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Matthew Macklin
Born	Matthew Macklin (1982-05-14) 14 May 1982 (age 42) Birmingham, England
Nationality	Irish
Other names	Tipperary Tornado, Mack The Knife, or The Roscommon Rock
Statistics
Weight(s)	Middleweight
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	32
Wins	28
Wins by KO	19
Losses	4
Draws	0
No contests	0

Matthew Macklin (born 14 May 1982, Birmingham, England), known as "The Tipperary Tornado", is a British-Irish professional boxer born in Birmingham, England but representing his ancestral homeland of Ireland who fights at middleweight or the divisions either side.

He is the former Irish, British and European middleweight champion.

Background

Macklin was born in Birmingham, England to Irish parents, his father being from County Roscommon and his mother from Tipperary. Macklin and his brother Seamus, also a boxer, spent much of his youth in his mothers native County Tipperary and it was there that he learnt to play one of Ireland's national sports, hurling.

Macklin became a talented hurling player in his own right, and is a close friend of leading hurler Eoin Kelly and attends hurling events such as the Poc fada and GAA events when Tipperary are playing.

Following his education at the independent Solihull School, at the age of 18 and whilst studying law at Coventry University, Macklin won the 2001 national senior ABA welterweight title for the Small Heath Boxing Club by beating Justin Turley in the final.

Professional career

Debut fight

Macklin left the amateur ranks and turned professional in September 2001, winning his first fight at the Bellahouston Sports Centre, Glasgow, Scotland, in which Macklin beat previously undefeated Ram Singh from Wisbech in a first round knockout on a card which included Scottish fighters Scott Harrison, Alex Arthur and Willie Limond.

The Jamie Moore barnstormer

In September 2006, Macklin was involved in his highest profile fight when he was defeated in a fight of the year contender bout against Manchester's Jamie Moore for the British light middleweight title which took place at the George Carnell Leisure Centre, Davyhulme, Manchester, England. Macklin later confessed to having major problems trying to make the weight for the fight.

Potential Duddy fight

There has been speculation of a potential Irish title fight against New York based Derry native John Duddy. In the summer of 2006 Macklin made a guest appearance in Dublin to hand over the Irish middleweight title to fellow stablemate Dubliner Jim Rock.

At post fight press conference John Duddy's then matchmaker Jim Borzell stated that if Macklin won "the European title then maybe you'll have something John wants." Macklin replied, "maybe I have something for him he doesn't want!".

In December 2009, Macklin moved closer to a world title shot with a points victory over Rafa Sosa Pintos at the National Stadium in Dublin.

European middleweight title

Macklin beat Finnish Super-fighter Amin Asikainen by brutal 1st round KO at the Manchester Velodrome, England on 25 September 2009 for the vacant European middleweight title.

Relinquishing and Retaining The European middleweight title

Matthew Macklin was later forced to vacate his European title. However he would get in first for the fight for the vacant title. A fight against Englishman Darren Barker was arranged for the 18th of September 2010 on Frank Warren's Magnificent seven bill on Sky box office. The fight would be a big step closer to a world title fight for both men however Barker was forced to pull out of the contest through injury only weeks before the fight. He was replaced with Georgian slugger Shalva Jomardashvili and won the fight via a technical knock out two seconds into the sixth round after shoma pulled out. Macklin regained his EBU title and stated after the fight he wanted to go on to fight for a world title next.

World title shots

Mathew fought WBA Middleweight champion Felix Sturm on the 25th of June 2011. The fight ended in a controversial split decision win for Sturm. Many pundits have slated the result as many had Macklin winning the fight. Even the German television network covering the fight had Macklin winning by four rounds.

On March 17, 2012 otherwise known as St. Patrick's Day. Matthew Macklin met WBC Diamond Middleweight champion (also known as the TRUE middleweight champion) Sergio Martinez in Madison Square Garden, New York City. Macklin would go on to lose that fight after his corner retired him on his stool after round 11, a round in which Macklin was dropped twice near the end by massive straight lefts from the southpaw Martinez after gaining a definitive lead on the scorecards.

Macklin will now fight on the undercard of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Sergio Martinez September 15th in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas against Joachim Alcine.

Professional boxing record

28 Wins (19 knockouts, 9 decisions), 4 Losses 0 Draws
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd	Date	Location	Notes
—	—	Joachim Alcine	-	? (12)	2012-09-15	Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada	Undercard of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs Sergio Martinez title fight televised on HBO.
Loss	28-4	Sergio Martínez	RTD	11 (12)	2012-03-17	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York	The Ring Middleweight Title on the line.
Loss	28-3	Felix Sturm	SD	12	2011-07-02	Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen	For WBA Super World Middleweight Title.
Win	28-2	Ruben Varon	UD	12	2010-12-11	Echo Arena Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside	Retained EBU (European) Middleweight Title.
Win	27-2	Shalva Jomardashvili	RTD	6 (12), 0:02	2010-09-18	LG Arena (Birmingham), Birmingham, West Midlands	Won vacant EBU (European) Middleweight Title.
Win	26-2	Rafael Sosa Pintos	PTS	10	2009-12-05	National Stadium, Dublin
Win	25-2	Amin Asikainen	TKO	1 (12), 2:34	2009-09-25	Velodrome, Manchester, Lancashire	Won vacant EBU (European) Middleweight Title.
Win	24-2	Wayne Elcock	TKO	3 (12), 0:59	2009-03-14	Aston Events Centre, Birmingham, West Midlands	Won BBBofC British Middleweight Title.
Win	23-2	Geard Ajetović	PTS	10	2008-10-31	Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham, West Midlands
Win	21-2	Francis Cheka	PTS	10	2008-09-06	M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, Lancashire
Win	20-2	Luis Ramon Campas	PTS	10	2008-03-22	National Stadium, Dublin

References

1. Times Online
2. World Boxing News Macklin Celebrating with Irish Flag
3. Leonard Gunning. "Macklin defence in doubt". Boxing-Ireland.com. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
4. ^ "Four Roads' favourite son". Roscommon Herald. Retrieved 27 February 2008.
5. "Macklin to face familiar foe". RTÉ. Retrieved 27 February 2008.
6. Cummins reclaims Poc Fada title
7. "114th ABA National Championships". ABAE. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
8. ^ Boxrec. "Matthew Macklin". Boxrec Fighter Page. Retrieved 13 October 2006.
9. Stadium Snippets at the National Stadium, Dublin
10. "Macklin earns points victory". RTÉ Sport. 2009-12-05. Retrieved 2009-12-07.

External links

• Boxing record for Matthew Macklin from BoxRec (registration required)

Template:Persondata

• 1982 births
• People from County Tipperary
• People from Birmingham, West Midlands
• Alumni of Coventry University
• Irish boxers
• Living people