JUST DAYS AFTER Matthew Macklin dismissed speculation surrounding his impending retirement by announcing a fight in Birmingham in May, the boxer has revealed his shock at being caught up in a Garda raid on Thursday.
Macklin, who is in Dublin as part of a charity event in aid of the Ireland team heading to the Homeless World Cup, was staying in an apartment belonging to “a friend of a friend of a friend” when it was raided by Gardaí as part of a major operation yesterday morning.
Macklin told The Star:
“We were caught up in this completely innocently. I’m over here to take part in a charity gig and I was going to stay in the city but a friend of a friend of a friend said he had a place in Citywest and told me I could stay there.
“I was like something you’d see in a film when you see the FBI storming the house.”
Macklin is due to fight in Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena on 9 May – though no opponent has been named for the bout – despite widespread rumors he would announce his retirement from the sport this month.
It will be Macklin’s first outing since he was stopped by Jorge Sebastian Heiland on his Dublin homecoming in the 3Arena in November.
That was a brilliant game of Gaelic Football. Really glad I decided to watch it. Brilliant end to end football, no blanket defences and slow build up, just brilliant long kick passing and quick attacking play. Fair play to Monaghan too and young O Toole, fortune favour the brave!
That was a game for the ages. Proper old school 90s football. Monaghan were poor in the first half but whatever Vinny Corey said to them at HT worked a treat. Tip of the hat to both teams in what was a titanic tussle in the second half. New York, the Rossies and now Monaghan staring the 2023 cship with a bang. Long may it continue!
@Daniel Sheeran: don’t forget the Banner men too! Great win over the Rebels for them last week! I’m optimistic with all the games this summer that we will get a lot more great games hopefully.
Some balls to go for a goal!
Really enjoyed that game, but the GAA really need to do something about the sly digs off the ball that box in b*lls in the second half was pure filth. Didn’t fully see the one with P Harte but again was off the ball.
@JG362: brilliant game some excellent football from both sides throw in d usual few Tyrone sneaky jabs (They just can’t help themselves
Late rally,clearly didn’t watch the match.