Macklin warns Martinez to be ready for war

Jonny Stapleton

Irish star Matthew Macklin believes will will over come skill  when he challenges boxing royalty in Sergio Martinez for the RIng Magazine middleweight title  in Madison Square Garden Theatre on St Patrick Day.

Macklin warned the pound for pound number three  to prepare himself for 12 rounds of ‘war’ and claimed, whilst a number of intoxicated Irish people might be walking into walls on March 17,  he  will walk trough them to take the one of the biggest scalps in boxing.

The eagerly anticipated and much rumoured middleweight contest was officially announced in New York yesterday and at the ‘Breakfast for Champions’ press conference Macklin promised to devour his Argentine foe.

The blood and guts fighter doesn’t think the 36 year old super star will be able to live with his all action approach and is promising the perfect ending to New York’s St Patrick’s day celebrations.

“I’m going to war right from round one. I have the youth, strength, size and desire to walk through anything Sergio has. I will go through walls on St. Patrick’s Day to win this fight and I’ll set a pace from the very first bell that Sergio won’t be able to cope with,” Macklin explained.

The former British and European champion seems to see Martinez’s status as the greatest fighter in the planet outside of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquioa as a motivating rather than scare factor.

‘Mack The Knife’ is determined to prove he can cut it at world level and believes the stage is set for him to gate crash the pound for pound rankings.

“It’s the stuff dreams are made of really, to headline a massive fight in the most famous sporting venue in the world on St. Patrick’s Day. I couldn’t ask for a better script and a better stage to beat a pound for pound star. I’ve tons of respect for what Sergio has achieved and the way he conducts himself outside the ring. He is an excellent athlete and almost universally regarded as the best boxer on the planet outside of Mayweather and Pacquiao but I’ve always believed in myself and said I belong at this level. I proved it against Sturm, everyone bar the two judges who scored it for him could see that. Fights like the Sturm one and this Martinez fight are the type of fights I have craved my whole career. I’m at this level now and I’m determined to stay here.”

Macklin will not be the only Irish interest on the Paddy’s Day card. Promoter Lou DiBella is promising a distinctly Irish flavoured fight menu.

Andy Lee will provide chief support for his fellow Irish middleweight, Navan’s New York born Seanie Monaghan is said to be challenging Ciaran Healy for an Irish title whilst Carl Frampton, Paul McCloskey, Eamonn O’Kane and Patrick Hyland could make it one of the best shows in Irish boxing history.

DiBella, who promotes Martinez, Lee and Macklin, has told Irish fight fans to ‘leave their keys at home’ as he predicts a major Irish boxing party.

 

“Sergio Martinez and Matthew Macklin are going to try to take each others heads off. It’s going to be great entertainment. Leave your car keys at home it will be some St Patricks day party. Also fighting live on HBO will be future world title challenger Andy Lee. The under card will also be stacked from top to bottom with Irish fighters,” DiBella explained.

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