They will fight in Samoa April 21-25 in qualifying bouts for the Olympics. They have to win a Gold or Silver to get through against South Pacific countries such as Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Australia. there are 6 or 8 fighters selected to participate. Hey, that Macklin looks the goods, he seems to have it all. Great jab, and gets off when he can. Seems to have an edge in discipline.... I think he could come off the jab a bit straighter with a fast right hand. I like him very much. Can we claim him though? The brits won't let us?? I like him wearing the green...........!:happy
I don't think its demoralizing with that Lee loss, I thought it was coming from his last fight. Perhaps he will learn from that and rise again. But he doesn't look durable to me in the top end of the spectrum. Macklin is exciting, and I still think Duddy has the goods to improve, I'm counting on that.
I personally look as Macklin as an Irishman, but only because Macklin considers himself one. To me there is not much difference between Macklin and Andy Lee, both born in England of Irish parentage, you can still hear a bit of a London accent on Lee.But essentially it's down to the individual where his nationhood lies. It's not just about birthplace, there is also a cultural dimension to all nationalities, which incorperates language, sport, dress, music and dance. The fact that Macklin spent long periods of time in Ireland during his youth, and participated in Gaelic games, plus Macklin's family are heavily involved in the Irish community in Birmingham[ Macklin is sponsored by Irish buisnessmen living in Birmingham], indicates he is not some "plastic paddy"[someone who says he's Irish when it conveniences him]. Anyhow does any one else have a view on Macklin's Irishness.:good
thanks for that ml....micky is a class act... i loved the irish tricolour on the wall...ml is micky training any future stars
ardy...as you say..it is very much up to macklin what he considers his nationality to be...if the brits want to claim him...like shamrock says they are....well they are going to be sickened... when he gets his crack at the title...and the Irish nation anthem is played for him
cool, he is a relation of mine and a pretty nice fella. He's got plenty of interests outside of the ring which is possibly a reason it never for his total 100% attention all of the time
I am just showing off really! if you watch a rerun of it you will see me in the second row - something I was wearing will give it away which one I am!
Hello Ardy, I am curious about something and want to ask you a question. What did Irish boxing fans like yourself think about Micky Ward, an Irish-american from Lowell, MA, calling himself "Irish" Micky Ward? Another poster correctly stated that most americans (even Irish-americans) are mixed with other nationalities. Mongrels is the term he used to describe the mixing. Micky, on the other hand, is absolutely 100% Irish descent and has that appearance with his blue eyes and reddish-blonde hair. Ethnically Micky is Irish. Culturally - the way he talks, his love of baseball, his country of orgin - he is american all the way. My queston is if a great Irish-american fighter emerged on the scene would the Irish fans in the old country support him as well? I don't claim to know when and if this person is even out there. It is just a hypothetical situation. Say a 6-4" 230lb. Irish-american heavyweight who really started to make headway, ala Gerry Cooney in the late 70's and early 80's. Only this guy will become the real deal and be a champion. He will be dedicated to his craft and stay away from distractions like women, booze, and, of course, drugs. In this way he will be the anti-Cooney.
good question sardu...i for one would throw my support behind such a fighter...particularly since i have joined this forum...and spoken to all types of guys claiming irish heritage...before that...im too young to remember cooney... but i can remember...my da cheering on Micky ward against shea neary...neary was born in dublin.. but was living in liverpool...and my da didnt like neary...because he had served in the british army...its through my da intrest in boxing...that i like boxing
Thanks for weighing in Fra I appreciate it! I was so disappointed when Gerry Cooney lost to Michael Spinks I have never been quite as big a boxing fan since then. It is not just that he lost but how. Rumor has it that Gerry was riding high on perodans hence him seemingly sleepwalking through the fight enroute to being kayoed in 5 rounds. Someone else I knew casually said Gerry was at the Irish Pub in Atlantic City (a longtime AC landmark! And that is not a plug just a fact) right after he lost to George Foreman drinking heavily. Not a big deal either except that he was already a recovering alcoholic as far back as 1988 and that fight took place in early 1990. Gerry though is great today I'm glad to say. He is happy, healthy, has a beautiful, educated wife and two sons today. He is a kind soul who brings good cheer to people and helps his fellow ex-boxers. He started years back an organization called F.I.S.T. (Figher Institute for Support and Training). This helps fighters adjust to the real world after the cheering stops and the bright ring lights dim.
Fra, did you notice what Neary did to Micky during the ref's instructions? Micky was never a staredown guy. I met Micky in 2004 and he was one of the nicest, most soft-spoken guys you could ever have he pleasure of talking with. Anyway, it was so obnoxious how that tool was pressing his face into Micky's and trying to psyche Ward out during the referee's instructions. Micky had no choice but to return the stare but that was not his MO. I never saw Ward stare down his opponent. Dempsey did not do that, Micky Walker did not do it, Duddy does not go for that nonsense. That (staredowns) is not the irish way. Anyway, Neary was a tough cookie and had Micky in some distress early in the fight before He was stopped by that legendary hook to the liver! It was a great fight!
Im not going to speak for the guys aross the pond but the large group of irish who went the lee fight went to Atlantic city to support Micky for both fights against gatti. I really think it depends on the individual.
Hello Sardu, good to hear from you.Irish-American boxers have always been supported in Ireland, almost like the long lost son, I suppose.I unlike Fra can remember Gerry Cooney.It was a Friday night Gerry fought Holmes,and funny thing was, I was at my own boxing club training that night, and all the talk was of Cooney and the prospect of an Irish heavyweight champ. When I arrived home from training, it had already been a long day, and the thought of sitting up all night to watch the contest was somewhat daunting, but I was eager to do it, so to watch a bit of history in the making.RTE had purchased the fight because of the "Cooney angle".I can remember it vividly, RTE decided to show the Deer hunter before the fight, and then decided halfway through the film, to show it all again, from the start, because in an other area of Ireland there had been a power-cut, and they had missed a section of the film. Christ, what a farce! Anyway needless to say we were very disappointed when Cooney got "chinned". Another example of supporting Irish-American boxers, was when Sean O'Grady challenged Scotlands Jim Watt for the lightweight title.We cheered loudly as Sean bashed Watt up.But then the dirty scot, gave O'Grady a "Glasgow kiss"[ headbutt] and cut O'Grady, and the fight got stopped in the champions favor.:good