Macklin signs with Dunne's manager

Irish Middleweight title-holder Matthew Macklin will be managed by Bernard Dunne's manager, Brian Peters.

Macklin, who had previously managed himself, fights Chris Tourpe in Madison Square Garden in New York on Thursday, March 16, and a win would almost certainly ensure the 23-year-old a shot at James Moore's British Light Middleweight title after the British Boxing Board of Control announced him as the mandatory challenger.

Macklin fought Andrew Facey for the British Light Middleweight title in 2003 but was beaten on a close points decision.

Birmingham-born Macklin shares the top of the bill with Derry middleweight John Duddy in New York on March 16th and says he is delighted to have Peters in his corner.

"I decided to sign with Brian because I feel he's a very genuine guy with a lot of contacts, not just in Ireland and England but in the USA and Europe", said Macklin.

"He knows his stuff and works very hard for his fighters. You only have to look at the job he's done with Bernard Dunne to realise what a good manager he is."

On the same night the unbeaten Derryman John Duddy will fight Shelby Pudwill for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Middleweight title in the ten round main event.

Duddy, who lives and trains in Queens, New York, said "I don't know too much about him [Pudwill]" but claimed that " I'm going to let him worry about me rather than me worry about him. It's going to be a glorious night."