Macklin roars to European title

Birmingham-born Irishman Matthew Macklin won the vacant European middleweight title in Manchester on Friday night with a stunning first-round stoppage victory over Finland's Amin Asikainen.

Macklin, 27, was making a significant leap in class against Asikainen at the Velodrome having relinquished the British title he won in March without even defending it.

Macklin, who's parents hail from Roscommon and Tipperary, has world title aspirations and enhanced those in emphatic fashion with a brilliant win, flooring the former holder twice en-route to a quick-fire win.

Macklin has fought on Bernard Dunne undercards and headlined a Pro Box Live victory over Luis Campas last year.

He won the British belt in explosive fashion with a third-round battering of local rival Wayne Elcock earlier this year.

New promoter and close friend Ricky Hatton helped him secure an immediate shot at the vacant Continental title, however, prompting Macklin to drop the British belt in order to move up in class.

Former European champion Asikainen, 33, had a record of 26-2 (17 knockout wins) heading into the contest with a stoppage win over recently-crowned world champion Sebastian Sylvester the highlight of his CV.

Macklin had a similar record of 24-2(17) having lost to Andrew Facey in 2003 and Jamie Moore in 2006.

Macklin's camp had braced themselves for a gruelling contest against tough former champion Asikainen and in their wildest dreams would probably not have expected such a victory.

After a low-key first minute in which the Macklin had some success with solid body shots, he stunned his fellow challenger with a sublime left hook out of nowhere which sent Asikainen down, his head crashing off the canvas.

Asikainen beat the count to fight on bravely but was quickly back in trouble as Macklin sensed victory was within his grasp.

Macklin poured forward excitedly, landing a flurry of shots culminating in a devastating short right hand to the head which floored his man for the second time.

Asikainen got back to his feet but after looking into his eyes, Italian referee Luigi Moratori decided the Finn was unable to continue and waved it off after two minutes and 34 seconds of the round.