Matthew Macklin says the backing of Birmingham and Ireland will add further weight to his already iron-laden fists.
The Brummie [pictured on the pads in New York last week] crosses swords with pound-for-pound number three-rated Sergio Martinez in a career-defining challenge for the WBC Diamond middleweight belt - and recognition as the premier 11st 6lbs fighter on earth.
The pair meet at New York's Madison Square Garden in 13 days [March 17] and despite his lofty pound-for-pound ranking and just two defeats in 52 professional contests [48 wins and two draws, 27 inside] going back 15 years, there's a feeling that the Argentinian might just be descending down the other side of the hill.
The 37-year-old overcame a sluggish start against Barking's Darren Barker to retain his WBC title by an eleven-round KO in October and Irish-rooted Macklin, who's been inactive since a controversial split decision defeat in a WBA world middleweight title challenge against Felix Sturm in Germany nine months ago, thinks he has the tools to exploit his opponent's advancing years.
But Martinez has only suffered setbacks to former multi-weight world champion Antonio Margarito, a seven-round defeat in 2000, and then-feared Paul Williams, who edged him out on a 12-round split that was later reversed in just 251 seconds. More tellingly, he's taken apart the best in a brace of weight divisions and the combined records of his last six reads a staggering 202-5.
Yet Macklin, 28-3 (19) and a former British and two-time European monarch who controversially handed back his British Boxing Board of Control licence in the run-up to this, doesn't subscribe to the notion that the formidable California-based South American is as invincible as he's portrayed.
He's prepared for his hardest assignment by basing himself in New York under the worldly-wise eye of Buddy McGirt, who worked with the West Midlander before his points nod over former IBF boss Yori Boy Campas four years ago, and is adamant that the workrate, body shots and in-your-face aggression that's become his trademark will prove Sergio's undoing.
"There will be no excuses from either of us afterwards," said the big-hitting Birmingham City supporter from Solihull, 29. "I've had a great camp and it's been a pleasure working with Buddy again, who is a knowledgeable boxing guy and is bringing the absolute best out of me at the right time.
"I'll have everyone from back home in Brum and from my family in Ireland urging me on - not to mention the Irish support i'll have inside Madison Square Gardens on St Patrick's Day," he continued. "It's going to be a pro-Macklin crowd and a great atmosphere.
"And whether it goes one round or all the way to the twelfth, i honestly don't believe that Martinez is going to be able to cope with the intensity and desire that i will bring into the ring with me in just under two weeks.
"I'm ready for war," roared the fired-up former Small Heath ABC unpaid performer.
Image courtesy of Ed Diller.
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