Leading up to their WBC Diamond middleweight title clash, Matthew Macklin was convinced he had the ability to beat Sergio Martinez.
And entering the ninth of their battle at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday night [March 17], the Birmingham puncher's pre-fight confidence looked justified as he led on all three of the judges scorecards [two scores of 76-75 and a 78-73].
But like he'd done against Barnet's Darren Barker in his last contest, in Atlantic City in October, Martinez stormed back down the finishing straight and decked Macklin twice in the penultimate session before Buddy McGirt retired his man between rounds.
It was a typically brave and all-action showing from the Irish-rooted 29-year-old, who lost the opening two rounds for me. Quick and accurate, the pound-for-pound number three-rated Martinez's footwork maneuvered himself into position to catch Macklin off-balance in the second.
Yet the Brummie would take four of the next five on my scorecard [a view shared by all three scoring judges]. He stepped into range and fired off bursts of combinations at the California-based South American, who found himself under increasing pressure. By the fifth Macklin was getting the better of the exchanges and, satisfied with his work, raised his hands at the bell.
The sixth was better for the 37-year-old two-weight world champion, though, and his jab [doubled and sometimes tripled] slammed home with ease. The quick-fisted southpaw took that session on my card [i had it 57 apiece at this stage] but there was no doubting the victor of the seventh.
After some even trading early on, former British and two-time European boss Matthew slammed home a right that caught Martinez with his feet splayed, sending the gloves of the world's best middleweight towards the canvas. Though it wasn't a knockdown in the traditional sense of the word, referee Bill Cotton counted and the challenger handed a 10-8 session.
But that was to be the last hurrah for the Brian Peters-managed fighter, who controversially lost a 12-round split decision to WBA world champion Felix Sturm in Germany last summer, and he didn't win a stanza on two of the three judges' scorecards thereafter.
The speed that had been so effective for the Buenos Aires-born stylist in the first six minutes again shone through. He timed his jab to perfection to halt the charge of the willing West Midlander and his pressure meant Macklin, who looked gassed, spent increasing periods of time on the back foot.
Then Macklin couldn't take the heat and pace in the eleventh and unraveled, twice dropped by the lightening-fast left backhand of the portsider in the final 30 seconds. Though he beat the second count, handed to him on the bell, trainer McGirt wisely pulled his brave fighter out before any serious damage could be inflicted in the last.
At the time of the corner retirement, Julie Lederman had it all-square 103-103, with Don Trella and Carlos Ortiz Jr both having the speedy southpaw, whose record improves to 49-2-2 (28) and who registered his fifth win against a British boxer [Adrian Stone, Richard Williams [twice] and Barker], ahead 105-101.
Afterwards, a disappointed Macklin, now 28-4 (19), admitted a lack of concentration meant he payed the ultimate price. "I switched off a little bit upstairs - stopped moving my head," conceded the ardent Birmingham City supporter from Solihull.
"I tired a little bit in the final few rounds, but it wasn't extreme fatigue," marked-up Macklin continued. "I slowed a bit, stopped moving my head and got a bit heavy on my feet, which meant he caught me square-on.
"I gave it 100 per cent and think everyone would agree. I just hope i haven't let anyone down."
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