MATTHEW MACKLIN IS inching closer to a world title showdown with WBC champ Miguel Cotto.
Macklin returns to the ring for a ‘homecoming’ bout against Jorge Sebastian Heiland in Dublin’s National Stadium next month.
The 30 August fight will be an official eliminator for the WBC middleweight belt.
Heiland (23-4-2) is currently ranked fourth in the world by the WBC and will be coming to Ireland with his own title ambitions, Macklin (30-5) said.
“It’s a must-win fight for me and it doesn’t matter what he brings to the ring on 30 August, he won’t be beating me.”
The fight will be Macklin’s first since signing with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing last month.
The 32-year-old will head up a bumper card which includes a long-awaited grudge match between Spike O’Sullivan and Anthony Fitzgerald as well as Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua.
“It’s a stacked card with Matthew in a hugely important fight that puts him in a great position to challenge for another world title,” Hearn said.
We’ve seen Matthew denied of what I believe was a victory in Germany against [Felix] Sturm and a great performance against Sergio Martinez – the Cotto fight would be a great event.
“He is straight back in at the deep end against Heiland but let’s be honest, he wouldn’t want it any other way!”
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, 22 July, at 9am.
