Macklin has agreed terms with Sturm

MATTHEW Macklin has agreed terms with Felix Sturm, but claims the IBF World middleweight champion is still running scared.

The Irish middleweight revealed there was contact between both camps and stressed that despite being ‘low balled’ he agreed to the terms laid out by the German based Kazakh’s team.

However, despite agreeing to terms he deems disery in a bid to get another shot at the fighter who became a World champion again by beating Darren Barker, the three time World title challenger has yet to hear back from Sturm and his handlers.

“We started making contact with after my last fight. Lou (DiBella, Macklin’s promoter) spoke to their people, and they came back with an offer. To be honest they were low balling me, but I decided if I wanted the opportunity, I would have to take the short end, so i agreed to all their terms. And then waited for them to come back and put things in motion.” said Macklin when speaking to boxingscene.

“Since then Lou’s spoken to them several times but they keep saying I am one of the people they are looking at. I really don’t know what they are up to, I accepted terms before Christmas. So I don’t know what the delay could be.”

While he suggests he is baffled by the delay he does offer an explanation. ‘Mack The Knife’, who most agree was robbed the last time he challenged Sturm, claims the former WBA champion’s team are afraid.

“If i am honest I don’t think Sturms people want anything to do with me. If he is the champion he says he is, he has an obligation to fight me. If I was in his position I would want an opportunity to put things right. And I think I deserve it.”

The longer a Sturm fight isn’t on the horizon increases the chances of an Irish derby between Macklin and Andy Lee. However, most fight fans would prefer if Macklin was to dethrone Sturm and then defend against Lee.