Matthew Macklin wasted no time calling out the world's best middleweights after racking up his 10th win in a row.

The Birmingham boy recaptured his European title in front of an ecstatic LG Arena, overcoming the awkward Shalva Jomardashvili in five rounds to provide a fitting finale to the Magnificent Seven bill.

He admitted that he had been far from his best but was adamant that the better the opponent, the better he will perform - and set his sights on Kelly Pavlik and IBF king Sebastien Sylvester, who was ringside.

"I'm in this to be world champion," he told Sky Box Office.

"I don't fear anyone in the middleweight division. I boxed ok tonight, did what I had to do, you'll see the best of me when I'm in there with Sergio Martinez, Kelly Pavlik - then you'll see the very, very best of me, that's when I perform.

"I know Sylvester was ringside, I was shouting at his promoter. I'll go to Germany, but hopefully Frank (Warren) can bring it here."

A late call-up following Darren Barker's withdrawal, Jomardashvili was game at best, crude and uncompromising at times.

But Macklin, who hasn't tasted defeat since that brutal loss to pal Jamie Moore back in 2006, kept his composure and looked a class above.

And that, he says, is down to his decision to cross the Atlantic and train and spar at Freddie Roach's famous Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

"If that was a few years ago I might have punched myself out in four rounds, but as I've matured I've become more seasoned, a better pro," he said.

"I was fainting more, I was trying to lure him into the fight - and I needed him to throw shots to try and open things up.

"That's why I went over to Freddie Roach to get the sparring because when I'm in with guys who aren't as good as me, I drop. I just drop to their level and it doesn't work for me.

"Joe Calzaghe spent his career sparring in Newbridge and it worked for him, but it doesn't work for me."