Macklin Retired

I'm sure you all heard he just announced his retirement. Fair play to him for taking the Rose fight and leaving on a high note.

Wanted to get what everyone's thoughts on him were? Personally I was always a bit annoyed with him for turning his nose up at domestic fights with Barker and Murray. I think the Sturm fight got in his head he was world level and thought they were a bit beneath him. I actually scored the fight to Sturm. Macklin unloaded a lot but the punches weren't that accurate where as Sturms punches were although less frequent much cleaner and sharper scoring shots.

Can't knock him for getting in the ring with all the champs but he was never really that level. Also can't forget his fight with Moore and what a cracker that was.

If everyone that lost to a good champion wasn't world level...There wouldn't be many world level fighters..

He probably was world class and may have been champion had he fought Sturm in the UK or fought Geale or Barker..

Gave Sergio a good fight and got battered off a guy that would have a great chance against the modern cream in Hagler..Hoppo..Jones and a vintage 87 Nunn....

Perhaps unlucky with his timing...

Gutsy...Decent skills...Didn't disappoint the fans...

Nothing to feel ashamed of....and plenty to be proud of...

Maybe he oversold himself but what's wrong with that..

Not quite sure what world class is....But I wouldn't be too bothered if this guy went into that bracket...

Plenty of world class fighters don't become champions..

Good luck to him....Hope he has a happy retirement. .

Depends how you define world class. Think he lost challenging 3 times for a world title so in my book that doesn't make him world class but not going to argue if you say it is.

Wasn't knocking him about anything else but was disappointed he didn't take the domestic fights I mentioned. Think it would have been great for the fans and good for his legacy.

But yes agree he was gutsy and always put in 100% and usually in entertaining fights.

A very fan favourite style. He was in some great fights to watch. Maybe finishing a fight or two late as he has taken a lot of punishment over the years. All the best to him in what he does next. Timing as much as anything probably cost him. As he came up against two great champs in Martinez and GGG. Sturm fight as Truss says he could have won if over here. I'm not saying it was a home decision simply having home advantages might have just made the difference. But you do have to generally go into the lions den as a challenger.

All in all a very good career. Probably a little under appreciated.

melv500 wrote:Depends how you define world class. Think he lost challenging 3 times for a world title so in my book that doesn't make him world class but not going to argue if you say it is.

Wasn't knocking him about anything else but was disappointed he didn't take the domestic fights I mentioned. Think it would have been great for the fans and good for his legacy.

But yes agree he was gutsy and always put in 100% and usually in entertaining fights.

You're allowed to argue that I don't know what world class is...

I imagine your guess is as good as mine..

Will say though that i'm sure Ali and Holmes think/thought Shavers was world class and his record was patchy at the highest level..

Sturm is a bit harsh also..

It's all about opinions..

Great fighter who just fell short at world level (sometimes by getting robbed)

Always gave us entertainment

Enjoy your retirement, would like to see him join up with Sky

How about fringe world class? A haircut off world class. I think truss summed it up pretty well. A few years ago we had barker, Murray, lee and Macklin. All good fighters, none exceptional, all vying for the different belts. Two won belts, two had several failed attempts to... Are lee and barker any better than Macklin and Murray... Or is it just how the dice fell?

He was unlucky in the sturm fight. He won his rounds big and then gassed and lost the latter rounds by a less clear margin. So overall looked the better fighter on the night but on a round by round basis I don't think he was jobbed. If anyone deserved the nod he did though.

Whichever, always gave a good account of himself, came across as a likeable guy. Don't mind him as a pundit. Good luck to him in whatever he does next.

milkyboy wrote:How about fringe world class? A haircut off world class. I think truss summed it up pretty well. A few years ago we had barker, Murray, lee and Macklin. All good fighters, none exceptional, all vying for the different belts. Two won belts, two had several failed attempts to... Are lee and barker any better than Macklin and Murray... Or is it just how the dice fell?

He was unlucky in the sturm fight. He won his rounds big and then gassed and lost the latter rounds by a less clear margin. So overall looked the better fighter on the night but on a round by round basis I don't think he was jobbed. If anyone deserved the nod he did though.

Whichever, always gave a good account of himself, came across as a likeable guy. Don't mind him as a pundit. Good luck to him in whatever he does next.

I think that's fair enough.

Shame we didn't see the domestic fights as i think they would have been crackers. I guess we will never know but fringe world level is probably a good medium.

Yes a good pundit and sounds like he will try to get more work doing that so good luck to him.

Not sure how to call any of the fantasy fights between those 4. I'm guessing most would have led to rematches as they should all have been competitive

Should always be remembered for his part in the epic fight with Jamie Moore if nothing else. Plenty of decent fighters out there who will never be in a battle as good as that

Fought well against Martinez but eventually class told. The guy basically spent the last three rounds chewing straight lefts. Unfortunate to run into Golovkin before he was Golovkin. Suspect he wouldn't have gone within a mile of him in 2016. For the record I'd go

Murray
Lee
Barker
Macklin

He's the Ringo Starr of the fab four on a budget

Hard to put in an order, you could pull out a hat and nobody could say it was wrong for sure. I'd go:

Barker
Murray
Lee
Macklin

Always liked Macklin, and I'm glad he's gone out on a decent win against Rose. His performances since Golovkin have been pretty laboured, lacking that intensity and good body attack he used to have - if he'd have carried on, his career was only going one way.

Was he legitimately 'world class / world level', or just a shade below? Pretty hard to gauge as the fellas above have already explained. I would say, though, that amongst all unlucky three-timers who've failed in that amount of title fights, Sturm, Martinez and Golovkin must be amongst the more difficult of trios to try and nab a belt from overall.

I thought he beat Sturm even if he did do it by being busier rather than more skilful, and he gave Martinez a very good fight, too. Might sound like plucky loser talk, but I think Macklin's own little victory of sorts in that one was forcing Martinez to produce something very close to his brilliant best in the final three rounds or so to make sure of the win, something he probably didn't need to do against Barker or even Chavez Jr. No such glory in the Golovkin loss, but hey - sometimes the other guy is just way too good for you, and what he did to Macklin Golovkin has been doing to everyone else he's fought in the last five years.

I think lesser fighters than Macklin have lifted world titles in recent years, so to some end you could argue he was unlucky, but in general I'd say his career is more one to be appreciated and celebrated for what he did do rather than what he didn't. Not quite from the highest table, but usually entertaining, full of heart and not without ability and talent. Well done to him. Comes across pretty well in the studio whenever I've seen him so hopefully Sky will throw him a bit of punditry work in the future.

Macklin was very much a fan's fighter. Always entertaining and rarely in a poor fight. I thought he was robbed against Sturm but outclassed by Martinez and of course obliterated against Golovkin.
Glad that he has retired with his health intact.