Matthew Macklin announces his retirement from boxing
Thursday 12 May 2016 14:31, UK
Three-time world title challanger Matthew Macklin has announced his retirement from boxing.
The Birmingham middleweight star confirmed his decision to Sky Sports, despite beating Brian Rose in April.
Macklin (35-6-KO22), who will be best remembered for a brutal super-welterweight British title fight with Jamie Moore in 2006 and challenging world middleweight champions Gennady Golovkin, Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm from 2011 to 2013, admits he could've retired last year.
The 33-year-old former European, British and Irish champion admitted he was far from his best beating Jason Welborn in Birmingham in October, and knew the Rose fight would be his final fight - even though he won the majority decision.
"Rose was a proper fight," he told Sky Sports.
"He's not Golovkin or Martinez but for me it was the right fight for me to finally make the decision. I knew it was going to come and it was the right way to go out, with a win at least.
I hope people will remember I gave it my all, never shied away from a challenge, took on the best and fought them in their prime.
"It was the perfect platform, the perfect stage and I knew if I didn't win that would be it - and even if I did win but struggle, that would be it.
"I needed a certain amount of pressure to get up but I knew about round five that it was over. I knew, but I wanted to make sure. And I wanted to celebrate a win.
"I knew it would be my last night in the ring and it was fun - and I can't always say that."
Macklin has worked for Sky Sports as a pundit and a commentator in the past and is looking to return to the media side of the sport.
He admits he will always be "in and around" his brother's gym in Birmingham, but is now ready to come to terms with his announcement.
"Now it is time to step back and let it sink in and cope with retirement," he said.
"I will look into the media side of things of course, but first I have to go through that transition from fighting to retirement, then we'll see.
"I hope people will remember I gave it my all, never shied away from a challenge, took on the best and fought them in their prime.
"Win lose or draw I went out on my shield and put everything on the line."
