Matthew Macklin is now looking to become a world champion after a nose injury led to him giving up his European middleweight title.
Birmingham-born Irishman relinquishes title following injury
Matthew Macklin is looking to the future after a nose injury ruined his planned European middleweight title defence.
The 27-year-old, nicknamed 'Mack the Knife', was due to defend his belt against Dmitry Pirog in Birmingham on April 16.
But an injury caused the unbeaten Russian to pull out and although Khoren Gevor came in as a replacement, he too was reported as doubtful.
Macklin himself then sustained a problem to his nose in training, causing his defence to be put off indefinitely. He has now given up the belt to concentrate on the world title scene, although he is holding on to the Irish middleweight title.
Gutted
Macklin told the
Irish Independent: "I'm just gutted. I had been waiting six months to put my title on the line, as a win would have strengthened my world title claims but there was no point in hanging on to the title."
The Birmingham-born boxer, who was at one staged lined up for a world title fight with American Kelly Pavlik, had won the European strap by beating Finnish fighter Amin Asikainen last September.
He sustained a nose injury while training in the famous Wild Card gym in Los Angeles under the guidance of the legendary Freddie Roach.
Roach said: "Matthew was sparring with a couple of Russian guys, two brothers, when he walked into a punch that he should have avoided.
"But there you go. These things happen and hopefully he will be back sparring soon. I should think he will be back in Los Angeles probably around the end of April."
Good kid
The trainer believes there are good times to come for Macklin, who has put together a nine-fight unbeaten run since being surprisingly knocked out by Jamie Moore in a British light middleweight title fight in 2006.
"I like Matthew. He's a good kid with lots of ability," Roach added.
"I've had some good times working with the likes of good Irish fighters like Steve Collins, Bernard Dunne and Wayne McCullough so hopefully I can have the same success with Matthew too."
The European title will now be contested by unbeaten British and Commonwealth champion Darren Barker and French southpaw Affif Belghecham in London on Friday, live on
Sky Sports.
