Macklin in confident mood after Sturm head-to-head

Matthew Macklin has promised the punch that has brought him 19 inside-the-distance wins will bring the WBA world middleweight title to Birmingham.

The hammer-fisted Second City scrapper, 29, challenges for his first world title on June 25, taking on long-standing champion Felix Sturm in Cologne.

The pair, who have a combined professional record of 63-4-1 (34), met at a press conference today (May 18) in Germany and though neither man had any words of disrespect for the other, both predicted the 12 rounds would not be required.

"For me, there is no doubt i'm going to be the winner," said the two-time European and one-time British middleweight champion, 28-2 (19), from Solihull, who addressed the media in near-perfect German.

"He is a great technician but my time is now and my punch will win me this fight and the WBA title."

Emerald Isle-rooted Macklin, who is being billed from Ireland on the fight poster, is right - Sturm is a quality technician.

The 32-year-old, 35-2-1 (15), has held versions of world titles (WBA and WBO) since 2003 and was seemingly and disgracefully robbed of the WBO version against all-time great Oscar De La Hoya in 2004. He rebounded and captured the version he's worn since 2006 with a 12-round taming of New Zealander Maselino Masoe.

Since then, he has made nine successful defences over two reigns, including beatings of future IBF monarch Sebastian Sylvester, Khoren Gevor and, last time out in February, Ronald Hearns - the son of the legendary 'Hitman' Thomas. Hearns was willing and tried but didn't make it through the seventh session.

Interestingly, though, Felix has been stopped (against light-punching Spaniard Javier Castillejo - later reversed on points) and been hurt and dropped on several occasions, meaning the Brummie's dynamite-laden fists and solid skills could cause problems at the Lanxess Arena.

But Sturm, whose last three stoppage victories have all arrived in the seventh, has dismissed the threat, boasting: "I'll batter him from the first bell.

"This will be a war, but one i will win by any means necessary. We have a plan A and B. Nothing he brings will change the outcome," he added.

Friday the 13 comes a day late for unlucky Gordon

Bad luck seems to be following Martin Gordon around.

The capable Brierley Hill welterweight has had an up-and-down pro career that, with a bit of luck, could have been so different. He's had no fewer than eight fights (including three single-point reversals) that could easily have been marked in his favour.

With those defeats still rankling, Gordon (pictured on the left) planned to take matters out of the referee's hands at the weekend (Saturday, May 14). Again, however, the third man in the ring conspired against a former top-rated Black Country welterweight who has twice come up short in cracks at British and International Masters titles.

That's because 24 seconds into a scheduled four-rounder against North Yorkshire's Matt Doyle, four wins in six entering, the fight was over.

The record books will show that Gordon - who has having his 14th outing as a paid performer, at York's Energise Sports Centre - was stopped in the opening round. But delve deeper into what actually happened and it's not as clear-cut as it would look at first glance.

Although the fight didn't last half a minute, the action was frenetic and action-packed. Within 10 seconds both had clashed heads and then Doyle, who was stitched up afterwards, had been forced to concede ground after shipping a brace of solid lefts from the fired-up visiting fighter.

Then came a moment that wasn't too dissimilar to when Bernard Hopkins met Robert Allen in 1998.

"I began the fight stronger," the 28-year-old West Midlander began," and hurt him with a double left hook early on. But it was soon after that he came up with his head, caught me near by my left ear and i slipped - falling through the ropes and onto the ringside table.

"To tell the truth, i was a bit dazed as i did hit my head quite hard but i probably could have fought on," a confused and angry Gordon candidly confessed a day after the set 12-minute bout. "But i thought Howard Foster, because i was cut as well and he's a good ref, would stop it and call it a technical draw or a No Contest.

"I couldn't believe it when he awarded the fight to Doyle and said that i'd been caught with a body shot that had forced me to drop. Rubbish."

It appears that Friday the 13 came a day late for the Shaun Cooper-trained trier, who needed five stitches above his left ear.

Errol Johnson, a well-respected trainer, matchmaker, manager and promoter, implored South Yorkshire's Foster - one of Britain's most respected and talented officials - to change the result but it fell on deaf ears, leaving Gordon to put his immediate career plans on hold to September at the earliest.

He said: "I've now got a 45-day suspension (mandatory for a cut) and that means i won't be able to fight against [Tom] Bowen on June 4 in Walsall. That's a huge disappointment for me.

"But then i want him [Doyle] again as soon as i can after the summer break. I haven't got a problem with him - and i beat his trainer, Glenn Banks, three times as an amateur - but i hurt him and know that i'd set the record straight next time."

And the honest scrapper rounded off by roaring: "I know a lot of boxers say this but i would fight him for free to get my revenge. I'll knock him out given the chance."

Mutley: "Gavin's getting knocked out"

West Brom puncher Young Mutley has turned up the heat ahead of his Birmingham v Black Country clash with Frankie Gavin.

The all-West Midlands 12-rounder forms part of a stellar undercard to Nathan Cleverley's attempt to win the WBO world light-heavyweight title from German knockout artist Juergen Braehmer at the o2 Arena, London, on May 21.

Undefeated super-middleweights James DeGale and George Groves also square off for the British 12st belt on the Frank Warren-promoted card, but it's iron-fisted Mutley (pictured with the British title) who wants to steal the show.

In order to do so he'll have to snap the nine-fight (eight via stoppage) unbeaten run of Birmingham's smooth-boxing, fleet-footed and fast-fisted Gavin, who holds the distinction of being Britain's only-ever World Amateur gold medalist.

And sharp Second City southpaw Gavin, 25 and a die-hard follower of Birmingham City, has yet to put a foot wrong as a professional, halting former Prizefighter welterweight champion Michael Lomax in seven rounds in his last bout, and challenges for the WBO Intercontinental welterweight belt that was stripped from Kell Brook earlier this month.

Although a former British champion at 10st 7lbs, Mutley - a capable, flat-footed, heavy-handed operator who can box and who has also challenged for the European light-welterweight title in an exciting career - starts as the underdog and has been out of the ring for 13 months, when he edged past African Patrick Bogere.

A loss (or at least a one-sided one) for Mutley, 29-5 (14), will probably spell the end of his 12-year paid career. However, at a press conference in West Bromwich yesterday (May 11), the 34-year-old Black Country puncher claims that it will be Gavin, trained by ex-pro Anthony Farnell, whose career will grind to a halt in London.

"Gavin won't know what's hit him," boasted a bull-strong scrapper whose pressure and left hook snapped the 28-fight unbeaten run of future world title challenger Michael Jennings to annex the British title in 2006.

"He's a good, talented young fighter who can go places but i know too much for him at this stage. It's come to soon for him and that will be there for everyone to see when we fight next week.

"He's getting knocked out," the Errol Johnson-handled West Bromwich Albion supporter coldly added.

All-Coventry title clash for Flinn in September

James Flinn may have missed out on the chance to be in the next installment of Prizefighter, but his consolation is an all-Coventry title clash with a former gym mate.

The undefeated Coventry stylist has been made a reserve for the next welterweight edition of the popular Prizefighter event and has looked the real deal since turning over in 2008, securing his first belt in the paid ranks with a landslide points decision over British Masters monarch Ben Lawler in March.

Flinn, boxing in nearby Bedworth, decked the defending champion in the opening three minutes before dominating the rest of the action to take a decisive 100-90 nod from Shaun Messer.

That took his professional ledger to 8-0-1 (2) and now will meet capable same-city southpaw Sean McKervey, 8-4-2 (1), at Bedworth Civic Hall on September 10 for the Midland Area 10st 7lbs belt

Although coming off back-to-back defeats, 27-year-old McKervey can be dangerous - and destroyed West Brom's Wayne Downing in three rounds to take the British Masters title last year, dropping him twice. He followed that up with more title success, a ten-round taming of Stourbridge upsetter Kevin McCauley to take the Area belt in December.

With titles-a-plenty in the city, Coventry boxing is basking in the same rude health it was at the turn of the millennium. 

As well as the said welterweight pair, the enigmatic Davies twins - unbeaten cruiserweight Rhys (boxing for the vacant Midland Area strap in June) and fast-handed super-middleweight Llewy - are also putting the city that produced the likes of Richie Evatt, Dean Pithie and Neil Simpson back on the boxing map.

But Flinn, 29 and a former top-rated amateur for Triumph ABC, is at the forefront of that revival and has doors opening for him.

If he can successfully see off the champion in September, the fast-footed, sharp-boxing stylist could find himself in positions for the EU, against Italian Luciano Abis (who beat Flinn's stablemate, Telford's Mark Lloyd, last month), or English, against Nottingham's talented if inactive Adnan Amar, crowns before the year reaches its end.

He said: "Errol [Johnson, manager] is trying to get me cracks at bigger titles if i keep getting the wins but I've got McKervey first.

"We've sparred before and, to be honest, i dominated him. But that's sparring. He showed me that he was fit and willing and I'll give him the respect he deserves in a real ten-round fight with a belt on the line.

"I'm not looking past this fight," continued the ambitious Coventry City supporter," but there are plenty of chances awaiting me if i do well - including potential contests for the English, Commonwealth and EU titles.

"But September 10 will be big for Coventry. That said, there will only be one winner and i'm going to knock him out."

Make-or-break month for hungry Gordon

Martin Gordon has vowed to learn from past mistakes in order to win his first belt as a professional fighter.

The always-willing Brierley Hill welterweight has two fights penciled in to his diary in a space of three weeks and knows two wins will secure him another crack at a belt he so desperately craves.

Firstly, Martin makes the long trip to York on Saturday (May 14) to swap leather over four rounds with local hardman Matt Doyle, four wins from six (one draw), and then, on June 4, crosses swords closer to home, at Walsall Town Hall, against fellow Black Country scrapper Tom Bowen, 1-1.

A brace of contests that could make or break capable Gordon's immediate career goals.

"I've been told he [Doyle] is a good kid who has only lost once as a pro," said the 28-year-old former Lions ABC club captain.

"But he was stopped inside a round in his last fight (an 84-second dismissal by touted Glen Foot) so i'm going to put it on him from the opening bell. I'm certainly fit enough to go at a fast pace and cause an upset in his back yard."

And despite suffering back-to-back title defeats - a controversial ten-round points setback to Rob Doody (British Masters) and a retirement loss to Richie Ghent (International Masters) - and being out of the ring for 11 months, Gordon's confidence is at an all-time high.

Intense training with undefeated ex-pro Shaun Cooper has given the 13-fight boxer renewed zest - feeling re-charged, hungry and intent on living up to the promise he showed as a 100-plus-bout unpaid performer.

"Everyone in the gym says i'm a different fighter since i returned to training after the few months off i had off following the Ghent loss," he said. "I'm nastier and hungrier-than-ever for in-ring success.

"I've got Tom Bowen at the start of next month and the way i'm feeling i should beat him with something to spare.  But it'll be a good scrap. Although he's easy to hit and slow, he has a big heart and he'll come to win so it'll be a good little Black Country fight.

"I'm 29 soon and I've been doing this since i was six, so will pack it in at 30 and go into coaching - giving something back to the sport that has given me so much.

"But i want another shot at a Masters title and, at my weight, that would mean meeting either   of the Coventry boys: [former Midland Area and British Masters boss Sean] McKervey or [current British Masters welterweight king James] Flinn.

"That said, the fight i really want is against [West Brom southpaw Wayne] Downing. He's beat me twice as a pro and, to be honest, he didn't win either of those. A third fight with him with a belt on the line would be massive for me and i could finally set the record straight.

"I've made a few mistakes in the past but I've learnt from them," he roared.

Froch's respect for 'Road Warrior' Johnson

Carl Froch has admitted he needs to chop down the sturdiest of trees if he's to reach the Super Six super-middleweight final.

The WBC 12st champion from Nottingham crosses swords with veteran former world light-heavyweight king Glen Johnson in Atlantic City on June 4 with the knowledge his Miami-based opponent has only been halted once in a 67-fight career.

Johnson, who once knocked out all-time great Roy Jones Jr and who also had three epic duels with Sheffield's Clinton Woods for world titles, is known as a sturdy, battle-hardened warrior who's not affraid to meet a man head-on or in his own back-yard.

But the Jamaican-born American gets home (well, country) advantage against Englishman Froch, 27-1 (20), who will be boxing away from Britain for the third time in as many outings.

None of this seems to faze the 33-year-old, however, and his mood has been lifted with news that the world title 12-rounder will be broadcast live on Sky Sports; the first time the East Midlander will have been on the channel since he stopped Robin Reid in his home city in November 2007.

Froch's out-of-the-ring business seems to be finally sorting itself out as he's also put pen to paper on a five-fight deal with Matchroom.

Now he can look forward to the prospect of a Super Six final showdown with undefeated WBA champion Andre Ward and then a massive home-coming in Nottingham, possibly at the City Ground (home of his beloved Nottingham Forest), afterwards.

By then, he could hold two of the four major titles at super-middleweight. But first, he must find his way past Johnson, 42 and 51-14-2 (35), who knocked out hammer-fisted Allen Green in November to book his place against Froch.

"Johnson is a very hard man," said the two-time world champion, who arguably put in a career-best showing to tame and soundly out-point Arthur Abraham last time out. "Hitting him will be like hitting an old oak tree.

"He is not going to move, even if i'm catching him with massive shots that would knock lesser men out.

"But i'm not going in there to show him how hard i can hit. He's been in with the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr, Antonio Tarver and Chad Dawson, and only Hopkins managed to stop him. That was in 1997 as well," reasoned Froch.

"I'm going to jab and move, hit him and not get caught - like i did against [former IBF champion Arthur] Abraham. Johnson tends to walk onto you and try and close you down.

"It is my job to box him and make the night's work as easy as possible."