truly going to have his work cut out in this fight without a doubt.

I honestly don't think for one second Macklin was worried about fighting Barker, but perhaps he was viewed as a possible banana skin.

I think if anyone reads too much into Barker's last fight they are making a grave mistake. Barker is known for being a technical fighter, a tactician who uses his brains. But against Afiff Belgehem he seemed to want to get macho. To show off to his fans and to do what Andy Lee couldn't do and stop this guy. Ultimately he found out why he'd never been stopped, was because he was hard as nails.

Barker won't make that mistake again.

And his lack of steam at the end is not a chink to be relied either as he and Tony Simms are doing some seriously hard mountain runs up Mount Tiede in Tenerife, at altitude.

I still reckon he should have stayed in Manc with Joe and just worked worked worked.

I completely agree!Against Belgehem i think Barker was trying to prove a point to people because alot of people said he's just a pretty boxer who cant mix it when thegoing gets tough and i think that was his mindset going into that fight.

I was up at the gym on Monday, watching the boys train!! great atmosphere up at betta bodies

ERIC GUY wrote:I was up at the gym on Monday, watching the boys train!! great atmosphere up at betta bodies

Did you get any nice snaps Eric? post them up !

no I did not, was there 30 mins, just tired

Counter-puncher wrote:

G0mez wrote:I think Macklin is really and truly going to have his work cut out in this fight without a doubt.

I honestly don't think for one second Macklin was worried about fighting Barker, but perhaps he was viewed as a possible banana skin.

I think if anyone reads too much into Barker's last fight they are making a grave mistake. Barker is known for being a technical fighter, a tactician who uses his brains. But against Afiff Belgehem he seemed to want to get macho. To show off to his fans and to do what Andy Lee couldn't do and stop this guy. Ultimately he found out why he'd never been stopped, was because he was hard as nails.

Barker won't make that mistake again.

And his lack of steam at the end is not a chink to be relied either as he and Tony Simms are doing some seriously hard mountain runs up Mount Tiede in Tenerife, at altitude.

I still reckon he should have stayed in Manc with Joe and just worked worked worked.

agree strongly with both points there gomez, especially the first, macklin wasn't scared so much as weighing up Barker as a risk-reward proposition.

Where you heading with picking a winner mate? I'm in two minds at the moment. At one point I was thinking Macklin would turn him over fairly easily but after seeing both in the flesh now close up, I think Barker's speed and technique may give Macklin some problems.

I think Macklin will have him over in the first few rounds, it's whether he can keep him there and stop it turning into a technical bout which will favour Barker.

mate i don't think Macklin's chin is absolute castiron, for one thing. i think Barker can hurt him with a shot he doesn't see or one he comes onto. this is me as a brum being pessimistic and worrying.

being optimistic, it'll be an amazing and raucous atmosphere which could make it a fast-paced fight, which *should* suit my boy.

i am pretty sure this won't go the distance, as it happens.

lefty wrote:

G0mez wrote:I think Macklin is really and truly going to have his work cut out in this fight without a doubt.

I honestly don't think for one second Macklin was worried about fighting Barker, but perhaps he was viewed as a possible banana skin.

I think if anyone reads too much into Barker's last fight they are making a grave mistake. Barker is known for being a technical fighter, a tactician who uses his brains. But against Afiff Belgehem he seemed to want to get macho. To show off to his fans and to do what Andy Lee couldn't do and stop this guy. Ultimately he found out why he'd never been stopped, was because he was hard as nails.

Barker won't make that mistake again.

And his lack of steam at the end is not a chink to be relied either as he and Tony Simms are doing some seriously hard mountain runs up Mount Tiede in Tenerife, at altitude.

I still reckon he should have stayed in Manc with Joe and just worked worked worked.

I completely agree!Against Belgehem i think Barker was trying to prove a point to people because alot of people said he's just a pretty boxer who cant mix it when thegoing gets tough and i think that was his mindset going into that fight.

If he was trying to prove a point then he failed, in my book.

Not only did he look aweful but he handed Macklin to blueprint for beating Barker.

Counter-puncher wrote:mate i don't think Macklin's chin is absolute castiron, for one thing. i think Barker can hurt him with a shot he doesn't see or one he comes onto. this is me as a brum being pessimistic and worrying.

being optimistic, it'll be an amazing and raucous atmosphere which could make it a fast-paced fight, which *should* suit my boy.

i am pretty sure this won't go the distance, as it happens.

Can't disagree with that.

Macklin is no McD, no disrespect to your other boy. He seemed mesmerised by the speed and almost snake charmed by the jab at times.

aye, McDermott really struggled with his distancing against Barker. his footwork wasn't good enough to get into range at the right time, and he wasn't canny enough to feint his way in at an advantage.

Macklin, at least, is much better at cutting the ring off. the way he got into range vs Elcock and the Finn was impressive. jabs to the body were key, like Terry D said at the time. McCallum-style, boiii.

Yeah, he was deadly against Elcock, almost had him in the first, but then so did McD.

I'm looking forward to it more than the other fights tbh. Genuine 50/50.

We need another McCallum-a-thon. I've dug up some earlier fights so we can see at what point he was pinnacle/peak/zenith Kronkafied.

orbtastic wrote:Yeah, he was deadly against Elcock, almost had him in the first, but then so did McD.

I'm looking forward to it more than the other fights tbh. Genuine 50/50.

We need another McCallum-a-thon. I've dug up some earlier fights so we can see at what point he was pinnacle/peak/zenith Kronkafied.

nice. edit: i think his best performance technically was vs Watson.

Barker will be technically to good for macklin i can see a barker stoppage late in the fight. darren barker must be one of the most under rated boxers in the world right now, hes got everything u need to win a world title and i think in the next 18 months he will go on to win one. plus the guy sells tickets aswell i can see more barker fans in birmingham that night than any other boxers boxing.

Macklin win

bigdaddy wrote:Macklin win

x2 and by late KO

bigh wrote:Barker will be technically to good for macklin i can see a barker stoppage late in the fight. darren barker must be one of the most under rated boxers in the world right now, hes got everything u need to win a world title and i think in the next 18 months he will go on to win one. plus the guy sells tickets aswell i can see more barker fans in birmingham that night than any other boxers boxing.

The thing is, certain supporters of Barker keep on saying this, but I've never seen the evidence. Don't get me wrong, I like him, but since the first time I've seen him, he's looked the same i.e. a competent, technical European-level boxer who's solid, but a bit one-paced. What I don't see is either any evidence of him being under-rated and him having everything needed to win a world title.
I think it's a pick-em fight, but I'm still leaning towards Macklin by stoppage.