Matthew Macklin may train a future world champion but he won’t be able to teach courage like this.
The former Irish, British and European champion announced his retirement on Thursday after a 15-year career that delivered many highlights if no world title straps.
The Birmingham-born son of a Tipperary mother and Roscommon father had three world title shots – losing a split decision to Felix Sturm, before suffering an 11th round stoppage to Sergio Martinez and being outclassed by the phenomenon that is Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in a middleweight title bout in 2013.
However, the avid Tipperary hurling fan may be most fondly remembered in boxing circles for a fight that happened on the outskirts of Manchester back in 2006.
Then Macklin faced his future trainer Jamie Moore in a 10-round war of attrition that would go down in history as one of the greatest fights in British boxing history.
The ninth round is considered three of the most intense stanzas ever conducted on canvas, with the two exhausted fighters exchanging blows as their defences were the first casualties of their fatigue.
Watch the whole round below and listen to the commentators marvel at Macklin’s ability to keep coming forward despite the pounding he has taken from Moore.
Moore won the fight in the next round – condemning Macklin to only the second defeat of his career – with a two-punch combination, from 2’10” in the video below, but both fighters would be remembered for their performances on the night long after the result became inconsequential.
War of attrition doesn’t do this fight justice.
