Boxing Preview: Jamie Moore vs. Matt Macklin

Two Forces Collide!

This weekend’s clash between British Light Middleweight Champion Jamie Moore and challenger Matthew Macklin is probably the most anticipated domestic showdown in the UK for the last decade. Reason being as it’s a true 50/50 contest that could go either way. For me, as a fan of boxing, and many others, that is what makes this fight so exciting. The fact that two boxers, who could very well be beaten, are willing to put it to the test, creating what if’s, doubts and maybe’s that capture the imagination of people who love the sport.

We have two truly tough individuals in Macklin and Moore battling it out for British Title glory.

The stage is set for the George Carnall Leisure Centre in Manchester on 29 September. With Macklin’s boxing ability, coupled with devastating power punches and Moore’s all-out aggressive southpaw power-punching style, this is a bout looking to end early…but who will fall?

What makes this contest even more interesting is the personal angle. Both fighters reside in Manchester and know and like each other, but as both camps say, this is business.

Matt Macklin, 17-1 (13)

Macklin, a former ABA Champion who made his step to the pro ranks at the age of 18, is 24 now and guided by star trainer Billy Graham from the Phoenix Gym in Manchester. Macklin has been proving he is a force to be reckoned with in the professional British ranks since day one. Matt started his career in 2001 with a stunning first round knockout against Ram Singh, before going on to successfully take ten wins against various fighters in his weight class.

In 2003, the Birmingham native earned a title shot against the English Light Middleweight Champion of the time, Andrew Facey, but this was to be a bad night for Macklin, resulting in a points loss.

The Facey fight proved to be, in the long run, almost a reincarnation of Macklin’s career. From that moment on, he made the move to the legendary Phoenix Gym, and would be guided by no other than the man who developed the now two weight world champion Ricky Hatton, 2005’s trainer of the year, Billy Graham.

Macklin has since rebuilt a career that could have gone sour if he had of allowed it, but with determination, he has now earned himself rightfully to be stood across the ring from British Champion Jamie Moore. Since his sole defeat against Facey, Macklin got stuck in and forced his way back into contention, defeating Michael Monaghan inside five rounds to take the vacant Irish Middleweight Championship in May of last year.

Matt has definitely shown improvement, defeating eight opponents on the bounce, seven inside the distance. Macklin has even been to America, earning invaluable experience to his already impressive CV, winning twice there in 2005 and then twice more back in the UK since.

His style would have to be described as a pressure box-fighter and distinct body puncher; a trademark of the Phoenix Camp, which should prove a very tough test for the more experienced Moore in what is going to be a truly inspiring encounter.

Although the fight has been made, signed and sealed, there was a fair share of problems bringing it to the fans but it is here now and Billy Graham has full faith that Macklin will bring home the British title come the 29th, this Friday.

Jamie Moore, 24-3 (17), British Light Middleweight Champion

Moore is a well respected and somewhat feared adversary who has carved quite a reputation with his all-out southpaw style that has produced some of the best domestic bouts Britain has seen.

Jamie showed that the domestic division was alive when he took on the respected Michael Jones in three thrilling bouts, the second of which resulted in Moore being disqualified for hitting on the break. Jamie came back in July of last year and stopped Jones in the sixth round, ending their trilogy with Moore up 2-1 and regaining the British title.

As a pro, Moore has been a tough character, always willing to fight his way through opponents with his power. He started out in ’99, stopping his first professional opponent, Clive Johnson, in the third round.

Moore then forced his way through the ranks with 11 consecutive victories, knocking out six opponents, until he was faced with the much more experienced Scotsman, former Commonwealth Welterweight Champion Scott Dixon, for the WBU Intercontinental Title.

This was an all action bout with Dixon going down in the third but climbing off the canvas and managing to take Jamie out in the fifth, giving Moore his first loss.

This was not going to be the end of Moore however, as he got back in the saddle and made a return in excellent fashion, winning four bouts on the trot, three inside the distance, to earn a crack at the vacant British title against undefeated Commonwealth Champion Michael Jones from Liverpool.

In his first 12 rounder, Moore proved he still had what it takes and defeated Jones with a well earned points win in April of 2003.

With a career blossoming again and going from strength to strength, after a few title defenses it was time for Moore to meet Andrew Facey, who had just served Matthew Macklin his first loss two weeks previously.

The contest took place at the King’s Hall in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and it was a tough affair lasting seven rounds before Jamie eventually broke Facey down and stopped him.

Two fights later Moore suffered his second career loss at the hands of tough Ghanaian Ossie Duran, who knocked out Jamie inside of three rounds after the Mancunian developed a hip injury that left him one-legged.

As if this was not bad enough, Moore was then lined up against old foe Michael Jones, the man he had beaten a year and a half earlier for the British and Commonwealth titles, but this bout went sourly wrong with Moore being disqualified for hitting on a break.

At the lowest point of his career, Moore showed true resilience and got back into the mix with Jones straight away and blew the Liverpool man away in six exciting rounds, regaining the cherished British title in a true sign of his never give in character.

Since then, Moore has become the first man in 100 years from Salford, England to win the British title outright and has remained undefeated over his last three fights since stopping Jones.

Although Moore has suffered bumps in his career, he is undoubtedly a British Champion who has earned his right to be where he is. More importantly, he has given fans excitement from the first bell to the last, something some fighters don’t have the knack of doing.

Will his better opposition and experience see him through the Macklin defense and from there to venture outside the British scene? That is a question that will be answered on the 29th.

The fight itself is going to be a truly monumental occasion where both fighters are guaranteeing an action packed night of explosive action. As a boxing fan, I am going to sit on the fence for this little outing, as I cannot decide who will be going home a winner!