Matthew Macklin announces retirement

Matthew Macklin
According to Dan Rafael, longtime middleweight contender, Matthew Macklin announced his retirement.

“Last month, at the O2 Arena in London, around the halfway point in my fight with Brian Rose, I knew it was time to retire,” Macklin said. “My face was marking up; I was getting frustrated at not being able to land my shots, and I knew that physically, after a long career, my body was telling me that enough was enough.

“I also knew that I didn’t want to go out like that, so with the help of my brother Seamus I decided to end my career on my terms and pulled the win out of the bag in the last few rounds. Deep down, I came to the realization on the night that it was probably going to be my last fight. I turn 34 (on Saturday) and, after much reflection, I have decided that following 24 years in the sport, over 80 amateur fights and 41 professional fights, it is time to hang up my gloves.”

“Fifteen years is a long time in professional boxing, and for me, it has been a real roller-coaster journey,” Macklin said. “I’ve had a great career but I know that now is the right time to bow out. I’m not the fighter I once was. Father Time catches up with us all eventually. I never wanted to do things the easy way or to be a big fish in a small pond. I wanted to know how good I was and test myself against the very best the sport had to offer, and I can proudly say I did that.

“I fought Sturm, Sergio Martinez and the best of them all, Gennady Golovkin. Most importantly, I fought them all in their primes. While I’m very grateful that boxing gave me such wonderful moments, it’s a sport that demands a lot of sacrifice. You miss out on a lot of things, so I’m excited to move on to the next phase of my life now. I’m happy with how I finished the Rose fight and conducted myself throughout my career.

“I’m proud of what I achieved, from winning national titles and a senior ABA title as an 18-year-old in the amateurs to winning Irish and British titles and becoming a two-time European champion as a professional. Sadly, I never managed to get my hands on that elusive world title but I should have done that night in Cologne (Germany) in 2011. I believe I was very unlucky to be on the wrong side of a bad decision to Felix Sturm.”

“There have be so many great nights, but I think the Sturm fight in 2011 — leaving aside the judges’ decision — was probably the best,” he said. “I had announced myself on the world scene in a great fight against one of the longest-serving world champions in the sport, and although we didn’t get the decision, we celebrated anyway because we knew who won the fight, and so did they.

“Another highlight has to be fighting future Hall of Famer, and then one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Sergio Martinez at the famous Madison Square Garden in 2012. The fact that it was St. Patrick’s Day made it all the more special, and I must admit to smiling hugely when I saw the HBO billboard in Times Square.”

“Finally, I want to thank all the fans that watched me and supported me throughout the years, many of them traveling far and wide to do so,” he said. “Without you, there would have been no journey. Thank you.”




MACKLIN AND ROSE SAY CAREERS ARE ON THE LINE ON SATURDAY

Matthew Macklin
Middleweight’s Matthew Macklin and Brian Rose admit that their careers are on the line as they clash at The O2 in London on Saturday night (April 9) live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The vacant IBF Inter-Continental title is on the line between the pair and the winner can look to crash into the rankings and move towards a World title fight down the line.

Both men have fought for the major prize, with Macklin having three cracks at a World Middleweight title and Rose challenging for a Super-Welterweight strap, and that remains the ultimate goal for both men.

Defeat though could spell the end of the road for both men, and that they say is what could turn Saturday’s contest into a fight of the year contender.

“I am very much fighting for my career,” said Macklin. “I want to get the win and move on to bigger and better things, World title opportunities, but if I didn’t get the win then that would be it. There is a lots on the line.

“If Brian loses it might not be the end for him. He can probably come back, rebuild, but for me I certainly couldn’t stand the loss to Brian at this stage of my career.

“I have fought for a World title three times and all three of those were on American TV. I’m an established name in America and have had some wins since the Jorge Sebastian Heiland loss, nothing to set the world on fire, but they are wins.

“For me to win this fight it opens opportunities out there; Daniel Jacobs, I’m not sure if he has an opponent yet for his next defence yet, Billy Joe Saunders is World champion, and they are kind of fights I’ll be looking for.

“It could go a lot of ways. I think I could go out there and do a number on Brian, but I have to give him the respect that his career deserves. He has had losses and come back and avenged them and that shows you something about his character. He has a good defence and the times he has been knocked out he’s been caught cold, he has never really been broken down.

“He is a good fighter, but I don’t think he is World class. He fought for a World title against Demetrius Andrade, who is a really good fighter, and he did okay, but I don’t think he is somebody who would consistently perform at World level.”

“This is very, very important,” said Rose. “Everything is on the line. There is so much at stake and that is why the fight is so interesting. We both want to fight for World titles again.

“It has the makings of Fight of the Year because of what is at stake; we are both talking about retiring if either of us lose. I believe I have more fight left in me, but I am not going to know until Saturday.

“Macklin is a big name. A lot of people are saying he is past it but if he can perform like he used to perform, then I am in for a tough night.

“In terms of our careers and where we are at, we are very similar, but he has achieved that little bit more previously and he is a big name on my record when I pull off the win.

“Matthew lived in my trainer Bobby Rimmer’s flat like I did and over the years I took a lot of advice from Matthew. The friendship will always be there but we haven’t been friends for the last eight weeks because we have to fight each other.

“It was a strange one when it was first announced but I am sure we have both got our heads around it now and we both know we need to do a job.

“I would be looking to fight a final eliminator and then a World title, but this time I want to perform. I am a realist and I know people question whether I can win a World title, but I want to get there and perform and have no regrets when I retire.”

Macklin and Rose clash on a blockbuster night of action in Greenwich as Anthony Joshua MBE challenges Charles Martin for the IBF World Heavyweight title.

Lee Selby defends his IBF World Featherweight title against Eric Hunter, Jamie McDonnell defends his WBA World Bantamweight title against Fernando Vargas, three-time World Super-Middleweight title challenger George Groves meets unbeaten Scotsman David Brophy, Ohara Davies faces Andy Keates for the vacant English Lightweight title and Nigel Benn’s son Conor makes his professional debut.




Macklin’s rooting for Murray but picking Golovkin ahead of February 21 title clash

Matthew Macklin
LONDON (6 FEB) Former world middleweight title challenger Matthew Macklin believes old adversary Gennady Golovkin will successfully defend his WBA Super world middleweight title against Martin Murray on February 21, LIVE on Channel 5, but is hoping the British challenger can pull off an almighty upset against all odds.

Thirty-two-year-old Macklin challenged Golovkin in June 2013 and came up short, losing via stoppage in round three. Since then he has watched the man known as ‘GGG’ go from strength to strength, defending his belt a further four times, and now awaits the challenge of Murray in Monte Carlo.

“I think Martin’s a solid all-rounder with a good defence,” said Macklin. “He’s not a massive puncher, but he looks physically strong, and he’s technically sound and very well-schooled. He doesn’t telegraph his shots. He’s tough and seems to have a decent chin.

“Murray has never really been bashed up before, either. He drew with (Felix) Sturm and he lost a close one with (Sergio) Martinez. Both fights were very competitive and Murray didn’t take a lot. He knows how to look after himself at the top level.

“Still, I don’t think Murray can beat Golovkin and I don’t want to romanticise his chances; I’d be surprised if he lasted the distance. But, having said that, Martin has a very tight defence and is a solid enough fighter. If anybody can go rounds with Golovkin, you’d think it would be someone like Murray.”

Of course, going rounds with a fearsome puncher like Golovkin is easier said than done. Macklin has firsthand experience of this. So do 30 other beaten opponents.

“Golovkin is so aggressive and has so much variety,” explained Macklin. “He also hits very hard. He can open up even the tightest of defences.

“In boxing, it’s easy to be relaxed when someone can’t hurt you. But, when they can, it’s a different story. You burn up a lot more nervous energy and you’re panicked into making mistakes. It’s a different ball game with Golovkin.

“Ultimately, I think Golovkin’s composure will shock Murray. That’s what shocked me. He’s very relaxed, with brilliant footwork, and he’s always balanced to throw punches. He judges distance extremely well and can cut off the ring better than anybody.

“It’s not even so much about the power. Obviously, he caught me with a corker of a shot and badly hurt my ribs, but, up to that point, I felt his power was solid but not enough to shake me up. It was more about his all-round ability, his composure and his confidence. Nothing fazes him and he’s able to exert a lot of pressure very quickly.

“I guess a lot will depend on Martin’s ambition. He’ll go into the ring looking to win, but that can quickly change once Golovkin goes to work. You see some guys just looking to survive after a certain point. If you try to win from round one to twelve, it’s unlikely you’ll last the distance with someone like Golovkin.”

No man has lasted the distance with Golovkin since 2008.

Though a fan of the Kazakh destroyer, Macklin hopes countryman Murray can go one better and hand ‘GGG’ his first career defeat.

“I’m a big fan of Golovkin and was a big fan before I fought him,” Macklin admitted. “He’s a fantastic fighter and a lovely guy. I’ll be following his career and supporting him in the future.

“But it would be great for Martin Murray and for British boxing if we could get that world title over here. I think Martin will give a great account of himself. I just don’t think he has enough to beat Golovkin. Then again, this is boxing and big upsets happen. Who would’ve thought ‘Buster’ Douglas could beat Mike Tyson in 1990?”

*** Boxing superstar Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin defends his WBA Super world middleweight title against Britain’s Martin Murray on Saturday, February 21 in Monte Carlo, LIVE on Channel 5 ***

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Macklin – Heiland eliminator to be rescheduled for November 15

Matthew Macklin
Middleweight contender Matthew Macklin’s title eliminator against Jorge Sebastien Heiland has been rescheduled according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Ireland’s Macklin and Heiland, of Argentina, will meet on Nov. 15 at The 3 Arena in Dublin, Ireland, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced Thursday.




Matthew Macklin fight postponed after trainer gets shot

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Matthew Macklin’s August 30 title elimination bout with Sebastien Heiland has been postponed after Macklin’s trainer Jamie Moore was shot outside of Macklin’s gym in Spain.

“Due to an injury suffered to Matthew Macklin’s lead trainer, Jamie Moore, the Dublin show on Aug. 30 has been postponed until later in the year,” Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced.

“I am disappointed to have to postpone my fight but in light of the circumstances and the disruption to my preparation it is the right thing to do,” Macklin said. “Every fight at this stage in my career is of huge importance and being 100 percent for the night is vital. We will make an announcement shortly on a new date and I look forward to fighting in Dublin in 2014.”




Macklin to face Heiland in Middleweight elimination bout

Matthew Macklin
According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Matthew Macklin is set to take part in a Middleweight title elimination bout on August 30 again Jorge Sabstien Heiland in Dublin, Ireland.

“It’s great to have an eliminator to put me straight back in the frame for another world title fight,” Macklin said. “I’m sure [Heiland] will be coming to Ireland with his own world title ambitions. It’s a must-win fight for me, and it doesn’t matter what he brings to the ring on Aug. 30, he won’t be beating me.

“For the last few years now all my fights have been in the U.S., and while it’s been great having big fights in New York and Las Vegas, I’ve definitely missed fighting at home,” Macklin said. “There’s a huge appetite among boxing fans to see big-time boxing back in Dublin, and there’s no atmosphere in the world like an Irish fight night. I know that Eddie can deliver the big fights for me in Dublin, so it’s a very exciting time for me.”

“I can’t wait for our first show in Dublin. The fans are in for a real treat,” said Macklin co=promoter Eddie Hearn . “It’s a stacked card with Matthew in a hugely important fight that puts him in a great position to challenge for another world title.

“We’ve seen Matthew denied of what I believe was a victory in Germany against Sturm and a great performance against Sergio Martinez. The Cotto fight would be a great event. He is straight back in at the deep end against Heiland, but let’s be honest — he wouldn’t want it any other way.”




TICKET ALERT: Jennings vs. Perez, Geale vs. Macklin, May 24 in Corpus Christi and LIVE on HBO

Bryant Jennings
Corpus Christ, Texas (April 25, 2014) – Tickets are on sale now for the upcoming World Boxing Council (‘WBC’) Heavyweight Title Eliminator clash featuring undefeated and top rated heavyweights BRYANT “By By” JENNINGS of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and MIKE “The Rebel” PEREZ, fighting out of Cork, Ireland. The bout will take place on SATURDAY, MAY 24, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texasand televised LIVE on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. K2 Promotions, Gary Shaw Productions in association with Antonio Leonard Promotions, DiBella Entertainment, Grange Old School Boxing and Frankel Sports will bring you the action.

Tickets priced $25, $40, $60, $100 and $150 are on sale now and can be purchased at the American Bank Center Box Office, all TicketMaster Outlets & ticketmaster.com.

The winner of the 12-round bout will become the mandatory challenger for the WBC Heavyweight Title, which was vacated by longtime champion Vitali Klitschko earlier this year. Jennings and Perez are currently ranked #4 and #5, respectively by the sanctioning body.

Opening the telecast is a 10-round middleweight battle between two-time former world champion DANIEL “The Real Deal” GEALE and perennial contender MATTHEW “Mack The Knife” MACKLIN.

The American Bank Center is located 1901 N. Shoreline Blvd. in Corpus Christi, Texas. For further information please visit their website at
www.AmericanBankCenter.com

For fight updates on JENNINGS VS. PEREZ via Social Media, follow HBO Boxing on Twitter at @HBOBoxing and Facebook at /HBOBoxing, Bryant Jennings on Twitter at @BYJennings, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions at @TomLoeffler1 and Gary Shaw Productions at @GaryShawBoxing. Use the hashtag #JenningsPerez to join the conversation on Twitter.

For additional Social Media updates for GEALE vs. MACKLIN using Twitter follow Daniel Geale at @RealDanielGeale and Matthew Macklin at @MattMacklinas well as DiBella Entertainmentat @DiBellaEnt using the hashtag #GealeMacklin




UNDEFEATED HEAVYWEIGHTS BRYANT JENNINGS & MIKE PEREZ COLLIDE IN A WBC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE ELIMINATOR AND DANIEL GEALE BATTLES MATTHEW MACKLIN SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2014 AMERICAN BANK CENTER in CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS LIVE ON HBO®

Bryant Jennings
Corpus Christ, Texas (April 17, 2014) Undefeated and top rated heavyweights BRYANT “By By” JENNINGS of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and MIKE “The Rebel” PEREZ, fighting out of Cork, Ireland will clash in a World Boxing Council (‘WBC’) Heavyweight Title Eliminator on SATURDAY, MAY 24, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas and televised LIVE on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, it was announced today jointly by K2 Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions.

The winner of the 12-round bout will become the mandatory challenger for the WBC Heavyweight Title, which was vacated by longtime champion Vitali Klitschko earlier this year. Jennings and Perez are currently ranked #4 and #5, respectively by the sanctioning body.

Opening the telecast is a 10-round middleweight battle between two-time former world champion DANIEL “The Real Deal” Geale and perennial contender MATTHEW “Mack The Knife” MACKLIN.

“The world has been desperately seeking a heavyweight to take over the division and I believe that person is Me,” said Jennings. “By defeating Mike Perez, I will position myself as the mandatory position in the WBC. My promoter Gary Shaw ensures me that if I win this fight; I’ll be looking at a potential world title bout soon. My main focus is winning this fight against Perez and I’m doing everything in the gym to make that a reality. I’ll be ready to go come May 24th.

“My dream has always been to fight for the heavyweight championship,” said Perez.
“This has been my dream since I first started boxing and I have sacrificed a lot to get this opportunity. Jennings and I have been on crash course for a while and now with so much at risk I’m sure it will bring out the best in both of us. However, as good as Jennings is I will be victorious.”

“Mike Perez is a good fighter with an undefeated record and he is dangerous for any opponent,” said Gary Shaw. “But I feel my fighter Bryant Jennings has the athletic ability, the speed and movement to defeat him and is the all around better fighter. This is the type of fight the fans deserve, two undefeated guys putting it all on the line to get a world title shot, that’s what boxing is all about.”

Said Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, “It is rare to see two undefeated heavyweights once again risk their record in a fight like this featured on HBO. However there was no hesitation from either side when the WBC ordered this eliminator because both fighters want to fight for the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World.”

“We feel that Mike is among the best heavyweights in the world and expect him to show that on May 24th against Bryant Jennings.”

“The WBC is proud to sanction the fight between Perez vs. Jennings as a final elimination fight as part of the WBC tournament in the Heavyweight division,” stated Mauricio Sulaiman of the World Boxing Council.

“Vitali Klitschko was honored with the Emeritus Champion distinction after he decided to search his dream of becoming President of his country Ukraine and is being regarded as a hero by many.”

“The WBC ordered a tournament between all top rated fighters to fight and Perez vs. Jennings will prove to be a formidable match to find the second mandatory contender of the WBC Heavyweight division. “

The 29-year-old Jennings, 18-0-0 (10KO’s) is coming off his career best victory, a sensational, HBO televised tenth round knockout of Poland’s Artur Szpilka on JANUARY 25 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Dominating the action from the outset, Jennings dropped the crafty southpaw in the sixth before finishing him off in the final round.

A highly successful amateur in his native Cuba, the 29-year-old Perez has compiled a record of 20-0-1 (12KO’s), since moving to Ireland and turning professional in 2008.

Perez has made two previous appearances on HBO, on NOVEMBER 2, against Magomed Abdusalamov from Madison Square Garden in New York City and more recently facing Carlos Takam on JANUARY 18 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

Hailing from New South Wales, Australia and sporting a record of 30-2-0 (16KO’s), the 32-year-old Geale previously held the WBA and IBF middleweight titles. Most recently Geale stopped fellow countryman Garth Wood in the sixth round on FEBRUARY 19 in New South Wales, Australia.

Former world title challenger Macklin of Birmingham, England has had an illustrious 12-year career having compiled a record of 30-5-0 (20KO’s).

Despite suffering a third round stoppage at the hands of middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin on JUNE 29, 2013, Macklin stormed back into the world rankings with a dominant ten round unanimous decision over then undefeated Lamar Russ on DECEMBER 7 in Atlantic City, Jersey. Both of these bouts were telecast on HBO.

“I can’t wait to make my return on HBO and fight Mathew Macklin,” said Geale. “I’m keen to prove I am still one of the best middleweights in the world. Macklin is a very tough opponent who likes to go to war, as do I, our clash of styles could make a fight that steals the show. I will confirm my status as one of the top fighters in the division with a victory. When I win, I still want to fight Golovkin, if he comes back to 160, or the winner of Sturm vs. Solomon.”

Said Macklin, “I’m really excited about the fight with Daniel Geale. He’s a good fighter, a former world champion, and he throws a lot of punches like me so I’m expecting it to be a tough, action-packed fight. After the Golovkin fight, the win over Russ got me back on track and a much-needed 10 rounds of work. Winning on May 24th against Geale will throw me back into the world title mix, so in many ways this is almost a world title eliminator. It’s a great fight between two of the best and most exciting middleweights in the world.”

“Most people are saying that this is a 50/50 fight. I don’t know Geale personally but he seems like a good guy and I respect him as a fighter for what he has achieved and accomplished in his career. That being said though, I always believed he was tailor made for me and there only going to be one winner on May 24th and that is me.”

The Geale/Macklin bout is presented in association with DiBella Entertainment and Grange Old School Boxing.

The American Bank Center is located 1901 N. Shoreline Blvd. in Corpus Christi, Texas. For further information please visit their website at www.AmericanBankCenter.com

Advance ticket information and further details on this event will be announced shortly.

For fight updates on JENNINGS VS. PEREZ via Social Media, follow HBO Boxing on Twitter at @HBOBoxing and Facebook at /HBOBoxing, Bryant Jennings on Twitter at @BYJennings, Tom Loeffler/K2 Promotions at @TomLoeffler1 and Gary Shaw Productions at @GaryShawBoxing. Use the hashtag #JenningsPerez to join the conversation on Twitter.

For additional Social Media updates for GEALE vs. MACKLIN using Twitter follow Daniel Geale at @RealDanielGeale and Matthew Macklin at @MattMacklin as well as DiBella Entertainment at @DiBellaEnt using the hashtag #GealeMacklin




Jennings – Perez; Macklin – Geale doubleheader set for May 24 on HBO

Bryant Jennings
According to Dan Rafael of espm.com, an intriguing doubleheader has been set for May 24 on HBO that will feature a Heabyweight elimination bout between Bryant Jennings and Mike Perez as well as a Middleweight showdown between former champion Daniel Geale and Matthew Macklin.

“I honestly think Perez is more dangerous that Szpilka because he’s so used to being the bully,” Jennings told ESPN.com from his training camp in Houston. “Both of them are slick but Perez has this type of bully aspect and I always bully the bully. I would hope (Perez trainer) Abel Sanchez makes sure Perez is smart and they take their time to do everything correctly because they are dealing with someone who is well-skilled and well-conditioned and ready to fight. I hope Perez brings his A-game and please do not sleep on Bryant Jennings.”

“I think it’s the best matchup right now. We ain’t ducking nobody. We’re fighting for a position that we would both love to be in,” said Jennings, who turned pro in 2010. “It’s all about the position.”

Said Jennings and Geale promoter Gary Shaw, “This is a real heavyweight fight. It’s a really good fight between two top contenders. I know Jennings is ready. He trains all the time. I think it’s a 50-50 fight. The questions I have is can Jennings use the lateral movement that I believe Perez cannot handle? Will Jennings start off slowly and be a sitting duck for Mike Perez to tee off on, because Jennings is historically a slow starter? Can he start quicker with more movement like he was going into the fourth round not the first? I believe he can.”

“I think it’s a great matchup between two of the top undefeated fighters in the heavyweight division,” said Perez promoter Tom Loeffler said. “I believe the winner of this fight will ultimately go on to win the WBC heavyweight championship. Both fighters have already been featured on HBO and there is a lot of anticipation for this fight now.”

“Stylistically, it’s a great fight and the outcome is doubt. This isn’t one of those fights where you know who the winner is going to be,” said Lou DiBella, Macklin’s promoter. “Neither of these guys is a huge favorite in the fight. These are two guys who like to fight, who like to throw punches and they’ll go at each other. But I have confidence in my guy.

“This is a good, old-fashioned ‘Boxing After Dark’ fight and I think the winner will get a title fight or a fight as economically big or bigger than a title fight.” Geale (30-2, 16 KOs), 33, of Australia, won a world title in 2011, made four successful defenses, including outpointing Felix Sturm in a unification fight, before losing a split decision to Darren Barker in August. Geale has fought once since, scoring a sixth-round knockout of countryman Garth Wood in February.

“I believe Geale is the better fighter, a late bloomer, and will bring it all, no different then what he did in the Barker fight,” said Shaw, Geale’s promoter.




MACKLIN CONTINUES TO WAIT ON STURM

Matthew Macklin
New York, NY (2/25/14) – Top-rated middleweight contender Matthew Macklin is getting a bit tired and frustrated, to say the least, on waiting to hear what direction IBF middleweight champion Felix Sturm is heading for his next bout. Macklin and Sturm’s well documented and publicized history dates back to their first bout, which took place in Sturm’s home country of Germany in 2011. The bout was Macklin’s first world title opportunity and the Irishman made the most of it. Macklin took the fight right to the hometown hero Sturm, who was defending his title for the 10th consecutive time. It was a grueling battle, with Macklin seemingly having the clear advantage after the 12-round championship bout. CompuBox had Macklin averaging 92 punches thrown per round, doubling Sturm’s output. Macklin also landed 127 more punches and outlanded Sturm in 11 of the 12 rounds. Unfortunately though, two of the three judges didn’t see the fight that way, awarding Sturm a split decision and leaving Macklin longing for another shot at the champ.

After Sturm stopped Darren Barker last year to reclaim a piece of the middleweight crown, Macklin and Sturm immediately began trading verbal jabs on Twitter and the long awaited and highly anticipated rematch seemed to be a sure thing. Macklin spoke to promoter Lou DiBella and advisor Anthony Catanzaro and instructed them to make the fight at any and all costs. Macklin began training, anticipating the fight would happen sometime in the near future. Unfortunately though, he continues to wait on the German titlist.

“We met all of his demands, yet he still won’t move forward with the fight,” stated an agitated Macklin. “We agreed to fight him in his backyard for not much money at all. In fact, the purse was less than what I received against Lamar Russ. The money isn’t what matters though. I just want the opportunity to show the world who the better fighter is. I know that I beat him in our first fight and I know that I will beat him again. I believed Sturm to be a great champion and a great warrior, and with everything that was said after our first fight, we felt that he would want this challenge. We are absolutely shocked that he continues to delay and not just come out and accept the fight. We accepted all of his terms, so what is his excuse? We realize that he has made an offer to fight Murray, but I want to publicly come out and say that if Murray doesn’t accept the offer thenwe are ready, willing and able to make this fight happen right now! I know that I won the first fight, but I will assure him that if he gives me the opportunity for this second bout, which I know that I will win again, I will promise to give him an immediate rematch. The ball is in your court Felix. Be the great champion that you say you are and give me, and the fans, the fight they want to see.”




MATT MACKLIN PREVIEWS GENNADY GOLOVKIN V OSUMANU ADAMA LIVE ON BOXNATION

Gennady Golovkin
LONDON (Jan. 30) – BoxNation subscribers get a chance to assess whether Kazakh crusher Gennady Golovkin is the most explosive puncher presently active in boxing – as many experts are suggesting – when he makes a ninth defence of his WBA World Middleweight crown live on the Channel of Champions this Saturday evening.

‘Golden Gennady’, 31, has knocked-out 25 of his 28 pro opponents – including each of his last 15 – inside the scheduled distance and, eager to secure the superfights that will vault him among the sport’s biggest earners, he’ll be hoping to extend the streak against tough Ghanaian Osumanu Adama at the Salle des etoiles Monte Carlo.

The 33 year old African challenger, known as ‘Machine Gun’, lasted the full 12 round trip in an abortive IBF challenge to Australia’s Daniel Geale in March 2012 and boasts a stoppage victory over Russia’s Roman Karmazin, a former IBF light-middle titlist. Therefore, expect him to take some shifting.

Watch the action live and exclusive on BoxNation, the Channel of Champions (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) from 5pm. Join at www.boxnation.com

One man brutally aware of the carnage Golovkin is capable of wreaking is Birmingham’s Matt Macklin who was punctured by a crippling body shot from the Kazakh in round three of his world title crack last June.

On Tuesday evening, boxing writer Glynn Evans called the triple world title challenger at his Marbella training base to get the inside skinny on ‘GGG’ and analyse how Saturday’s championship action might pan out.

“Living in Marbella now, I’m contemplating driving across to see the fight live.

I think Gennady has to be placed behind only Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward on the pound-for-pound list right now. He’s on around the same level as Guillermo Rigondeaux – a completely different fighter – but that’s the level he’s at.

People bang on about Golovkin’s strength and power but, having shared a ring with him, I was most impressed by his boxing ability. His footwork is outstanding and he’s got such good judgement of distance. His timing and accuracy are both exceptional. He wastes absolutely nothing.

And he is a seriously devastating puncher with both hands, without really looking for it (the finish). The left hook that finished me broke my ribs and there was no way I could do anything about it. It’s the leverage that he generates rather than brute force that makes him so formidable.

His shots, including the hooks, tend to be long and looping. He’s definitely at his best from long range. He uses a very good jab to soften you up and his power tends to be at the end of his punches. It’s his timing that makes him so dangerous. He’s happy to stay outside and cleverly coax you on to his punches.

He’s also really aggressive. From the moment the bell rings, he’s on ya, looking to take you out. But he’s so patient, relaxed and economical when he stalks ya. It’s all so effortless. He’s able to apply intense pressure without throwing many punches or exerting much pressure himself. He’s a master at getting opponents to burn nervous energy. Against me, he was bowling forward in second gear, I was darting backwards in fifth! He’s a very, very impressive operator.

Mind, all the talk of him dropping down to light-middle for a superfight with Floyd Mayweather is bull. Golovkin’s not a big middleweight but he’s definitely a middleweight. He might physically be able to cut to 154 but he’d not be able to perform down there.

Moving up to super-middle to get his megafight would be far more logical. I think he’d be far too much for Carl Froch who likes to fight at mid and long range himself. However, Andre Ward, who’s an expert at smothering and fighting up close, has the style to give Golovkin big problems. That would be a very intriguing fight.

I’m actually quite familiar with Adama because I considered using him as a sparhand when I was preparing for my fight with Golovkin. An agent showed me quite a few clips and he seemed pretty tough, the type you could get decent rounds out of. For whatever reason, it never materialised.

I know Adama took Daniel Geale to points in a world title challenge over in Oz so he must be pretty durable. From what I saw, he was pretty orthodox. He wasn’t especially awkward like a lot of the African lads are. He seemed pretty rugged and capable, appeared to have a decent left hook but didn’t really do anything unique.

To give himself any kind of chance against Golovkin, Adama needs to hold the centre of the ring, attempt to push Gennady back and take away some of his leverages. In my opinion, Golovkin isn’t great up close, fighting inside. Adama needs to close the gap and attempt to work Golovkin over with uppercuts. He needs to meet fire with fire, just like Ricky Hatton did with Kostya Tszyu.

That was my initial intention after studying Golovkin before we fought. However, Buddy McGirt, my coach at the time, persuaded me to try to box him. It’s conceivable that a middleweight version of Buddy (ex IBF light-welter champion) could’ve succeeded with those tactics but my strengths and attributes are different. By the time I realised that I needed to adapt our gameplan, I was already really under the kosh. Gennady’s jab busted me up and I had to work so hard, so early.

Unless you’re a middleweight Guillermo Rigondeaux – and from what I’ve seen Adama isn’t – the worst possible thing you could do against Golovkin would be to try to outbox him. He’s got a very good jab and his footwork is far too good.

Osumanu needs to try to make it a gruelling, draining affair. He’s been 12 rounds three times whereas Golovkin is yet to complete ten. All fighters’ timing and reactions deteriorate as they become more fatigued. It’s a case of getting Gennady into the second half of the fight. Easier said than done!

Unless Golovkin turns up sick, injured or seriously overlooks Adama, it’s hard to give the African any hope at all. But no fighter is invincible.

Remember Vince Phillips upsetting a prime Kostya Tszyu when nobody gave him any kind of chance. He just dug in, kept firing back and ultimately broke Kostya’s heart.

Still, I think a repeat of that is unlikely here. If Adama gambles on engaging early and gets sloppy, he could get taken out immediately. He’s wiped out 15 of his 28 victims within three rounds. More likely, Golovkin will systematically break him down and bust him up by mid way.

I see Adama constantly under pressure, not winning any rounds. Curtis Stevens started boldly against Golovkin but once he tasted his power and got knocked down in round two he withdrew into his shell.

Golovkin is an expert at knocking the ambition out of you. I can’t see Adama making it past round seven or eight. ”

Watch the action live and exclusive on BoxNation, the Channel of Champions (Sky Ch.437/Virgin Ch.546) from 5pm. Join at www.boxnation.com




MACKLIN LONGS FOR HIS REVENGE AGAINST STURM TELLS CHAMPION TO MAKE GOOD ON REMATCH PROMISE

Matthew Macklin
New York, NY (12/12/13) – Last Saturday, Ireland’s top-rated middleweight contender and world title challenger Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin (30-5, 20KO’s) once again put himself back into the title picture with an impressive 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated highly regarded prospect Lamar Russ. The bout against Russ came on HBO, the fourth consecutive bout for Macklin on their airwaves.

With the bout and some much needed rounds behind him, Macklin now has his sites set on once again challenging for a piece of the middleweight crown, and finally having the chance to exact his revenge on former foe Felix Sturm. Sturm, who earlier on Saturday stopped IBF middleweight champion Darren Barker in two rounds, won a highly, if not outright robbery decision over Macklin back in 2011.

“I punched Felix around the ring for 12 rounds in our fight in 2011, only to be robbed in what was described by many, including Lennox Lewis, Al Bernstein, and Andre Ward, as one of the worst, if not THE worst decisions they have ever seen. Seventy-eight percent of German viewers voting online had me winning the fight. German TV had me winning the fight by four rounds. Felix Sturm got Axel Schultz fired afterward because he had me winning. That’s how spoiled Felix is and how embarrassed he was by it all! He knows that I beat him and the boxing world knows that I beat him. He has done well to win back the world title for a record fourth time for a German fighter, so for that I congratulate him. But he knows that we have unfinished business and if he’s a real man then he will give me a rematch like he promised. Actually, if he’s a real man then he should want the rematch for himself,” stated Macklin emphatically.

“Matthew was deprived of a world title belt the first time that they fought in their great but controversial battle in 2011,” said promoter Lou DiBella. “Sturm is a proud champion and I am confident that he will give Matthew his much deserved rematch.”

“We have unfinished business with Sturm,” added Anthony Catanzaro, Macklin’s advisor. “To say the least, the fight warrants a rematch. Revenge will be sweet. It’s a fight we want, a fight we deserve and a fight we will win.”

The first bout between Macklin and Sturm took place in Sturm’s home country of Germany, and was Macklin’s first world title opportunity. The Irishman made the most of his opportunity taking the fight right to the hometown hero Sturm, who was defending his title for the 10th consecutive time. It was a grueling battle, with Macklin seemingly having the clear advantage after the 12-round championship bout. CompuBox had Macklin averaging 92 punches thrown per round, doubling Sturm’s output. Macklin also landed 127 more punches and outlanded Sturm in 11 of the 12 rounds. Unfortunately though, two of the three judges didn’t see the fight that way, awarding Sturm a split decision and leaving Macklin longing for another shot at the champ.

Following the bout with Sturm, Macklin signed with promoter Lou DiBella and went on to challenge middleweight kingpin Sergio Martinez before a raucous sold-out crowd on St. Patrick’s Day at Madison Square Garden in 2012. Macklin gave the champion and top pound-for-pounder everything he could handle and was leading on two of the three judges’ scorecards before being stopped in the 11th frame.

Following the bout with Martinez, Macklin blew away former junior middleweight world champion Joachim in one round on the undercard of the Martinez-Chavez HBO PPV telecast in September 2012 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Around that same time, Sturm lost his title to Daniel Geale. Geale then lost the title to Barker, who, as previously stated, was stopped in two devastating rounds by Sturm this past Saturday. Now, the stage is set. Macklin met with both promoter DiBella and advisor Catanzaro earlier this week and made it clear that this is the fight that he wants more than anything else. Both fighters have been going back and forth on social media all week long and both seem eager to give boxing fans and insiders the much-anticipated rematch.




Rigondeaux decisions Agbeko to retain titles

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ATLANTIC CITY–Guillermo Rigondeaux retained the WBA/WBO Super Bantamweight titles at the Adrian Phillips Ballroom inside of Boardwalk HalL.

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Rigondeaux used his superior boxing ability as he places precision shots to the body and flicking jabs to the head of Agbeko.

Scores were 120-108 on all cards for Rigondeaux and is now 13-0. Agbeko is now 29-5.

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James Kirkland scored a 6th round stoppage over previously undefeated Glen Tapia in a thrilling Jr. Middleweight fight.

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Tapia dominated the first frame as he jumped on Kirkland which thrilled the pro-Tapia crowd. Most of the next five rounds were spent with Kirkland unloading hundreds of flush punches to the head and the body of Tapia. Tapia was getting beat up but he showed an unbelievable heart and only god knows what was keeping him standing. Tapia showed short bursts of offense in the beginning of the 4th, 5th and 6th rounds but they were short lived as Kirkland pounded away at Tapia that had blood flying from the nose of Tapia until referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at 38 seconds of round six.

Kirkland is now 32-1 with 28 knockouts. Tapia is now 20-1.

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Matthew Macklin pounded out a ten round unanimous decisioble n over previously undefeated Lamar Russ in a Middleweight bout.

Macklin controlled the action with solid ring generalship and he stuck the jab in the taller Russ’face. Macklin landed several hard blows in round nine that had Russ bleeding from the mouth and the defensive as the round ended. Russ came out and threw hard shots in round ten but none of consequence

Matt Korobov remained undefeated by scoring a 9th round stoppage over Derek Edwards in a Middleweight bout.

In round one, a body-head combination made Edwards buckle Korobov continued to pound Edwards to the body and the head for which he had Edwards stumbling into the ropes. Korobov landed a fuselage of shots until he was rocked badly by a hard right from Edwards. Korobov was clarly hurt and even turned his back in an effort to run away but two three more hard shots before the end of the first round. In round two, Korobov landed a hard straight left that sent Edwards sprawling into the ropes for a knockdown. Korobov rocked Edwards once again in round four when he landed a terrific three punch head combination.

Korobov scored a knockdown at the end of round seven from a hard left hand. The two went to war in round eight with Korobov getting the better of the two way action. Korobov ended the night by dropping Edwards in round nine from yet another straight left and referee Steve Smoger stopped the fight immediately at 28 seconds of round nine.

Korobov, 162.8 lbs of Orotukian, RUS is now 22-0 with 13 knockouts. Edwards, 161.8 lbs of Winston Salem, NC is now 26-3-1.

Toka Khan Clary survived two knockdowns and boxed his way to a six round unanimous decision over Ramsey Luna in a Super Featherweight bout featuring undefeated fighters.

Clary was quicker to the punch throughout as he hit and played good defense. In round four, Luna sent Clary down from a right hand and then dropped him again from a body shot. Clary was able to get out of the round and was never threatened the rest of the way.

Clary, 130.2 lbs of Providence, RI won by scores of 57-55 on all cards and is now 9-0-0-1. Luna, 131.2 lbs of Corpus Christi, TX is now 11-1.

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Jesse Hart scored an explosive 1st round stoppage over Tyrell Hendrix in a scheduled six round Super Middleweight bout.

Hart rocked Hendrix with an uppercut an opened up with a huge flurry where he drilled Hendrix several more times before referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at 1:20 of round one.

Hart, 168.2 lbs of Philadelphia is now 11-0 with 10 knockouts. Hendrix, 168.4 lbs of Los Angeles is now 10-3-2-1.

Julian Rodriguez scored a 4 round unanimous decision over Ryan Picou in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Rodriguez pounded away on Picou in the 1st with blistering combinations. Picou, who was a late replacement tried and landed some shots here and there. Late in round two, Rodriguez continue to rock Picou for the duration of the fight.

Rodriguez, 140.6 lbs of Hasbrouck, NJ won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Picou, 140 lbs of Las Vegas is now 0-2.

Egor Mekhontsev made a successful pro debut with a 3 round beat down of Peter Cajigas in a scheduled four round Light Heavyweight bout.

Mekhonstev showed quick hands and hard combinations over the first two rounds. Mekhonstev dropped Cajigas three times in round three all from all hard body shots and referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at 35 seconds of round three.

Mekhonstev, 177.2 lbs of Asobest, RUS is now 1-0 with 1 knockout. Cajigas, 179.8 lbs of Franklin Park, IL is now 0-3-1.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank




WEIGHTS FROM ATLANTIC CITY

Guillermo Rigondeaux 121 – Joseph Agbeko 121.6
Lamar Russ 159 – Matthew Macklin 159
Glen Tapia 156 – James Kirkland 155.1
Egor Mekhonsev 177.2 – PJ Catages 179.8
Julian Rodriguez 140.6 – Ryan Piquot 140
Jesse Hart 168.2 – Tyrell Hendrix 168.4
Ramsey Luna 131.2 – Toka Khan Klary 132
Matt Korobov 162.2 – Derek Edwards 161.8
Tramaine Williams 122.6 – Jovanny Fuentes 121.8




HBO BOXING AFTER DARK® PRESENTS THE WORLD-CLASS TRIPLEHEADER GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX VS. JOSEPH AGBEKO, JAMES KIRKLAND VS. GLEN TAPIA AND MATTHEW MACKLIN VS. LAMAR RUSS FROM BOARDWALK HALL IN ATLANTIC CITY, SATURDAY, DEC. 7

Guillermo Rigondeaux
HBO’s hit late-night boxing franchise wraps its 2013 slate with the world-class tripleheader HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX VS. JOSEPH AGBEKO, JAMES KIRKLAND VS. GLEN TAPIA AND MATTHEW MACKLIN VS. LAMAR RUSS, presented SATURDAY, DEC. 7 at 9:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman and Andre Ward will be ringside for the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Dec. 8 (8:30 a.m.) and 9 (11:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Dec. 8 (5:00 p.m.) and 10 (11:30 p.m.)
In the main event, Cuban sensation Guillermo Rigondeaux (12-0, 8 KOs) puts his super bantamweight titles on the line against Joseph Agbeko (29-4, 22 KOs) of Accra, Ghana. After winning two Olympic Gold medals as an amateur, the Miami-based Rigondeaux, 33, has picked apart 122-pounders like no other in his brief pro career. Most recently, he tactically disposed of Nonito Donaire, one of the sport’s elite, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision in a high-profile unification fight. After a year’s layoff, Agbeko, 33, defeated Luis Melendez last March to win a bantamweight title. With notable victories over Luis Perez and Vic Darchinyan also on his resume, he will work to build on his bantamweight success, making his HBO debut in one of the most competitive weight classes.
The co-main event, a junior middleweight bout scheduled for ten rounds, features Glen Tapia (20-0, 12 KOs) of Passaic, NJ, risking his undefeated record against heavy-handed James Kirkland (31-1, 27 KOs) of Austin, Tex. Since July, Tapia, 23, has scored two knockout victories for his third and fourth wins of 2013. Returning to the ring after nearly two years, Kirkland, 29, expects to improve on the 87% victory by knockout rate that once exhilarated sweet science fanatics. His record includes wins over Alfredo Angulo, Carlos Molina, Joel Julio and Brian Vera.
The evening begins with middleweight contenders Matthew Macklin (29-5, 20 KOs) of Birmingham, England, and Lamar Russ (14-0, 7 KOs) of Wilmington, NC in a scheduled ten-round fight. After suffering a third-round knockout defeat to powerhouse Gennady Golovkin in June, Macklin, 31, hopes to return to the form that merited him a shot at a 154-pound title. Building his own convincing case for a title run, Russ, 26, has dominated opponents in 2013, winning by unanimous decision in each of his three fights.
Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.
The executive producer of HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Doug Getts.




UNDEFEATED WORLD CHAMPION GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX BIDDING FOR FIGHTER OF THE YEAR HONORS IN TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST JOSEPH AGBEKO plus GLEN TAPIA vs. JAMES KIRKLAND and MATTHEW MACKLIN vs. LAMAR RUSS Saturday, December 7 Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City Televised Live on HBO®

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ATLANTIC CITY (November 13, 2013) — Undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) / World Boxing Organization (WBO) 122-pound world champion and Cuban sensation GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX returns to the ring fresh from his career-best victory. Rigondeaux will be bidding for Fighter of the Year honors when he defends his unified titles against former two-time world champion JOSEPH “King Kong” AGBEKO, Saturday, December 7, at Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom in Atlantic City. The card will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The live telecast will also feature local favorite GLEN “Jersey Boy” TAPIA risking his Top-10 rating and undefeated record in a 10-round junior middleweight battle against knockout artist JAMES KIRKLAND and three-time world title challenger MATTHEW MACKLIN in a 10-round middleweight rumble against undefeated contender LAMAR RUSS.

These six gladiators boast a combined record of 135-10, 96 KOs — a winning percentage of 93% and a victory by knockout ratio of 71%.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Caesars Atlantic City, Caribe Promotions, SMS Promotions, DiBella Entertainment and Tecate, tickets to the Rigondeaux vs. Agbeko world championship event go on sale Tomorrow! Thursday, November 14, at Noon ET. Priced at $200, $100. $50 and $25, plus applicable service charges, tickets can be purchased at Boardwalk Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations and online at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone call 800-736-1420.

“After a brilliant performance against Nonito Donaire, Rigondeaux puts his extraordinary skills to test on December 7 against Joseph Agbeko,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “This bout epitomizes the contrast of style of slick boxer versus brawler. Which style will prevail?”

“On December 7, fans will see some of the fight game’s purest boxing and punching at its most distilled,” says Peter Nelson, director of programming, HBO Sports. “The Boardwalk in Atlantic City is the perfect home for three such intriguing match-ups.”

“I’m very excited to get back in the ring,” said Rigondeaux. “Joseph Agbeko is a great champion, and I believe all fans will be pleased with the type of performance we will both exhibit to end a great year of boxing. I believe Agbeko will come prepared, ready to engage and be very aggressive. We will both showcase our skills, and I am very pleased to have the opportunity to end 2013 the way I opened it up, with surprise and pure boxing class for the world to see. I would like to thank HBO, my promoters Top Rank and Caribe promotions, my manager Gary Hyde, advisor Alex Bornote, trainers Ramon Garbey, Joel Casamayor, Pedro Luis, and all those that have a part in making this fight happen.”

“This is going to be a great fight. I’m extremely motivated. I plan to make my country proud by becoming world champion again after I defeat Rigondeaux,” declared Agbeko.

“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity my whole life. Now that it’s here it’s time for me to show the world that I’m here to stay. This is just the beginning,” said Tapia.

“Tapia hasn’t fought anyone near my level. I’m going for the knockout,” said Kirkland.

“I am looking forward to getting back in the ring and back to my winning ways,” said Macklin. “I’ve seen a few of Russ’ fights and he’s very sharp, very skilled and he’s always in exciting fights as am I. This should be a great fight for the fans both in Atlantic City and those watching on HBO. A big win against Lamar will set me up nicely for a big 2014.”

“This is great opportunity for me and my team,” said Russ. “I want it to be known to the fans and to Macklin that on December 7th I am coming to fight and I am coming to win.”

“We are delighted that Joseph Agbeko has stepped up to the plate by challenging Rigo for his WBA and WBO world titles and we are looking forward to putting on a “master class performance” against little Joe December 7th,” said Gary Hyde, Rigondeaux’s manager.

“Joseph Agbeko is a great warrior in the tradition of African fighters like Azumah Nelson. He’s coming for the title and plans to lay it all on the line. He’s a legitimate danger to Rigondeaux,” said Frank Espinoza, Agbeko’s manager.

“I’d like to thank Top Rank and HBO for giving Glen this opportunity,” said Tapia’s manager Pat Lynch. “I know it’s something he’s worked really hard for. It’s going to be a great fight and Glen will not disappoint his fans on December 7.”

“Kirkland brings all-out aggression into the ring. He’s strong, powerful and exciting,” said Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, of SMS Promotions.

“Macklin-Russ should be a barnburner between two fighters who can bang,” said Lou DiBella, Macklin’s promoter. “The fight means so much to both boxers that it can’t help but be a good one and we are happy that it is on such a high quality card in Atlantic City.”

“We know that Russ will come to fight but we are very confident in Matt’s skills and experience and know those two assets will put us back into the win column,” said Macklin’s advisor Anthony Catanzaro.

“Caesars Atlantic City’s commitment to sponsoring some of the top sporting events on the East Coast is no more evident than with this December 7th HBO triple header set for historic Boardwalk Hall,” said Kevin Ortzman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Caesars, Bally’s, and Showboat Atlantic City. “As a boxing fan, I’m particularly looking forward to the Tapia v. Kirkland bout. Given Tapia’s New Jersey roots and his quick growing reputation as an up and comer, this match already possesses a great storyline and will certainly be a high energy affair.”

Rigondeaux (12-0, 8 KOs), of Miami, Fla., returns to the ring after unifying the titles by defeating 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire on April 13 at a sold-out Radio City Music Hall in New York. Rigondeaux thoroughly dominated Donaire via a unanimous decision victory, ending his 12-year, 30-bout winning streak, as well as claiming his WBO junior featherweight title. Rigondeaux had a stellar amateur career, winning Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2000, World Amateur Championship titles in 2005 and 2001, and Pan American Games gold medals in 2005 and 2003, all at 119 pounds, before defecting from Cuba and embarking on a professional career which began in Miami in 2009. In only his seventh professional fight where both fighters scored knockdowns, Rigondeaux captured the WBA interim super bantamweight title, winning a tough split decision over the vastly more experienced former world champion Ricardo Cordoba in 2010. After successfully defending the interim title in 2011 with a first-round knockout of previously undefeated former European super bantamweight champion Willie Casey, Rigondeaux won the WBA world super bantamweight championship with a sixth-round knockout of previously undefeated defending champion Rico Ramos on January 20, 2012. Rigondeaux has successfully defended that title thrice since then, blasting once-beaten Teon Kennedy in the fifth round, which included Kennedy suffering five knockdowns en route to the loss, and winning a dominant unanimous decision over once-beaten contender Roberto Marroquin last year, on June 9 and September 15, respectively, and Donaire in their April title unification fight.

Before moving up to the junior featherweight division, Agbeko (29-4, 22 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, was one of the dominant forces of the bantamweight division. He captured his first International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight title just one month removed from his U.S. debut, on September 29, 2007, knocking out defending champion Luis Perez in the seventh round, ending Perez’s seven-year winning streak. Agbeko successfully defended the title twice, winning decisions over William Gonzalez and Vic Darchinyan, before losing it to Yonnhy Perez in October 2009. Agbeko avenged that loss and reclaimed the title in their rematch 15 months later. His second reign ended in his first defense, August 2011, a majority decision loss to Abner Mares, who also won the rematch in December of that same year. After taking over a year off, Agbeko returned to the ring last March 22, and defeated Luis Melendez to capture the IBO bantamweight title. Agbeko will be training with Roger Mayweather for his upcoming world title challenge.

Tapia (20-0, 12 KOs), of Passaic, NJ, will be fighting for the fifth time this year, only the second time he has fought this much in a calendar year. And why not? Tapia has starched three of the four opponents he has faced so far this year, with the highlight being his nationally-televised eighth-round knockout of undefeated Abie Han, in July, to capture the vacant NABO junior middleweight title. He returns to the ring fresh from knocking out Elco Garcia in the fifth round on September 28, in Atlantic City. Tapia is currently world-rated No. 9 and No. 10, by the WBO and IBF, respectively.

Promoted by rap star 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions, Kirkland (31-1, 27 KOs), of Austin, TX, returns to the ring after a 21-month hiatus spent dealing with legal issues. The two-fisted wrecking machine has acquired 11 of his last 12 victories by knockout dating back to 2007 and his victory by knockout ratio is an incredible 87%. Prominent victories on his resume include Alfredo Angulo, Carlos Molina, Joel Julio and Bryan Vera.

Macklin (29-5, 20 KOs), of Birmingham, England, has collected Irish, British and European middleweight and junior middleweight titles since making his pro debut in 2001. His steady rise up the ratings matched by his impressive victories earned him his first title shot, against WBA middleweight titlist Felix Sturm in 2011, in the defending champion’s backyard, Cologne, Germany. Macklin took it to Sturm from the opening bell but came up short on the judges’ scorecards, losing a split decision that many observers thought reeked of “home cooking” in favor of the out-gunned Sturm His performance earned him two more title fights, against middleweight champions Sergio Martinez and Gennady Golovkin, losing to both by stoppage.

Russ (14-0, 7 KOs), of Wilmington, NC, has twice served as WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin’s lead sparring partner in previous training camps. Career highlights include spectacular back-to-back knockout victories over Jose Alonzo and Jonathan Cepeda, who boasted a combined record of 25-0 when Russ fought them in 2012. A graduate of Fayetteville State University with a degree in Business Administration, Russ has taken care of business in 2013 winning all three bouts by unanimous decision.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo or twitter.com/hboboxing.




Lamar Russ to face Macklin on December 7th

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, undefeated Lamar Russ will step in for the injured Willie Nelson and face former world title challenger Matthew Macklin on December 7th in Atlantic City on HBO.

“This is a huge step up for the kid [Russ] but he really wants the opportunity,” said Lou DiBella, who promotes Russ and Macklin. “I think it’s a huge step up for Lamar, but he’s a terrific prospect and obviously we’ll see if he is ready for this kind of fight. He’s certainly a good young fighter. He doesn’t have the experience or the seasoning that Matt has, but he’s talented and he’s new blood in the division, and I know he will try. Matt welcomed the challenge and was willing to fight him. He knows he is fighting a hungry fighter.”

“I give Macklin respect for taking Russ, an unknown but hungry guy,” DiBella said. “And you have to respect Russ to taking this huge step up because he wants to fight on HBO. I give [Russ manager] Egis Klimas major props also for taking the fight. His attitude is that fighters fight and if you’re offered an opportunity you take it, because the worst that happens is you do your best and can’t pull it off. If Russ performs well, even if he loses, with only 14 fights, it won’t hurt him.”




Nelson out of Macklin fight for December 7th

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Willie Nelson is out of his December 7th bout with Matthew Macklin due to an elbow injury.

“Darnell Boone tied him up and Willie heard a pop in his elbow,” said Lou DiBella, who promoted bith Nelson and Macklin. “We got verification over the weekend that he has the tear and can’t fight Macklin. Willie is probably going to be out for about four months. He probably won’t be able to fight until about mid-March.”

“Willie is very upset,” DiBella said. “He was prepared and he was psyched for this fight with Matt. But at least it wasn’t a total tear or a career-threatening injury. He’s upset but there’s nothing he can do about it, and he knows it could have been a lot worse. He had a sense as soon as he heard the pop that there was something wrong. So we’ll find a replacement to fight Macklin.”

Another opponent HBO suggested — whom Macklin and DiBella accepted — was Max Bursak (28-1-1, 12 KOs) of Ukraine.

“We tried to make that fight, which was HBO’s idea,” DiBella said. “But Bursak’s trainer vetoed the fight because it was on too short notice, so we’re working on another opponent.”




Golovkin Steamrolls Macklin

Gennady Golovkin
The question coming into tonight’s middleweight championship fight between Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin and Matthew Macklin was a simple one: Can Golovkin really be THAT good? Before the first bell, Golovkin could alread lay claim to having the highest KO percentage among active world champions. He also had 7 title defenses, all of them by KO, to lend credibility to his glossy record. But Golovkin has looked so good and been so outstanding in all of his previous fights, that his fight tonight against Macklin took on a different importance. It was not simply about winning, but about winning with such overwhelming dominance that hype could finally be replaced with a true affirmation of talent. And Matthew Macklin provided the perfect measuring stick for just how much of Golovkin’s talent was truly hype, and how much reality. Although not many could be expected to pick Macklin to win, his fights again Felix Sturm and Sergio Martinez were enough to make even the most ardent Golovkin supporter feel that perhaps a bit of the “Triple G” mystique could be lost at the end of the night. Thankfully for those of us who love boxing, Golovkin’s performance against Macklin laid to rest any speculation that he’s merely another good fighter. Golovkin is truly unstoppable. He tore through Matthew Macklin with a serene ferocity that was truly remarkable to watch. Not for a moment did he ever look anything but calm; yet all the while he threw punches that were calculatedly brutal. It’s not often that someone watching a prize fight can visibly see fear in either fighter, but Macklin looked legitimately afraid after the first minute of the fight. Golovkin patiently stalked him and unleashed perfectly placed and perfectly leveraged shots to the body and head whenever he was in range. After less than one round, it was apparent the fight was over. Macklin was never truly in the fight and about a minute into the third, Golovkin put two hard shots upstairs then sunk a pinpoint left hook into Macklin’s liver. The shot doubled Macklin over and it would be a full two minutes before he got up off of the canvas. It was a shockingly definitive knockout of a very good fighter and exactly what Golovkin was looking for. He now stands at 27-0 (24 KOs) and should likely be considered the best middleweight in the world. Only a showdown with Sergio Martinez now stands between Golovkin and boxing stardom. For Macklin (now 29-5 20KOs), his career is still very much alive and well. He can still give any elite fighter (not named Gennady Golovkin) a real test and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him and Felix Sturm in a rematch in the near future. Macklin is truly a good fighter. But after tonight, Golovkin is truly great.

“My perfect position for that body shot,” Golovkin commented. “I want this fight (vs. Sergio Martinez). I felt great in the ring, he never hurt me. It was an easy fight for me. I want to fight against soon. Any top fighter, any champion, any belt holder….anywhere.”

“He’s the best I ever fought,” a game Macklin said. “He never really let me get started. It was a great shot he landed, the left hook to the body is personally one of my favorites. I tip my hat to him; he’s a great champion. He has clubbing, solid power and you can feel the weight of every punch he throws.”

In the HBO co-feature, up and coming super middleweight Thomas Oosthuizen got much more than he expected out of the unbeaten but unheralded Brandon Gonzalez. The fight started with Oosthuizen working his southpaw jab from the outside, but Gonzalez used his quicker feet to slip into position and connect with straight right hands. Gonzalez utilized this strategy to good effect through the first 5 rounds, but Oosthuizen began to find a home for his straight left in round 6. Gonzalez picked back up in round 7, landing some hard shots and gaining back a bit of momentum; but rounds 8-10 were all Oosthuizen. Gonzalez (who was in his first 10 round fight) was visibly tired throughout the last 3 rounds and was no longer able to slip into position to punch. He also had lost enough movement to catch some hard punches from Oosthuizen and had to empty his tank over the last round to stay in the fight. At the end, none of the judges agreed and handed in scores of 98-92 for Gonzalez, 96-94 for Oosthuizen and 95-95 a draw. The resulting split draw allowed both fighters to remain unbeaten: Gonzalez at 17-0-2 10KOs and Oosthuizen at 23-0-2 13KOs.

“I felt sluggish the first two rounds and then I found my rhythm. I thought I won the fight. I’d give him an immediate rematch if he wanted. I want to come back to fight in America soon and I want to fight Mikkel Kessler.”

“I feel good,” Gonzales remarked. “I absolutely won the fight. I landed the harder punches and out-boxed him. I did everything I had to do, unfortunately, the judges didn’t think so. We’ll go back to the drawing board and figure out where to go from there.”

The HBO opener between junior middleweights Willie Nelson and Luciano Cuello was a fight that should probably be shown to anyone new to boxing as an example of how a fight is scored. Nelson was able to win enough rounds to easily take the fight; but was beat up in almost every one of the rounds he lost. Rounds 3, 7 and 10 were rounds in which Cuello landed hard shots that had Nelson staggered on a number of occasions. Nelson won almost all of the others with a higher work rate and put enough rounds in the bank to be assured a victory despite a disastrous 10th round in which he was badly hurt by a Cuello uppercut. Nelson hung on to survive to the bell and took a unanimous decision by scores of 97-93 (twice) and 96-94. He improves to 21-1-1 12KOS while Cuello slips to 32-3 15KOs.

“I feel great,” Nelson said after making his HBO debut. “He’s tougher than I thought but I still think I won convincingly. The cuts (both eyes) bothered me but I fought through it. I want to fight all the top 154-pound fighters and this was another step in that direction.”




FOLLOW GOLOVKIN – MACKLIN LIVE

Golovkin_Macklin_weigh in
Follow all the action Live from Foxwoods Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut as WBA Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin defends the crown against tough Matthew Macklin. The action begins at 9:45 est / 6:45 pac with a two fight undercard featuring Super Middleweights Thomas Oosthiuzen and Brandon Gonzalez plus Super Welterweights Willie Nelson and Luciano Cuello

12 Rounds–WBA Middleweight championship–gennady Golovkin (26-0, 23 KO’s) vs Matthew Macklin (29-4, 20 KO’s)

Round 1 Jab from Macklin..Big right from Golovkin..Hard jab…left dives Macklin into ropes..10-9 Golovkin

Round 2 Hard right and left to the body..Right to the body,,Right from Macklin..Macklin cut above left eye…20-18 Golovkin

Round 3 Body shot and uppercut…Left hook from Macklin..HARD BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES MACKLIN AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

10 Rounds–Super Middleweights–Thomas Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KO’s) vs Brandon Gonzales (17-0, 10 KO’s)

Round 1 Gonzales lands a hard right and left..10-9 Gonzales

Round 2 Gonzales lands 2 to the body and working inside..Right..head shots..20-18 Gonzales

Round 3 Gonzales being more active..30-27 Gonzales

Round 4 Body/ head from Oosthuizen..2 hard rights from Gonzales..40-37 Gonzales

Round 5 4 punch combo from Gonzales..50-46 Gonzales

Round 6 Scraping left hook from Gonzales…Trading jabs..Oosthuizen lands a uppercut…couple boy shots..59-56 Gonzales

Round 7 Good right from Gonzales..Good right…69-65 Gonzales

Round 8 Couple light punches from Oosthuizen..Hard lead right from Gonzales. 78-75 Gonzales

Round 9 Good right from Gonzales…Oothuizen lands a left.. Gonzales lands a right…88-84 Gonzales

Round 10 Gonzales lands a right..Hard left from Oosthuzien wobbles Gonzales..97-94 Gonzales

98-92 Gonzales; 96-94 Oosthuizen; 95-95—DRAW

10 Rounds–Super Welterweights–Willie Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KO’s) vs Luciano Cuello (36-2, 16 KO’s)

Round 1 Nelson lands a body shot..Left hook wobbles Cuello..Straight right..Good left hook..10-9 Nelson

Round 2 20-19

Round 3 Cuello lands 2 body shots on the ropes..Good left hook..Wide right..Hard right and uppercut and left hook..29-29

Round 4 Nelson lands a jab..lead right..39-38 Nelson

Round 5 Nelson lands a right to the body..49-47 Nelson

Round 6 Nelson lands a good left hook…59-56 Nelson

Round 7 Hard right rocks Nelson..Hard flurry in the corner..Nelson lands a good left..68-66 Nelson

Round 8 Cuello lands a right..Good left hook..77-76 Nelson

Round 9 Nelson lands a jab..87-85 Nelson

Round 10 Cuello lands a hard shot..Uppercut hurts Nelson…Nelson holding on…Nelson bleeding over the left eye..96-95 Nelson

97-93, 97-93, 96-94 –WILLIE NELSON




WEIGHTS FROM FOXWOODS

Golovkin_Macklin_weigh in
GENNADY GOLOVKIN 159 LBS. MATTHEW MACKLIN 159 LBS.

WI2

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (June 28, 2013) — The official weigh-in was held today for tomorrow night’s HBO Triple-Header, presented by DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions, in MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Saturday’s HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader airs live from the Foxwoods Resort Casino’s MGM Grand Theater in Mashantucket, Connecticut at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

The telecasts opens with Willie Nelson as he takes on Luciano Cuello in a scheduled 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division.

Nelson vs. Cuello will be followed by a 10-round super middleweight showdown matching the undefeated Thomas Oosthuizen against Brandon Gonzales and his own undefeated record.

The main event pits middleweight title-holder Gennady Golovkin in his return to HBO against challenger Matthew Macklin in a 12-round title bout.

Below find fighter weights and pictures by Ed Diller / DiBella Entertainment.

Main Event – WBA / IBO World Middleweight Championship (12) – HBO

GENNADY “GGG”GOLOVKIN (26-0, 23 KOs), Stuggart, Germany by way of Kazakhstan 159 LBS.

W3

MATTHEW “Mack The Knife” MACKLIN (29-4, 20 KOs), Birmingham, United Kingdom 159 LBS.

WI4

Co-Feature – Super Middleweights (10) – HBO

L: THOMAS “Tommy Gun” OOSTHUIZEN (21-0-1, 13 KOs), Boksburg, South Africa 167 LBS.

R: BRANDON “Flawless” GONZALES (17-0, 10 KOs), Sacramento, California 166 LBS.

COWI

NABF Super Welterweight Championship (10) – HBO

L: WILLIE “The Great” NELSON (20-1-1, 12 KOs), Champion, Cleveland, Ohio 153 LBS.

R: LUCIANO LEONEL “El Principito” CUELLO (32-2, 16 KOs), Buenos Aires, Argentina 153 LBS.

WI5

Featherweights (8)

L: LUIS “KO King” ROSA, JR. (13-0, 6 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut 124 LBS.

R: JOSE ANGEL “Pepe” BERANZA (36-26-2, 28 KOs), Mexico City, Mexico 124 LBS.

WI6

Junior Middleweights (8)

L: DANNY “Bhoy” O’CONNOR (20-1, 7 KOs), Framingham, Massachusetts 152 LBS.

R: HECTOR “The Hurricane” MUNOZ (21-10-1, 14 KOs), Albuquerque, New Mexico 151 LBS

Featherweights (8)

L: LUIS “KO King” ROSA, JR. (13-0, 6 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut 124 LBS.

R: JOSE ANGEL “Pepe” BERANZA (36-26-2, 28 KOs), Mexico City, Mexico 124 LBS.

WO8

Welterweights (8)

DUSTY HERNANDEZ-HARRISON (15-0, 9 KOs), Washington D.C. 146 LBS.

BEN “The Congo Soldier” ANKRAH (17-15, 8 KOs), Chicago, Illinois by way of Ghana 146 LBS.

WHEN: Saturday, June 28, 2013

WHERE: MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino

PROMOTER: DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions

HBO® Boxing After Dark starting at 9:45 p.m. ET

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.




GENNADY GOLOVKIN-MATTHEW MACKLIN FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Gennady Golovkin (208x138)
New York, NY (6/26/3) – This Saturday, June 29th, defending WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) meets Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s) in their much-anticipated middleweight championship showdown at the MGM Grand Theaterat Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The championship matchup will be the main event on the HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, which will be televised live on HBO® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

The champion Golovkin and the challenger Macklin held their final press conference earlier this afternoon before a standing room only crowd at New York City’s famed Gallagher’s Steakhouse. Both fighters looked eager to get things underway after lengthy training camps and promised fireworks on Saturday night.

Below are photos and quotes from the final presser:

Gennady Golovkin: It is very good to see everybody, and I want to thank everyone who was involved in making this fight. We are very close right now to the fight night and I am very excited. I think this is a great fight for us. I am the champion, and Matthew is the best challenger out there for me. This fight will prove who is truly the best in the middleweight division.

Matthew Macklin: This is my third time fighting for a world title and I feel that I am a better fighter now than in either of those appearances. The biggest fights and the toughest challenges have always brought the best out of me, and I know that is what will happen on Saturday night. No disrespect, but he has never fought anyone of my caliber. The amateurs are the amateurs, this is the professionals. He was winning amateur championships when I was having 12-round wars.

There is an old saying, ‘When the going gets tough the tough gets going’, and I know we have a tough task on Saturday night, but I know that on Saturday night I WILL be walking out of that ring as the new middleweight champion of the world.

Tom Loeffler: Everyone involved with this promotion has been all class and shown nothing but professionalism. HBO wanted to put together the best possible fight for Gennady, and we feel that Matthew is that matchup.

Usually I am not known for being brass at press conferences, I will say though, and this is with all due respect, but we think that Gennady is THE best middleweight in the world right now. To make everyone else a believer though, we know that Gennady has to prove that, and we feel that is exactly what he will do on Saturday night.

A lot of people think that maybe Gennady is too overhyped, or risen a bit too quickly, but we feel everything he has right now he has earned and is deserved and an impressive victory over Macklin on Saturday night further solidifies that.

Lou DiBella: This is going to be a terrific fight and a terrific event on Saturday night. Golovkin has already been ordained as the 2nd coming and we and Team Macklin think that he needs to prove that, and on Saturday night he is going to have to walk through fire to do that.

Nobody wanted to fight this guy (GGG), partly because HBO and the press have already ordained him and have him out to be this beast of a human being. There is no doubting he had a great amateur career and his knockout ratio now is amazing. The difference in this fight though is that Matt Macklin is not scared of you. Matt Macklin is a big, strong, aggressive middleweight. This is going to be the hardest fight of your career Gennady.

I do give credit to Gennady though because he is a great champion. The whole world has run away from this guy, except for Matthew Macklin, and for that I salute you.

Abel Sanchez – Head Trainer Golovkin: I think Matthew’s biggest asset is having Buddy, who is such a great trainer in his corner. We are excited about this fight because we know Matthew is going to be right there in front of us. We are expecting a tough fight on Saturday, but also a short fight. It is going to be very exciting for as long as it lasts.

Buddy McGirt – Macklin Head Trainer: It is amazing when you get a fighter that wants to fight everyone, and that’s what we have in Macklin. He never takes easy fights. I think this is a great fight for Boxing, because it features the best fighting the best. People ask me what is the game plan? When you fight a guy that punches like this guy, you just have to keep is basic – keep your hands up, chin down and keep your ass off the ground. This fight is going to come down to nuts and guts and whoever has more of those on fight night will come out victorious.

Peter Nelson – HBO: We are really looking forward to this event on Saturday night. We expect an electric atmosphere. I think Macklin’s army is probably already there at Foxwoods gearing up for event.

This fight features two of the best middleweights in the world. This truly is the type of a dream match-up for us at HBO. Neither of these guys know how to fight going backwards and that is going to make for fireworks on Saturday night. They are great guys outside of the ring, but when these two get in the ring they become absolute killers. They come to fight and they come to deliver for the fans and we at HBO are proud to be a part of it.

Brian Peters – Brian Peters Promotions (Macklin co-promoter): Whether GG is superman or man of steal, we aren’t so sure, but what we are sure of is Matthew Macklin will take him places he has never been in his career. He will be hit more and harder than he has ever been hit and he better be ready for a war come Saturday night.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.




MATTHEW MACKLIN MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

Matthew Macklin
New York, NY (6/25/13) – Earlier this afternoon, top-rated middleweight contender and former two-time world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin held an open media workout at The Trinity Boxing Club in downtown Manhattan ahead of his much anticipated world championship clash this SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2013 against WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

The Golovkin/Macklin bout is presented by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment and will be televised live on HBO beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Macklin looked to be in tremendous shape, having kept himself just 2 lbs. over the 160 lb. limit for the past three weeks, and was all smiles and oozing with confidence ahead of the championship clash this Saturday.

Below are photos and quotes from the workout.

MATTHEW MACKLIN:

I have had a great training camp, truly the best yet in my career. I have already been on weight for three weeks.

This is my third crack at the world title, and I just cannot wait to get in there and get things going on Saturday night.

I am ready for whatever Golovkin brings on Saturday night, but let’s be honest, I am no point scorer, and neither is he. I am looking to take him out and him the same to me, so this can be nothing but a great fight.

I have done everything I have wanted in my career, except win a world championship, and on Saturday night that all changes.

LOU DIBELLA:

I have never seen Matthew look like this. I have never seen him this sharp or look in this great of shape.

People are saying Golovkin is looking past Matthew. Good luck if that’s the case. He and everyone else are going to be in for a big surprise Saturday night. Golovkin has never been in with someone like Matthew. He better be ready for Saturday night because he has a big Irish mountain in front of him that is going to make him walk through fire to keep his title.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing




GOLOVKIN-MACKLIN COMPLETE UNDERCARD

Gennady Golovkin
NEW YORK (June 24, 2013) – The explosive June 29thHBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, headlined by WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23 KOs) champion defending against Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs), will also showcase a loaded undercard at MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

The highly anticipated event is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment. The Golovkin-Macklin 12-round main event, as well as a pair of 10-round bouts between IBO super middleweight titlist Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KOs) and Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (17-0, 10 KOs) in the co-feature, and NABF super welterweight champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KOs) defending against Argentinian-invader Luciano Leonel “El Principito” Cuello (32-2, 16 KOs), will all be televised live on HBO® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Providing chief support for the non-televised portion is an eight-round super lightweight match between local favorite Danny “dBoy” O’Connor (20-1, 7 KOs) and veteran Hector “The Hurricane” Munoz (21-10-1, 14 KOs). O’Connor, fighting out of nearby Framingham (MA), was a 2008 U.S. Olympic Team alternate. The 28-year-old southpaw is riding a six-fight win streak, since suffering his lone professional loss, during which time he has added head trainer Ronnie Shields to his corner, and Dropkick Murphys band founder/frontman Kenny Casey as his manager.

Munoz has been a gatekeeper, of sorts, in the welterweight and light welterweight divisions having fought world-class opponents such as Ed Paredes, Shawn Porter, Mike Jones and Antonin DeCarie.

Another top New England prospect, unbeaten New Haven (CT) junior featherweight Luis “KO King” Rosa Jr., puts his perfect record on the line in an eight-round match against an opponent to be determined. Rosa captured a gold medal at the 2008 National PAL Championships.

Also set to fight on the undercard is undefeated super welterweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison (15-0, 9 KOs), fighting out of Washington D.C., Harrison is set to take on Ben Ankrah (17-15, 8KO’s) in a scheduled six rounder.

Rounding out the card is fellow undefeated prospect and former Emmanuel Steward protégé, Tony Harrison (13-0, 10KO’s) of Detroit, MI. Harrison is set to take on an opponent TBA. The bout is scheduled for six rounds in the junior middleweight division.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.




WILLIE NELSON DEDICATES HIS HBO DEBUT FIGHT ON GOLOVKIN-MACKLIN CARD TO CLEVELAND 3

NEW YORK (June 18, 2013) – NABF super welterweight champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KOs) is dedicating his HBO® debut fight on June 29, against Argentinian-invader Luciano Leonel “El Principito” Cuello (32-2, 16 KOs), to the three Cleveland women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight – who were kidnapped, abused and held hostage for a decade until they were recently freed.

“I’m from Cleveland and this terrible thing hit too close to home,” Nelson explained. “I wanted to do something so people don’t forget what these brave women

and their families went through. They are the toughest fighters in Cleveland.”

The 10-round fight between Nelson and Cuello will be the HBO opener (9:45 p.m. ET/PT start) on an explosive triple-header, promoted by DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions, headlined by WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23 KOs) defending against Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs), live from MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. IBO super middleweight titlist Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KOs) takes on Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (17-0, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature on HBO.

“Willie Nelson is a very special kid,” said Steve Smith (Rumble Time Promotions), who co-promotes Nelson with Lou DiBella. “Right after these poor women were freed, I had a long conversation with Willie, and I could tell how moved he was by what had happened to them. He wanted to honor them in some manner and Willie decided to dedicate the fight to them. What better way to do that than on HBO? He’s just a caring young man who will make a statement on June 29th.”

The father of two daughters, eight-year-old Constance and four-year-old Willow, Nelson was brought up in Cleveland by his four sisters, who back then were about the same ages as the kidnapped women were when they were abducted.

“I have a special place in my heart for these three courageous women,” Nelson added. “I can’t imagine my daughters missing for 10 years and them having to deal with what these women had to in order to survive. And we shouldn’t forget about what their families went through for 10 years, either. One mother never gave up hope but, sadly, she passed away before her daughter was found. Almost everybody in Cleveland thought they were dead. The guy accused of doing this to them (Ariel Castro) was in the Cleveland news as an up-and-coming musician. I can’t understand how anybody could do something like this.

“I’m so happy that they’re free, but they’ve all missed out on their teenage years and part of their young adult lives. They’ve each lost part of their life that they’ll never get back. I don’t want people to ever forget what they went through. I hope to get that message across to America by honoring them on HBO.”

Nelson also plans to wear a “Cleveland 3” patch on his trunks, a symbolic gesture that will also be displayed on the jackets of his corner-men.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For updates and additional information, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.HBO.com/boxing.




BOSTON STRONG: DANNY O’CONNOR ON GOLOVKIN-MACKLIN UNDERCARD

NEW YORK (June 11, 2013) – Born and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, light welterweight prospect Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (20-1, 7 KOs) has always been a proud Bostonian and avid sports fan of local clubs like the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, New England Patriots and New England Revolution.

On June 29th, the 28-year-old Irish-American boxer will take things a step further when he gets into the ring to fight veteran Hector Munoz (21-10-1, 14 KOs) in an eight-round fight on the non-televised portion of an HBO® triple-header card at Foxwoods® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

O’Connor will shed his traditional Clan O’Connor outfit for one specially designed by Rival Boxing Gear to honor victims of the recent Boston Marathon bombing. “I’m really excited to be Boston Strong,” O’Connor said about dedicating his fight. “I’m honored and privileged to wear what Rival has made for me. The names of the Boston Marathon bombing victims will be on my trunks. I’ll also be wearing the Boston Marathon logo and colors on my trunks, shoes, gloves….everything. This means a lot to me.

“It’s not like I’m on a team playing 100 games, so, after this one fight, we’re going to auction everything with all proceeds going to The One Fund. It’s just my way of showing my appreciation for what these families have been through. We’ll never forget. I’m from Boston and I’ve probably been at that spot (of the bombing at the finish line) a million times. Boston is tight-knit and this affected me and all Bostonians a lot. We’re Boston Strong!”

The DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions-presented HBO triple-header, starting at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT, is headlined by WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23 KOs) champion defending against Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20 KOs), live from MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Also airing on HBO is a 10-round co-feature pitting IBO super middleweight titlist Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KOs) against Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (17-0, 10 KOs), while NABF super welterweight champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (20-1-1, 12 KOs) defends his title against Argentinian-invader Luciano Leonel “El Principito” Cuello (32-2, 16 KOs) in the 10-round HBO opener.

O’Connor has gone through a metamorphism, in and out of the ring, since suffering his lone professional loss on April 8, 2011, by eight-round decision to Gabriel Bracero. The popular O’Connor has won six in a row, four by knockout, after he started being trained by two-time world title challenger Ronnie Shields and managed by Kenny Casey, founder/front-man for the wildly popular Dropkick Murphys band out of Boston.

“I am a different person,” O’Connor explained, regarding what’s happened since his only loss. “I have a family now – my wife Diane and our two-year-old son Liam – and I’ve been sober for one and a half years and will remain this way. I have a completely different lifestyle now. They inspire me and today I appreciate even the smallest things. I’m blessed to be in the position I am in with Kenny, Coach Ronnie, and all of the others who’ve helped me. I strive to be great in boxing and as a person.

“I’m not fighting on HBO, but I hope to impress the people there on June 29. Maybe my next fight will be on television? I’m coming off an injury and itching to get back in the ring. I’m fighting a tough veteran in Munoz, who keeps coming forward with his in-your-face style. I’m ready for anybody after what I’ve been through. I feel so good now.”

Echostar Technologies and 1208 Reality are sponsoring a free bus trip to and from Foxwoods for O’Connor fans. Go to www.dannyoconnorboxing.com to sign up. Tickets may also be purchased at that site.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

For updates and additional information, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.HBO.com/boxing.




GOLOVKIN-MACKLIN TRAINING CAMP NOTES

Gennady Golovkin
New York, NY (5/28/13) – Defending WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s) both took time out of their busy training schedules to talk about their eagerly anticipated upcoming middleweight championship showdown on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The championship matchup will be the main event on the HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, which will be televised live on HBO® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Golovkin is training at The Summit High Altitude Training Facility in Big Bear with head trainer Abel Sanchez, while Macklin has been preparing at his brand new state-of-the-art facility, Macklin’s Gym Marbella (MGM) in beautiful Marbella, Spain. Macklin left his camp in Spain this past Sunday to travel to New York City for his final preparations with head trainer Buddy McGirt.

Below are camp notes from both fighters.

GOLOVKIN: “Training has been going very well, we have a very good atmosphere up in Big Bear. This is where I have trained for my last seven fights and I am very comfortable here. I have been getting great sparring, training with WBO junior middleweight champion Zaurbek Baysangurov.

“Every morning I wake up at 6:30 and do my morning run, which is anywhere between 4-5 miles. We go to the gym in the afternoon and, depending on the day, I will either spar or work on strategy with Abel. Every night, we all have dinner together as a team and then we spend the latter part of the evening socializing, relaxing and watching movies.

“We respect Macklin, but I don’t believe that the strengths that he has shown in the past against previous opponents will have any effect on me. I expect him to be a complete different fighter with a completely different game plan against me. Whatever he brings though, we will be more than ready to come away successful, and as always I plan on putting on a very strong, and entertaining performance on June 29th.”

MACKLIN: “I have had an excellent camp so far here in Spain, and I am looking forward to coming over to NYC to join Buddy and get acclimated to the time difference. It is great having my own gym when I am preparing for a fight, but I also cherish the fact that the facility is home to a number of world-class athletes from all types of sports, as well as for the local kids here to come in and learn the sport of boxing.

“We start our day with an early morning run. I divide my running sessions up between hill runs, through the beautiful mountains, and sprints. After my run, I go home and have a good breakfast and relax until the afternoon. In the afternoon, I head to the gym for my main session of the day. I switch things around to keep things fresh; depending on the day, the main focus of the session will either be pad-work or sparring. On alternate days, I’ll go back to the gym in the evening and work with my strength and conditioning coach. At night, I will either watch a movie to relax, or go for a long walk around the beautiful harbor in Marbella.

“I have been a pro since 2001, but I am always learning and trying new things in training. There is no substitute for experience and through that, you find out what works for you and what doesn’t. It is important to listen to your body and not be afraid to adapt your training routine based on what your body is telling you.

“I am very excited about this fight, because Golovkin is there to be hit. With someone like Sergio Martinez, because of his style and movement, it can be very hard to land cleanly on him and get your combinations off, and that is frustrating. With Golovkin, obviously he is very dangerous, but he is right there in front of you. Everyone talks about his power, and believe me, I am well aware of it, but just like I am going to have to deal with his, he is going to have to deal with mine.

“I’ve always had a lot of confidence in my own ability. I think the nature of my career and the ups and downs that I’ve had to get to this point have made me a very mentally strong person. To become World Champion and finally lift that world title belt is a goal that has driven me since the first day I put on a pair of boxing gloves. I’ve won everything else in terms of Irish, British and European titles and I should have had the world title after I got ripped off in the Sturm fight. Each setback though has just made me more determined to become World Champion so that’s really the driving force behind me at this point in my career.

“As much as I am looking forward to June 29th, the the fans are the real winners in this fight. This is a real old fashioned, middleweight ‘fight’ and a throwback to the great middleweight heyday of the 40’s and 50’s where the best fought the best. I don’t think there are going to be too many tactical surprises in there from either of us. You have two physically strong punchers who love to come forward, so it’s no surprise that people are predicting a real war.

“Gennady’s a great fighter and he will go on to achieve a lot in this sport, but every great fighter hits a bump in the road at some point, and for Gennady, that will come on June 29th.”

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

The event is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment. The bouts will take place on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header will be televised live beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.




GOLOVKIN-MACKLIN HBO TELEVISED UNDERCARD BOUTS ANNOUNCED

Thomas_Oosthuizen
NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2013) – Ever since it was first announced, boxing insiders and fans alike have been buzzing about the much-anticipated upcoming middleweight championship showdown between defending WBA/IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s). Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment, promoter of Macklin, has made references to the fight as “Gatti/Ward-like” and even hall-of-fame promoter-arguably the greatest promoter in boxing history-Bob Arum was quoted as saying that it is a fight that he would pay to see.

Adding to the excitement of what promises to already be a can’t-miss main event are the two HBO-televised undercard bouts. In the co-feature bout, red-hot super middleweight contender and IBO Champion Thomas “Tommy Gun” Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13KO’s) puts his undefeated record on the line against fellow undefeated contender Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales (17-0, 10KO’s) while top-rated junior middleweight NABF champion Willie “The Great” Nelson (20-1-1, 12KO’s) squares off against Luciano Cuello (32-2, 16KO’s) in the televised opener. Both bouts are scheduled for 10 rounds.

The stacked card will take place on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header will be televised live beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT

“Both of these bouts have huge implications for each fighter’s respective divisions,” said DiBella, promoter of Oosthuizen, Nelson and Cuello.

“Tommy is not only one of the best 168lb. fighters in the division, but, in my eyes, one of the top prospects pound-for-pound in the entire world. He is taking on another undefeated, highly regarded fighter in Gonzales, and the winner of the bout truly emerges as not only a force in the 168lb. division, but as a potential star.”

“Willie is coming off back-to-back-to-back tremendous performances and is one of the hottest and most feared fighters in the junior middleweight division right now. Cuello is a proven contender, riding a six-fight winning streak and whose only two career losses have come against Canelo and Chavez Jr. This is a real fight and it will provide a true litmus test to see exactly where Willie is at.”

“June 29th is a big-time opportunity for all four of these fighters on the undercard to step into the HBO spotlight and establish themselves on a national level,” said Kery Davis, senior vice president of programming, HBO Sports.

With a combined record of 90-3-2, a nearly 95% win-to-loss ratio, and the bouts being the HBO debut for all four fighters, each fighter is chomping at the bit to get in the ring and prove their worth on June 29th.

“I am extremely excited about this opportunity,” said the IBF #5, WBC #6 and WBO #14-rated super middleweight Oosthuizen. “There is no bigger stage than fighting on HBO. This is what I have dreamt about since I was a young child. I respect Gonzales as a fighter. He had a great amateur pedigree and he has yet to lose as a professional, but he never faced a fighter like me, and come June 29th, he is going to find that out very quickly.”

“Tommy gets his long-awaited opportunity on HBO. Fight fans around the world will have the chance to witness the most gifted super middleweight on the planet,” stated Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves, LTD., Oosthuizen’s co-promoter and the premier promoter in South Africa.

“I want to thank my team and HBO for this great opportunity,” said the IBF #12-rated Gonzales, promoted by Goossen-Tutor Promotions. “Fighting on HBO has always been one of my dreams. Winning this fight will put me in a great position for a world championship and I look forward to putting on a great performance on June 29th.”

“Fighting a guy like Cuello on HBO will give me a chance to make a big splash in the junior middleweight division,” said the WBC #3 and IBF #14-rated Nelson. “He’s a high quality fighter whose only two losses have been to world champions (Canelo and Chavez Jr.). I want to beat him in a better fashion than they did to prove that I belong at the top of the 154-pound division. I need to win and win impressively. My ultimate goal is to become world champion and this fight puts my in line for that.”

“This fight is a major step toward Willie becoming world champion,” echoed Steve Smith of Rumble Time Promotions, Nelson’s co-promoter. Fans all over watching him in his first HBO fight will see what a tremendous talent he really is.”

“I am very excited about this opportunity to fight Wille Nelson on HBO and to have the chance to showcase my skills in the USA,” said the WBC #13-rated Cuello. “I am confident that we will achieve a major victory on June 29th. I would like to thank my manager Pedro Garcia and my advisor Elvis Grant Phillips for putting this fight together and of course my new promoter Lou Dibella and HBO.”

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet and online at Ticketmaster.com.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions, in association with Golden Gloves, LTD., Goossen-Tutor Promotions and Rumble Time Promotions. The bouts will take place on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header will be televised live beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT

For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.




GOLOVKIN-MACKLIN TICKETS ON SALE

Gennady Golovkin
NEW YORK CITY (April 16, 2013) – Tickets officially went on sale yesterday for the highly anticipated middleweight championship showdown between defending WBA and IBO champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s).

Golovkin and Macklin will meet on June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The world title bout will be part of a live HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, with the first televised bout beginning at 9:45 PM ET/PT.

On Saturday, Golovkin and Macklin met face-to-face for the first time at their initial fight announcement press conference at NYC’s historic Gallagher’s Steak House in midtown Manhattan. The event, promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, has had the media and fight fans alike buzzing for some time now, as the matchup is one of the best possible fights to make, not only in the middleweight division, but in all of boxing.

Tickets are currently on sale and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office. Tickets will also be on sale through Ticketmaster beginning this Friday.

The Golovkin-Macklin World Championship Bout is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly. For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.comorwww.hbo.com/boxing




GOLOVKIN-MACKLIN NYC PRESSER

Gennady Golovkin
NEW YORK CITY (April 13, 2013) – Earlier this afternoon in front of a jam-packed room of media at NYC’s historic Gallagher’s Steak House in midtown Manhattan, K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment hosted the initial press conference to announce the highly-anticipated Middleweight Championship between defending champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (26-0, 23KO’s) and Ireland’s top-rated, former world title challenger Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s).

The two highly-regarded middleweights will meet in their must-see showdown June 29th at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The world title bout will be part of a HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header, with the first live televised bout beginning at 9:45 PM ET/PT.

Below are quotes from the press conference, which was hosted by famed announcer Michael Buffer.

GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN (WBA & IBO Middleweight World Champion)

I am very happy to be here back in NYC and back on HBO. We know that this is a very difficult fight for us, and one of the biggest fights that can be made in boxing right now. Matthew is going to be the toughest challenge I have ever had. He is just as big, fast and strong as me and we are expecting a very tough fight on June 29th.

MATTHEW MACKLIN (WBC #3, WBA #11 and & IBF #14)

I am not the kind of person to turn down world-title shots so when this fight was offered to me, it was a no-brainer. My lifelong dream has been to become world champion and now I have another shot at capturing the middleweight world title.

I take nothing away from GGG. I think that he is a great champion. On June 29th though, he is fighting me and I am by far the biggest puncher that he has ever fought in his life. He won’t be able to just walk in on me like he has been able to against some of his past opponents.

I want to be involved in the biggest and best fights that I can be in and that’s exactly what we have in our upcoming title bout. I think that GGG is going to have a great career and I have nothing bad to say about him as a fighter or a person, but he is going to lose on June 29th.

When Bernard Hopkins fought Felix Trinidad, everyone was picking Trinidad to walk right through Hopkins and knock him out. That didn’t happen though and Hopkins knocked him out, and that is exactly what is going to happen when we meet on June 29th. I am going to knock GGG out.

TOM LOEFFLER (Managing Director of K2 Promotions)

It is always nice being up here on the podium with people you honestly call friends. This fight is one of the best in the middleweight division and the response that we have seen thus far throughout the media is a testament to that.

This fight wasn’t an easy fight to make, we have all made a ton of sacrifices to make this happen.

I feel that we have the best middleweight in the world in GGG, but the only way to show that is to get those other so-called best middleweights to actually get into the ring and fight him. I have a harder time making a fight for GGG than I do for the Klitschko’s. That is why I give a lot of credit to Lou and Brian and Matthew for taking the fight.

LOU DIBELLA (President of DiBella Entertainment)

I am thrilled to be standing here to announce this fight. Style-wise this fight is a can’t-miss. There are few other fights in the middleweight division and boxing that are as anticipated as this matchup.

Kudos go to Peter Nelson and everyone at HBO for making it known that HBO really wanted this fight. They believe in the excellence and quality of this matchup.

I want to send a special thank you to Tom and everyone at K2. We have both made a ton of sacrifices to make this fight possible because this is a fight that everyone wants to see.

I saw GGG fight in Monaco and when you simply demolish a world-class fighter (Nobuhiro Ishida) who has never been knocked out, you have to be impressed.

You saw in the Rosado fight with GGG that he will mix it up and rumble and Matthew is unquestionably the biggest and strongest fighter that he has ever fought. Matthew is going to go right after him and that’s what makes this a great fight.

PETER NELSON (Director of Programming HBO Sports)

All of us at HBO are happy that we were able to put this fight together. We have had a great string of fights recently and we expect to continue that string with this great fight on June 29th. We don’t see any loser in this event. We are expecting a spectacular performance by both GGG and Macklin. It is a great privilege and we are very proud to have these two great fighters call HBO their home

BRIAN PETERS (Brian Peters Promotions/Macklin Manager)

We are delighted to be here and want to thank everyone involved in making this great opportunity a reality. Want to thank our promoter Lou DiBella, who is easily the most passionate and interesting promoter in the world.

Hopefully GGG and Matthew can show the tenacity that Peter Nelson of HBO showed in making this fight (room erupts in laughter).

Most middleweights are scared to walk down the street with GGG let alone fight him. He is a helluva fighter, there is no doubt about that, but we are very confident in Matthew’s ability and expect a great showing on June 29th.

DANIELLE CARPENTER (Executive Director, Advt. & Brand Foxwoods)

It is always a thrill for Foxwoods to host a world-class boxing event and the opportunity to team up with DiBella Entertainment, K2 Promotions and HBO Boxing further helps solidify Foxwoods Resort Casino as the premier venue for professional boxing on the East Coast.

The Golovkin-Macklin World Championship Bout is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly. For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.comorwww.hbo.com/boxing

Tickets will go on sale Monday, April 15th and are priced at $300, $200, $90 and $45. Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods’ box office.




VIDEO: Matthew Macklin




Video: Golovkin – Macklin Press Conference




Video: Gennady Golovkin




VIDEO: Gennady Golovkin




WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN VS. MATTHEW “MACK THE KNIFE” MACKLIN SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2013

Gennady Golovkin (208x138)
NEW YORK CITY (April 11, 2013) – Foxwoods ® Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, will play host to the highly anticipated World Middleweight Championship bout between WBA (World Boxing Association) / IBO (International Boxing Organization) Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN and top-rated contender and former world title challenger MATTHEW “MACK THE KNIFE” MACKLIN on Saturday, June 29, 2013 in the beautiful, state of the art MGM Grand Theater. The world title bout will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 9:45 PM ET/PT.

The Golovkin-Macklin World Championship Bout is promoted by K2 Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

“I’m excited to return to the United States and once again fight on HBO. Matthew Macklin is a skilled, strong fighter and I look forward to the challenge of defending my titles on June 29th,” said Golovkin. “I have seen a few of his fights and am very conscious of how tough of a battle this is.”

“Golovkin hasn’t put a foot wrong yet as a pro. He’s destroyed pretty much everyone and, as a consequence, he’s probably the most hyped fighter in the sport right now,” said Macklin. “People have made him out to be this monster, but he bleeds red just like everyone else and, for the first time in his career, he’s going to be stepping into the ring against a big, strong, proper world-class middleweight.

“When you compare my last three opponents to Golovkin’s last three opponents, it’s clear who the proven entity is, going into this fight. I got robbed against Felix Sturm in Germany, it was nip-and-tuck between me and Sergio Martinez until I got caught in the eleventh, and last time out, I blew away Joachim Alcine inside a round, a former world champ who was coming off a career-best win.”

“Gennady is excited to return to the ring so quickly to defend his titles against a proven, top-rated middleweight in Matthew Macklin. Gennady was ringside for Macklin’s fight against Sergio Martinez last March and saw firsthand how dangerous he is, as he dropped Sergio in the seventh round,” said Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions. “GGG has become one of the most talked-about fighters in boxing. This fight with Macklin will be a very hot ticket. We’re thankful to HBO for featuring Gennady again and also to the Foxwoods Resort Casino for hosting this event.”

“Golovkin-Macklin is one of the very best fights that can be made in the middleweight division and all of boxing,” said Macklin’s promoter, Lou DiBella. “It figures to be a barnburner and we are thrilled that Matthew is getting another deserved opportunity at a world title.”

“This is a fight fan’s fight,” said Kery Davis, Senior Vice President, HBO Sports. “We are thrilled that both fighters accepted the challenge and we are looking forward to a terrific night of boxing on HBO.”

“Foxwoods Resort Casino is proud to be teaming up with DiBella Entertainment and K2 Promotions to bring a stellar championship match to Connecticut; proving once again that Foxwoods is the premier venue for professional boxing on the East Coast,” said Scott Butera, Foxwoods’ president and CEO. “The Golovkin-Macklin fight will be one for the record books.”

Known for his heavy hands and brutal knockouts and sporting a perfect record of 26-0-0 with 23 knockouts, Golovkin has quickly become the most talked-about fighter in the sport. His 88% knockout ratio ranks highest among active world champions.

Based in Stuttgart, Germany, and training under the watchful eye of Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California, Golovkin dramatically burst onto the U.S. boxing scene this past SEPTEMBER 1 with a sensational performance, dropping WBA #3-ranked challenger Grzegorz Proksa three times en route to a fifth-round stoppage in Verona, New York. He followed that up with a dominating seventh-round stoppage of Gabriel Rosado on JANUARY 19 at Madison Square Garden, “The Mecca of Boxing”. Both world title defenses were televised on HBO.

Most recently, Golovkin stayed undefeated with a devastating third-round knockout of former world title challenger Nobuhiro Ishida on MARCH 30, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, his 13th consecutive victory by knockout and eighth title defense.

Irish middleweight contender Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin, 29-4 (20 KOs), is an intelligent boxer-puncher, who has shown that he is not afraid to engage or press the action when necessary. He is currently ranked #3 by the WBC, #11 by the WBA, and #14 by the IBF.

In his first stateside appearance since a pair of 2005 victories, Macklin

challenged middleweight champion Sergio “Maravillia” Martinez at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012. Although he came up short, Macklin gave the champion all he could handle for 11 rounds, even scoring a knockdown in the seventh frame, in front of thousands of fans at the Garden and those watching on HBO.

Returning to the ring six months later, Macklin faced former junior middleweight champion Joachim Alcine in Las Vegas, destroying him inside one round, making an emphatic statement that he belongs among the best middleweights in the world.

More information on this exciting event will be announced shortly. For fight updates, please visit www.K2Promos.com, www.dbe1.com or www.hbo.com/boxing