Elcock - cant take flush shot from my man

http://www.britishboxing.net/news_4...You-can-t-take-a-flush-shot-from-my-man-.html

Although Matthew Macklin chose to tread the path of diplomacy over claims made by his former coach Paddy Lynch, current trainer Joe Gallagher was slightly less reserved when we asked him about Lynch's remarks.
In a press release Lynch, trainer of British middleweight champion Wayne Elcock, had claimed that: “You only have to compare their records and look at the calibre of their opposition. Who's Macklin fought? He got beat by a journeyman [Andrew Facey] for the English title at light middle and then he got knocked out and put in hospital when he fought for the British title.
“Look at (Matthew's) last fight (a points win over Geard Ajetovic), he was terrible. We got all the usual talk beforehand about how he was in the best shape of his life and everything but on the night he was rubbish…against a guy who was hardly throwing anything back.”
Lynch also questioned the wisdom of Macklin's recent switch in trainers, claiming that the fighter has been using his training set-up as an excuse for bad performances for years now, as Lynch claimed: “It's the same old story. When you can't blame yourself, blame your trainer.
“We know all about Macklin and what you see is what you get with him. There are no surprises. He was beaten comprehensively for the British light middleweight title [by Jamie Moore] so what business has he fighting for the middleweight title? It doesn't make any sense for him to be fighting as a middleweight because he wasn't even a big light-middleweight. How's he going to deal with Wayne's strength and maturity? He'll get busted up and stopped.
“The more Macklin gobs off the better as far as I'm concerned. The more talking he does the more pressure he's putting himself under but we've got our game plan…there's only one winner in this fight and that's Wayne.
“Wayne has beaten top quality guys like Howard Eastman. In fact he was the first European to beat Eastman. He lost a [IBF] world title fight out in Germany against Arthur Abraham but there's no disgrace in that. He was winning that fight until the stoppage and I believe Abraham is the best middleweight in the world right now.”
As pre-fight banter goes it is quite strong, but will likely be forgotten about after a few post-fight hugs and handshakes. In the meantime, though, Gallagher was keen to set the record straight, questioning whether or not Paddy's words have been a help or hindrance to Elcock, as Gallagher told BBN: “Paddy put the pressure on his own fighter by saying that Matthew has been knocked out before, so has Wayne, twice [versus Lawrence Murphy and Arthur Abraham].
“Paddy says that Matthew has struggled before, so has Wayne. They say that Matthew is a blown-up light-middleweight, well Wayne is going to look foolish when he loses to a smaller fighter. They must have lost their marbles, as they also claim that Wayne was beating Abraham, that is an insult to anyone who saw the fight.”
All in all Gallagher feels that the talking down of Macklin went a little too far, and that it has given casual fans the wrong impression about this fight, as Gallagher explained: “People who didn't know anything about boxing would have thought that Matt is going up against Sugar Ray Leonard.
“As Paddy says, Elcock thinks he is going to fight a blown-up light-middleweight who was hospitalised, with dehydration, in his biggest test to date [the defeat to Moore]. If Wayne is as nailed on as Paddy makes out then Lynch will have some explaining to do when Elcock loses the fight. He never even mentioned that Matthew last lost to the best Europe has to offer at light-middle. No one doubts the quality of Jamie Moore, and Matt gave Jamie real problems when he (Matt) was dead at the weight.
“They have told Macklin to be prepared to go to war, so they obviously expect a tough fight…they are contradicting themselves there. Deep down Paddy knows that he would rather take Macklin down into the trenches than Elcock.”
Gallagher's pre-fight optimism is built around the image of Wayne being hammered into defeat by Lawrence Murphy and Arthur Abraham, telling BBN that it is Wayne who has problems in the chin department: “Wayne and Paddy both know that when Wayne gets hit with a right hook he gets knocked out. Murphy did it in a round. Abraham did it at the higher level. Elcock does not know if he can take Matt's right hand.
“I am telling you now, Wayne, you cannot take a flush shot from Macklin. Matt got knocked out in a fight of the year contender. Wayne got knocked out by a single shot in a single round against Murphy. Abraham caught him with the right hand as well. Elcock is a bit like Amir Khan. Hit him with a right hand and he will be all over the place.”
Elcock holds a win over Howard Eastman, for Gallagher, though, that win is a little tainted, as he told BBN: “Howard Eastman jumped out of a hammock, jumped onto a plane and then lasted the distance with Elcock. Paddy must be delusional…he is saying things like Elcock was the first European to beat Eastman, you mean apart from Abraham [who represents Germany, by way of Armenia]?
“On his day Matthew Macklin is the best middleweight in the country. Once he wins that British belt he can look for world honours down the line. There is the John Duddy fight, and there are plenty of world-class middles that Matthew can take care of.”
In the meantime there is the Elcock fight, and Gallagher told BBN that Matthew is looking great in training, and, also, that Macklin showed a lot of courage in employing Gallagher as his trainer, as he explained: “Matt is just getting back into it. Matt has had a break and then had some very tough decisions to make. Both him and (Tony) Jeffries had to go against the grain a bit in coming with me.
“I am very aware that there is pressure because of the following Matt has in Birmingham…but I am glad that Macklin was here in Manchester during the build-up to the Elcock fight. It takes him out of things a little bit. When Matt fought Jamie Moore he was in and around the fight. It was talked about a lot…it became a monster. Matt came back to the gym that he used for the Moore fight, showing that he has character.
“This is the year for Macklin. Last year he was like a sleeping lion, this year he is going to roar. They talk endlessly about Darren Barker being the main middleweight in the UK but Macklin is the one who will shine this year [Kerry Kayes interjects at this point: “No pressure then Matt!”]. Hopefully he will become number one in the domestic division.”
A derby fight against a quality fighter like Elcock is not the ideal way to start a new boxer-trainer relationship. For Gallagher, however, it is the kind of tonic Matthew needed at this point in his career, he said: “This is the type of fight Macklin needs. Last year he had three good ten-rounders against tough guys. Men like Geard Ajetovic are tough guys.
“Macklin fought Yory Boy Campas and got a great win. Doing a better job in that fight than Duddy did when he fought Campas. In doing well in those ten-round fights Macklin has ticked the box next to his stamina, people doubted him after the Moore fight but Matt now has everything in place.
“The comparisons between Matt and John Murray are there for all to see. They are guys with a point to prove. John had to prove his point last year, and Macklin has his point to prove this year. I just feel that people are backing the wrong horses in the lightweight and middleweight divisions, but there is nothing new in that.”
Intriguingly, both men seem to have the antidote to the other's style. Elcock can box well when he gets into a rhythm, and there are no doubts over his championship stamina. For his part Macklin can close down the range, is strong inside and can whack a bit, although we have yet to see real power from him at middleweight. Elcock has been through the levels, winning world honours in his career (depending on whether or not you value the WBU belt - no, I don't - Ed.).
Macklin has had a staccato recent career, yet burns with the belief that his talent has not received the rewards it merits. Wayne's devastating loss at the hands of Murphy is hard to look beyond. Elcock crashed down heavily from a partially blocked shot to the head. Macklin has suffered a stoppage loss, also, but in his fight with Moore exhaustion played a big part in his eventual defeat. If they both land their optimum shots you would have to favour Macklin. Hopefully, with the talk done and dusted, we will see a little of everything in this fight; with Elcock boxing well early, only to be floored, and then stopped, late in the contest, possibly in or around the seventh round.
An alternative scenario is that Elcock outboxes Macklin at range, showing the skills and movement he showed in the Eastman fight. As the fight ticks closer my abiding feeling remains Macklin by KO, in a changing of the guard moment. Should Elcock suffer from rust in the early rounds we could see the KO come earlier than expected, although I am loathe to predict an early KO win for Macklin, as Elcock deserves better than that.
Sod it, I may ask Richie Woodhall and Robert McCracken to make room for me on their fence.