Monday 12 October 2015 08:19, UK
Matthew Macklin is convinced he can still win a world title as he prepares for his first fight at light-middleweight since 2006.
Macklin takes on Jason Welborn in his hometown of Birmingham this weekend on the undercard of Sam Eggington's British welterweight title defence against Dale Evans.
The 33-year-old now has six defeats on his record - three in world title fights at middleweight - and considered retirement after he was beaten by Jorge Sebastian Heiland 11 months ago.
But Macklin has taken another route, and after rebuilding with successive wins the next step is back down in weight to 154lbs and a division he last graced in a brutal 2006 defeat to Jamie Moore.
"I still think I can win a world title," he said. "After the fight with Heiland I did think maybe I am not what I was. He is a good fighter with a horrible style to fight, but after three rounds of feeling sharp, I just felt that I had no energy in there.
"I hadn't been out of the gym all year and at 33, training like that, something has got to give. So I think that I still have plenty to give but it's just been about changing the way i train a little bit, small adjustments, and I think that I am going to be more imposing at super-welterweight and my power will be great.
"I'd been thinking about moving down for a while. The last time I fought at super-welterweight was before I boxed Jamie Moore, but I was bigger then and lifting weights four times a week, and I struggled. I went off like a bull from the gates, too, which didn't help because the pace was horrendous.
"Since then I haven't lifted weights, I've probably been over-obsessed with getting down to the weight early, so a lot of my training is down to high intensity cardio work to sharpen my stamina, so I am smaller now and I think that I will make super-welterweight comfortably."
Standing in the way of Macklin's latest path to elite level is Welborn, a fellow midlander who has previously lost British title fights to Frankie Gavin and Liam Smith.
"I have to win and win it well," Macklin said. "He's probably going to box 10 per cent better than he has before and train harder than ever too, and he might think that I will struggle to get up for this fight.
"But I am excited about the future at super-welterweight - and there is no future without beating Jason, so I am well up for this."
