By John MacDonald
BoxingScene.com understands that Matthew Macklin 30-5 (20KOs) will box on the undercard of Arthur Abraham’s WBO super middleweight defence against Paul Smith in Kiel, Germany on September 27 before returning to Dublin on November 15.
The three-time world title challenger had been set to face Jorge Sebastien Heiland in a WBC eliminator on August 30 in Dublin but the card was postponed after his trainer, Jamie Moore, was twice in the legs, in Marbella. The fight would have been his first fight under the Matchroom Sport promotional banner and a “homecoming” for the Englishman of Irish descent but will now take place a few months later than originally planned.
The 32-year-old will be returning to Germany for the first time since controversially missing out the WBA middleweight “Super” title held by Felix Sturm. Macklin dropped a split decision to the champion in a fight that many spectators believe that he had done enough to deserve the nod.
Since then Macklin put up a brave, but ultimately unsuccessful, challenge against Sergio Martinez before being retired by his corner at the end of the 11th round. A third tilt at world honours came against Kazakh puncher, Gennady Golovkin who dispatched of him in the third with a sickening body shot.
For Macklin, he hopes it will be fourth time lucky as promoter Eddie Hearn looks to guide him to the title that has so far eluded him with big domestic clashes with Andy Lee and Martin Murray also possibilities for next year.