Macklin: postponing the homecoming worked out for everyone

WHEN Matthew Macklin was forced to cancel his big August 30 Homecoming at short notice it looked like what was already a dark 2014 could turn pitch black, but the three time World title challenger is taking the positives from what looked a potentially bleak situation.

After seeing a rematch with Felix Sturm fail to materialise and an agreed bout with Daniel Geale fall through under controversial circumstances, the former Irish, British and European champ had to deal with an eagerly awaited homecoming being postponed.

Macklin says canceling the show was a given considering his trainer got injured and whilst he could never find positives in what happened to former Irish Champion Jamie Moore, the middleweight contender claims in terms of the show it might have worked for the better.

Not only was the 32 year old three time world title challenger afforded the chance to oil away some ring rust with eight rounds against Jose Yebes ahead of a World title eliminator, he stresses moving the show to the The Three Arena (The Point) has benefited Irish fight fans.

Speaking to Irish-boxing.com after the rescheduled show was officially announced for November 15 Macklin said.

“It was good craic at the last press conference and I am looking forward to Tuesday. There was a great turn out and obviously tickets sold in 10-15 minutes so people were excited about the August 30 show. Then when Jamie got injured it was the right thing to cancel the show.

“Obviously you would never want anything to happen to Jamie and it was really really terrible, but the show being cancelled might not prove a bad thing. Speaking in terms of the show and boxing you try and take the positives out of the cancellation.”

And what are those positives?

“I got to get eight rounds under my belt and get rid of some rust and there was rust to get rid of. So it is good to go into a fight with a proper fighter in Sebastian Heiland with eight rounds in the bank.

“This guy might not be well known, but he is a proper proper fighter and this is a World title eliminator.Then it is in the Three Arena or The Point after the last one sold out there was a few upset re not being able to get tickets so that is another bonus.”

Macklin has been somewhat of a road warrior of late. All three of his World title shots have been away from both Ireland and Britian. He previously spoke of his pride at bring back ‘the Bernard Dunne’ days to Ireland and his promoter Eddie Hearn was keen to stress that a home base could prove helpful in securing Macklin a World title.

Speaking to Irish-boxing.com about the ‘unique’ Irish atmosphere Macklin added,

“I was at a good few of Bernard’s fights in the Stadium and The Point. I fought on the undercard of Dunne versus Kiko Martinez against Darren Rhodes the day before the old Point got knocked down.

“I was pundit for RTE on a few of his fights too and the atmosphere was amazing.  I was telling Jamie Moore and anyone that would listen that you will have never experienced an atmosphere like Dublin on a big fight night. I am looking forward to fighting in front of the Irish fans again and I am sure there will a great atmosphere on November 15.I am not looking past this fight, but it is a World title eliminator so a win puts me in a good position. For now I am working toward beating Hieland.”

There was a few factors regarding my last performance, obviously rust was involved, but after the fights I have been in over the last few years it was a bit of change. To be swapping World title fights in massive venues in America for opening a show at six in the afternoon against a fighter who hasn’t fought at the level you have their is a motivation factor. It was hard to get out of second gear. That is just natural, but won’t’t be a problem fighting in Dublin and against a tough fighter next time.