[caption id="attachment_69034" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Matthew Macklin with trainer James "Buddy" McGirt, who is a former welterweight world champion."]
Irish world middleweight title contender Matthew Macklin flew into New York last Saturday for today’s official announcement of a blockbuster March 17 St. Patrick’s Day clash with champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez at Madison Square Garden.
The DiBella Entertainment [DBE] show will also include a host of other Irish prizefighters including Andy Lee, who’s ranked number one by the World Boxing Organization [WBO] and third by the World Boxing Council [WBC] at 160-pounds.
The Detroit-based Lee [27-1, 19 KOs] is scheduled to attend today’s press conference as well. He will appear in the co-feature against an opponent to be named as he zeroes in on a world title shot himself this year.
Sean Monaghan [11-0, 8 KOs], the wildly popular Long Island light heavyweight with County Meath parents, is also on the undercard. He told the Echo that Belfast man Ciaran Healy could be his foe in an Irish title match.
Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, a 9-3 [4 KOs] New Jersey welterweight with Mayo and Donegal roots; and New England light welterweight Danny O’Connor [16-1, 4 KOs] are also scheduled to appear on the Celtic-themed card at the Theatre at the Garden.
The show will air live on HBO's World Championship Boxing at 10 pm [EST], opening with the Lee fight.
Macklin’s crack at the Argentine-born Martinez, a southpaw considered the best middleweight on the planet, follows his gallant effort against World Boxing Association [WBA] super middleweight titlist Felix Sturm last June.
The Irishman dropped a highly disputed 12-round split points decision to the German in Cologne after pushing the champion to the brink. Many in the boxing industry called it a hometown decision for the champion.
“I’m really excited,” Macklin [28-3, 19 KOs] told the Echo on Sunday. “I want to show the boxing world what I’m all about and I’m glad that I’ve been given this opportunity to fight for a world title again after the Sturm fight.”
A former hurling star, the Birmingham-born Macklin said he was under no illusions going up against the seasoned Martinez [48-2-2, 27 KOs], who turns 37 on February 21.
“I will be the underdog [but] if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best,” he noted.
And Macklin, who’s 29, has reunited with his old American trainer James “Buddy” McGirt, a New York native and former world welterweight titlist, in his bid to dethrone Martinez. They will train in Manhattan.
McGirt replaces Mancunian Joe Gallagher who’s worked with Macklin for the last three years, including the Sturm fight.
Macklin trained under McGirt for several months in 2008 and in his one fight with the respected coach, decisively outpointed Luis Ramon “Yori Boy” Campas in Dublin, two years after John Duddy had rambled with the tough Mexican.
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DiBella Entertainment, meanwhile, have announced the opponents of its Irish fighters on the Jan. 21 Broadway Boxing show at the Roseland Ballroom in mid-Manhattan.
Sean Monaghan is scheduled to go eight rounds with Californian Billy Bailey [11-13 [4 KOs]; heavyweight Thomas Hardwick tackles winless Long Islander Richard Mason [3-0] and Danny McDermott squares off with Terry Lee Buterbaugh of Colorado [6-6-2].
Tickets for the Broadway Boxing card are pegged at $125, $85, $65 and $45, and are available from www.ticketmaster. com or by calling (800) 745-3000.
