WBA Champ Sturm Faces Macklin Tonight In Germany
By Nick Chamberlain June 25th, 2011 All Boxing PreviewsThe WBA Super World Middleweight title is currently held by Felix “Leonidas” Sturm, and he looks to defend that title, for the eleventh time, tonight against Matthew “Mack the Knife” Macklin.
Sturm's record stands at 35-2-1, 15 KO’s while Macklin’s stands at 28-2-0, 19 KO’s.
Sturm is an accomplished champion, having only fought outside of his native Germany four times, once in Croatia , twice in Hungary and once in the states against Oscar De La Hoya, where the Golden Boy was gifted a very dubious decision over Sturm back in 2004.
Sturm had a good amateur career, qualifying for the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, but lost to Jermain Taylor. The German was good enough to get there though, using a style that he has seemed to carry over well into the pro game.
He is very good at the weight and has competed there with no problems for a long time now, a solid professional; he fights behind a high, tight guard, which is hard to get through and is always there.
Rarely will you see Sturm tiring or lapsing in concentration, he is almost robotic in that respect. A bit like Arthur Abraham, but far more active.
As Sturm is a very well schooled, competent boxer, Macklin is going to try and draw him into a scrap, as really that’s the only way the Englishman can win.
Sturm can punch, but not that hard, his KO ratio is round the 40% mark. Combination punching is good as is his footwork to enable him to open different angles, but he is just lacking that big bang. More...
