So who next for Macklin?

these articles are at times embarassingly biased, no offence....

 

Just have it in the 02...Simple (well, for me anyway)

 

Just saying that a lot of the articles are overly biased, which is not a bad thing in small doses, but when its consatnt it gets boring and for me its mildly embarasssing. We get it that you love irish boxing, but just give more balanced views and opinions of the situation. Also, the language used can be very condesending. Put it this way, if it was written the other way around (lets say Macklin had an injury) I would take offence to it. That is all......

 

Slapbang, i will highlight the areas that i feel are doing your overall article no favours...

as i said, no offence...



Dazzlin’ Darren Barker or Frazzlin’ Barren Ducker? – by Leonard Gunning, 1 September 2010


It was too good to be true wasn’t it!? But sure it came as no shock to Irish fight fans anyway. Everyone I spoke to after the Barker-Macklin match was made said that Darren Barker wouldn’t make it to Birmingham, I didn't want to believe them, but I guess they were right.

What was supposed to be one of the biggest fights in Britain since Benn-Eubank has now been dashed after Barking born Darren Barker pulled out of the clash for the European middleweight title which was to headline Frank Warren Promotions lauded Magnificent Seven PPV bill at the LG Arena, Birmingham on Saturday 18 September.

Citing a ‘hip injury’, 28 year-old Barker, with an unblemished record reading 22-0 (KO 14), has now left 'Tipperary Tornado' without an opponent and only a couple of weeks until fight night to find one.

It certainly is a curious affair, when British boxing forum poster Robert Palmer broke the news that Barker was injured two weeks ago, on August 18, Barker instantly texted Boxing News writer Danny Flexen stating, “'It's not true. I'm 100% going to fight. I'm sick of all these rumours to be honest. I don't know if it's his camp or plonkers round here talking rubbish.'"
Coincidence? Maybe! I have no reason not to believe him and he seemed just as eager as Macklin for the fight to go ahead. Is it also a coincidence that Barker pulled out of the fight at short notice? Who knows outside Barker and his team. But supposedly this hip injury is something that he has been carrying around for some time and now the cumulative damage has simply become unbearable. If that is the case then we wish him a speedy recovery.

So whaddayadonow folks?

Luckily, Mr. Frank Warren hasn’t ensconced himself as one of the biggest and best promoters in Europe without learning a trick or two about the trade of fisticuffs and what to do in these all too frequent scenarios.

Assuming Barker reported that there was potentially a problem at an early stage then those at Frank Warren Promotions will surely have been scouring the middleweight scene for a suitable replacement.

Who could be in the frame?

Andy Lee (EBU ranking - #5) – Macklin and Lee have always been linked as potential opponents, it’s a natural fit. Two likeable high profile Irish middleweights, the Brian Peters connection and the Limerick-Tipperary inter-county rivalry. Lee is currently in training for a fight with lightly regarded Michael Walker for a fight due to take place a day before the Mag7 bill for should be in shape. The only fly in the ointment here is that this one really deserves it's own show at Dublin's O2 Arena or Limerick's Thomond Park.

Craig McEwan (EBU ranking – ineligible) – Macklin's fellow Wild Card gym-mate McEwan has an awkward style that would possibly make for an ugly fight with the Tornado, so it probably lucky that he has already informally ruled himself out.

Grzegorz Proksa (EBU ranking - #3) – Barry Hearn’s British based Polish banger certainly knows how to throw a mean mustardy right hand. It would be a real Fire v. Fire encounter with Macklin with neither wanting to concede the centre of the ring. Could the promoters set their difference aside? – Yes. What shape is Matchroom’s Polish EU champion in? – Who knows, he has been out of the ring for two months and has no fight lined up.

Affif Belghecham (EBU ranking - #8) – Ah Affif, dear old Affif. Despite struggling against a slick Andy Lee in Limerick, he battered Barker about his backyard at the ‘Ally Pally’ for much of the second half of their tussle for Macklin’s vacated title. The Frenchman would serve as a good yardstick to measure Macklin against his fellow Irishman and his one-time London foe. With word on Irish boxing circles saying that he comes relatively cheap – and what promoter doesn’t like an inexpensive opponent – there surely is a chance we may see him again.

Sergey Khomitski (EBU ranking - #13) - the little known Belarusian doesn’t deserve to get into a ring with Macklin and has lost 5 of his last 6, his only win coming against a certain Jamie Moore. We all know about Moore and Macklin. Tenuous

 

"Dazzlin’ Darren Barker or Frazzlin’ Barren Ducker?"



Think about changing the title if nothing else!!!

 

I would be one of the 1st to defend irish fighters and posters on here from the standard anti irish bile that is spewed by a consistent minority of the british forum, automatically taking a hostile atitude to anything irish and questioning their claim to irishness ( if all irish had coloured skin and a guy with a similar racial profile claimed to be irish there would be no questions asked, except we happen to be white) i have to agree with all of the above slappy.

you have a bee in your bonnet about barker, as you did with sam sexton (when he beat rogan fair and square) and your writing at times reflects this. for your website ( that you deserve a lot of praise for the time and dedication to put together that site) to grow and become a source of valued information it needs to be slightly more balanced. and dont get the hump with someone when they dont agree with you, its all opinions after all!

 

It is on the biased side but the way I see it if the content is factually correct there's no problem, if I read a similar article about a fighter I was a fan of I would probably be pissed off at the way it is worded but you can't really argue with the article itself. Slapbangwallops articles are always a bit sarcastic and sometimes that sarcasm is directed at Irish fighters.
The injury rumours started by RobPalmer and the denial by Barker straight after does seem odd, I'm not doubting Barker's injury but it does look like it was hushed up so as not to effect ticket sales. As for people getting embarrassed, don't be embarrassed on another posters behalf, he doesn't represent all Irish fans, it's just his viewpoint.

 

I agree with the above, the articles are usually pretty good, but this one has a condescending tone..... and dare I say it a bit of bias.

In fairness, it's still better than most of the drivel that is posted on the ESB main page.

On the topic, why not have Lee vs Macklin on the bill, if it can be made?

Lee is fighting an average at best opponent around the same time and would benefit from raising his profile over here.... Macklin is obviously without an opponent full stop.

Paul Williams vs Sergio Martinez was a great middleweight fight that was put together in about two minutes flat, now everyone wants a rematch.

Why can't we create our own little rivalry now?

 

probably cos the irish would like that rivalry all too themselves and understandably want the fight to take place in ireland where it would sell very well as a main event. To be honest, I'd like to see Macklin take on someone like Rubio if available, someone who has fought for a world title so we can gauge how close he is atm for a world shot

 

I see your point.

But realistically, neither have been particularly active in Ireland at all in their careers - and this is a golden opportunity to get the fight on.

Neither in my opinion are good enough to hit the pinnacle of the sport, nor get themselves in a position to be cash cows...... it's not a ''let's make it big'' fight, in part because their opposition to date has been very average.

These are the fights that we should be seeing for regional titles.

If not Lee, Rubio wouldn't be a bad shout :good

 

Well if it was supposed to be condescending to Barker and his fans then fair enough. I assumed it was supposed to be a balanced article about what had gone on.