Matt Macklin slams Jason Quigley’s management following shock loss – reveals ignored offer

Matthew Macklin claims Jason Quigley has become the poster boy for boxing mismanagement.

The former middleweight European champion and world title challenger claims the Donegal fighter has moved from one bad career choice to another and needs proper career counselling.

Macklin, who previously managed Michael Conlan among others in the MTK Global stable and was a key part of securing the Belfast fighter a lucrative Top Rank deal, took to Twitter today to express his concerns.

Speaking in the wake of the World Championships silver medallist’s first pro defeat – a punishing stoppage reverse to Tureano Johnson, the respected Sky Sports pundit went as far as to suggest the way Quigley has been guided has been ‘absolutely shocking’.

In particular, the building of Quigley – who has been headlining cards at the Fantasy Springs Casino in California rather than in hubs of the Irish diaspora – has frustrated Macklin who has been looking to reenter the world of boxing management having left MTK Global last year.

“Jason’s career is an example of everything NOT to do in your career. Bad move after bad move. No guidance whatsoever. The management of his career has been absolutely SHOCKING,” Macklin tweeted in response to Irish-Boxing.com’s report on the fight.

“An Irishman boxing predominantly on the west coast of America to a predominately Hispanic audience with the nickname “El Animal” I mean you don’t need to be a marketing guru to be thinking WTF!”

READ: Jason Quigley suffers shock stoppage defeat

The former British and Irish middleweight champion believes the Golden Boy-promoted and Sheer Sports-managed fighter has the talent to bounce back from the high profile defeat, but suggests his current team may not be up for such a ‘serious’ rebuild.

Indeed, Macklin believes Quigley could be one more ‘bad move’ away from career disaster.

“Another loss like that and it is. And serious work needed to rebuild him now. Can’t afford anymore bad moves.”

“He has the talent, the ability etc. But he has made very poor choices in terms of his management.”

“I’m the first person to say a loss isn’t the end of the world, can be the making of you. I’m an example of it. He CAN come back, has the ability/talent etc. But he needs to take some time and sort his team out, get a proper plan together before he even thinks about fighting again.”

Some questioned the timing of the tweets suggesting there was a ‘kick a man while he is down’ element to proceedings. However, ‘Mack The Knife’ points out he is a fan of the former amateur stand-out and he is just pointing out previously held concerns over the management strategy.

“I like Jay. lot and believe in his abilities. But none of us can do it on our own. You need guidance, people who are actually competent steering your career, not someone who just pays for your car and apartment – that’s a sponsor NOT a manager.”

Macklin may also be open to after timer criticism. There were not too many complaining about Johnson as an opponent pre Fantasy Springs last night. Indeed most celebrated it, but it seems the former Brian Peters-managed middle had concerns well before last night and ones which don’t specifically revolve around the Johnson reverse.

Macklin was willing to put his money where he has now placed his mouth. The Birmingham-born Tipperary fighter revealed that he offered to work with the Ballybofey puncher and presented Golden Boy with a course of action he felt the 160lbs talent should take.

The 37-year-old outlined how “I offered to manage & train Jay not that long ago, after I’d left MTK. So it would only have been Jay that I was managing, no one else. I spoke with Robert Diaz [matchmaker] of GB & told him my plan, which he liked. But I didn’t hear back from Jay so…do I have to draw a picture?”