Filed under: Boxing
Matthew Macklin put in the performance of his career but his heroic showing was not enough as German veteran Felix Sturm retained his WBA middleweight title in Cologne with a controversial split decision victory.The Birmingham-born boxer will rightly feel hard done by as it seemed the pressure he piled on the champion, particularly in the first half of the fight, would have earned him a win after a thrilling 12 rounds that had fans in the Lanxess Arena on their feet throughout.
Macklin got the fight 115-113 on one of the judge's scorecards but crucially the other two judges somehow gave the decision to Sturm, who was fighting in his hometown, by 116-112, a four-point margin that infuriated the challenger's camp.
The 29-year-old was the massive underdog going into the bout but was always confident he could trouble Sturm and started well by pushing the champion back from the first bell.
Macklin was landing ferocious right hooks to the body of Sturm and left the WBA title-holder's left ribcage became visibly red and swollen as the fight progressed.
The 32-year-old Sturm seemed stunned by Macklin's early pressure but managed to land clean and crisp jabs when he eventually found space in the third round.
Macklin got back on top in the next round but despite his dominance on the front foot, the champion showed his skill by stepping off and unleashing some eye-catching jabs and hooks toward the end of the three minutes.
Sturm was unsettled by the pace but in the seventh he reminded Macklin of the danger he possesses by landing a stinging right hand that wobbled the challenger.
This was Macklin's big night, however, and despite looking the worse off from the pair's exchanges, he continued to fight on the inside and planted some more notable hooks into the rib cage of Sturm in the ninth.
The fight was close going into the last round, but Sturm finished superbly with a stunning eight-punch combination that had Macklin in trouble.
The final bell saved the 29-year-old and he was raised on to the shoulders of trainer Joe Gallagher as they clearly believed he had done enough to take the decision, even in Germany.
But there elation was soon diminished as the scores were read out and the judges gave a tight affair to the hometown fighter.
There is no doubting that Macklin had done enough to sneak a close victory, but it was yet further proof that when fighting in the champion's backyard, you need to be a much clearer winner to take the title off the home fighter.
REACTION:
After the fight, Macklin was obviously devastated with the outcome and insisted he had done more than enough to win the fight.
He said: "I'm gutted because I think I won. I think I started too quick and I hurt him with some big shots but I think I won most of the rounds.
"Maybe he won the tenth, but even in the rounds that were close, I was doing all the work.
"I'm a bit disappointed that German TV had me winning by four, American TV had me winning yet Sky had me level. I won the fight, I don't care who had me level or what.
"I won the fight, I thought it was a stroll for the first six or seven rounds. There were some rounds you might have been able to give to him, but I think they should have been given to me."
The Birmingham-born fighter also revealed Sturm has promised him a rematch and feels that proves the champion doesn't believe he won the fight.
"He said he will give me a rematch, do you think he would give me a rematch if he thought he beat me? Not a prayer.
"He's giving me a rematch because he is embarrassed as German TV had him losing - he knows he has to."
And Mackin reckons that if he gets another shot at the German, he will ensure that there won't be any way he can lose the fight.
"You get more and more experience all the time. I winded him a couple of times with the right hook. I probably put a bit too much in early on.
"There's no doubt I won the fight. I hurt him but he didn't hurt me once. He caught me with a few clean jabs but he's not a puncher.
"I rocked him many times. Next time I'll smash him to piece - next time they won't be able to rob me."
WHAT'S NEXT:
This showing on the world stage will improve Macklin's credentials as a top-class fighter and he should earn himself another crack at a major title in the very near future. Whether or not he gets a rematch with Sturm remains to be seen as the German has his sights set on a unification bout.
FIGHT OF THE UNDERCARD:
Kell Brook v Lovemore N'dou
Back in Sheffield, Brook made a return to fighting in his hometown and impressed with a comfortable points win over the experienced N'dou who has been in the ring with some of the best in the light-welterweight division. Brook controlled the fight from the first bell and came very close to stopping N'dou for the first time in his career. The Sheffield fighter looked sharp as he unloaded fast and powerful combinations on his opponent, but he also took some stinging blows in what was his first stern test.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Robert Allenby Roberto Ayala Robin Soderling Robin Van Persie Robinho
No comments:
Post a Comment