By Lee Collier

Newly crowned European middleweight champion Matthew Macklin, 25-2 (18 early), will make his first defence of his European belt against his mandatory challenger, Russian Dmitry Pirog, 14-0 (11 KO’s) towards the end of February 2010.

The fight will be a good test for the Birmingham fighter and will also boost his world ranking with the WBC, with Pirog ranked number #4 by the WBC and also holding the WBC International middleweight title - a title he won by beating former world title challenger Kofi Jantuah over 12 rounds.

Macklin must first see off the challenge of Rafael Sosa Pintos, 34-4 (13 knockouts), at the National Stadium, Dublin on the 5th of December.  The contest is scheduled for ten rounds and is clearly a keep busy engagement for Macklin after his last two bouts went three rounds and one round.  Pintos should provide Macklin with a good test; he tested Anthony Mundine in a ten-round contest, and took Khoren Gevor the eight-rounds distance.

Macklin is taking the fight seriously, as he declared to BoxingScene.com after looking sharp in a training session at Gallagher’s gym in Denton. 

“He has a good record at 34-4, and two of those losses were by a ten-round point decision to Anthony Mundine and an eight round point decision to Khoren Gevor - who has just lost a disputed decision to WBA champion Felix Sturm, took Arthur Abraham 11 rounds and recently beat Amin Asikainen,” declared Macklin.  “Gevor is a really good fighter and he couldn’t stop Pintos.  Mundine is a former WBA super middleweight champion and he couldn’t stop him so it will be a good test.”

Macklin is training with the intent that the fight could last the full ten rounds.  “This could go the full distance but the way I am punching lately, and the way I am timing my shots, shows I am on form,” continued Macklin.

“My last two opponents were supposedly world rated and they have been my easiest fights because of the form I am in.  I could do something that Mundine and Gevor couldn’t manage and stop Pintos.  This will be a good fight for me - it will keep me sharp.  I am back in the gym already, fit again, my defence is getting better all the time and I am sharpening up my footwork.”

Macklin then talked about his aspirations for a world title shot and revealed the details of his next European title defence.  He said: “I will be fighting Dmitry Pirog towards the end of February next year.  Pirog is my mandatory for the European belt and is ranked highly by the WBC.  So Pirog will be a tough fight for me but I’m not looking past Pintos.  I need to get him out of the way, then beat Pirog and then I should be in a stronger position to get a world title shot later in the year.”