IBF threat for Macklin
23 June 2010 – By Jonny Stapleton
The IBF has warned Matthew Macklin that he could ruin his world title chances if he goes ahead with his European title fight with Darren Barker.
The world governing body revealed that the Irish middleweight has agreed to participate in a world title eliminator against Giovanni Lorenzo.
Emerge victorious from that bout and Macklin will become number one contender for Sebastian Sylvesters IBF middleweight strap and subsequently get the world title shot he has actively pursuing for the last eight months. However, upon hearing, last Friday, that the Birmingham born fighter was set to fight Barker for the European title, the IBF are considering withdrawing their offer.
Frank Warren won the purse bids to stage the exciting European clash and is all set to name a date and venue for the fight. It was hoped that Macklin could regain the continental strap he vacated earlier this year before pursuing the world route, but IBF have revealed their rules dont permit that.
Thus, if Macklin wants the opportunity to become mandatory for the IBF world middleweight title he will have to pull out of the fight with Barker.
Both Giovanni Lorenzo and Mathew Macklin have agreed to participate in an IBF eliminator for the number middleweight position. But now we have a problem. If Macklin is planning to fight for the EBU Title, under IBF Rules he is considered unavailable, IBF spokesperson Lindsey Tucker told the Irish Mirror.
Macklin can’t fight for the EBU Title and come back later and fight the IBF Eliminator. We just found out last Friday (after Macklin’s camp agreed to fight in the IBF Eliminator) that Macklin’s camp went to the purse bid and bid on the EBU Title fight. Had I known that Macklin was the mandatory challenger for the EBU and planned to participate in a purse bid for that fight, the IBF would not have sent Macklin a letter asking him to participate in the IBF eliminator.
