BIRMINGHAM-IRISH boxer Matthew Macklin has released a heartfelt statement to announce his retirement from the sport.
The middleweight vowed to retire if he didn’t beat Brian Rose at the O2 Arena last month, but despite defeating his English opponent, Macklin has pressed on with retirement regardless.
Although he admits he knew his body wasn’t up to the task anymore during his last fight, ‘Mack The Knife’ took over a month to confirm his decision, but it was worth the wait for what was an emotional announcement.
Last month, at the O2 Arena in London, around the half way point in my fight with Brian Rose, I knew it was time to retire. My face was marking up, I was getting frustrated at not being able to land my shots and I knew that physically, after a long career my body was telling me that enough was enough.
…after much reflection I have decided that following 24 years in the sport, over 80 amateur fights and 41 professional fights, it is time to hang up my gloves…
…I never wanted to do things the easy way or to be a big fish in a small pond. I wanted to know how good I was and test myself against the very best the sport had to offer and I can proudly say I did that. I fought Sturm, Sergio Martinez and the best of them all Gennady Golovkin. Most importantly, I fought them all in their primes…
…I’m proud of what I achieved from winning National titles and a Senior ABA title as an 18 year old in the amateurs to winning Irish and British titles and becoming a two time European Champion as a professional. Sadly, I never managed to get my hands on that elusive World title but I should have done that night in Cologne in 2011. I believe I was very unlucky to be on the wrong side of a bad decision to Felix Sturm…
…I want to thank all my trainers down through the years starting from when I was just 10 years old and my father took me to the Small Heath Amateur Boxing Club in Birmingham where I was trained by a Mayo man, Paddy Benson. I trained with Paddy and Tommy Lynch in the early days of my professional career before moving to Manchester and working with Billy Graham and Joe Gallagher and with Buddy McGirt in the U.S. I also had the pleasure of working with Jamie Moore, Richie Woodhall, Freddie Roach and Peter Harrison…
…One man who has always been in my corner is my brother Seamus who has shared my journey with me. He has been with me every step of the way from Manchester to Vero Beach, back to Manchester, to New York, Los Angeles, Marbella, Birmingham and everywhere in between…
…Another night that will always stick in my memory was headlining at the 3 Arena in Dublin against Jorge Sebastian Heiland. In the ring it was a bad night for me but standing there before my ring walk as a second generation Irishman, soaking up an electric atmosphere while the crowd blasted out ‘ole, ole, ole’ is a moment that filled me with great pride and will stay with me forever…
…There were so many other people who have helped me, too many to thank them all but you know who you are. Finally, I want to thank all the fans that watched me and supported me throughout the years, many of them traveling far and wide to do so. Without you there would have been no journey.
Thank you.
Matthew Macklin.
