It’s a fair walk from the ring to the dressing rooms at the 15,000 seat Wizink multi-purpose arena in Madrid, but Macaulay McGowan is receiving plenty of love – back slaps, hugs, and selfies – and not from his loyal band of Mancunian pals who have journeyed over, but fans of Sergio Martinez who are impressed with the visitor’s toughness.
‘Macca’s just shared ten rounds with the two-time world champion. It wasn’t the Mancunian’s night – a wide points defeat to a 46-year-old intent on defying the odds and reclaiming world honours. Twice the man from Benchill climbed off the canvas, refusing to give in.
After navigating a flight of stairs from the arena floor to the next level, he makes his way through blue double doors and back into relative calm. The 27-year-old, (now 14-3-1) slumps onto a long grey bench in the large, sterile dressing room – all bright lights and white tiles.
‘Macca’s slowly un-tying his all-white boots – a gift from his friend and assistant coach Anthony Crolla. His face is a little banged up, but nothing to concern him. The sole of the left boot is hanging off. He takes off the satin blue and white robe and hangs it on a peg above him. It’s a classic ‘Rocky’ style garment but in Man City colours with matching shorts – the kit a gift from trainer Joe Gallagher. He leans forward and takes out his phone from his kit bag to check messages from home.
First there’s just the fighter, trainer Joe and Crolla before his stablemates and friends James Moorcroft, Rhiannon Dixon and her partner Ross Thomasson enter the room to console him. Macca put in all the hard work in training camp, and he has left everything in the ring. Ultimately, he came up short against one of his idols – a man he used to love to watch.
The post-fight analysis begins with Joe, sat next to him, picking out the good rounds, highlighting a few mistakes. The others chip in with words of consolation and encouragement. It’s not long before Macca’s giving his own take on matters.
“I got confident, didn’t I? I got confident and started trading and he [Martinez] went ‘f**k-off’ [and hit me] downstairs. You know early on when I was getting it off [reverse one-two]? I was doing alright, but then I started getting desperate with it. He was kidding me with the uppercut, I was like, ‘throw it ya twat!’ I know Joe’s telling me to shoot, but he’s posing with that uppercut!” The contagious Macca laugh is back, all join in, and the mood in the room is lifted.
Not surprisingly, the atmosphere in the opposing dressing room is different, it is joyous and emotional, if lacking the humour of the away fighter’s room. ‘Maravilla’ has now had four fights against hand-picked opponents since coming out of retirement following a knockout loss to Miguel Cotto in 2014.
Martinez (now 55-3-2) stands in front of a row of multi-coloured lockers, still in his black shorts, ‘Maravilla’ emblazoned in orange across the band. Surrounded by family and friends, he is in incredible shape for a man who turns 47 on February 21. While many boxing fans will be dismayed at his plans to continue fighting, when asked about his comeback ambitions, he is deadly serious.
“I think I’m going to fight again in March. I still have a lot of discipline and passion for boxing and for life. I’ll keep working and training hard to win the [world] title once again,” he says.
As well-wishes continue to hug and kiss him, he’s asked about the man he’s just defeated: “Macaulay is a great boxer and a great professional. He has a lot of heart and is a great guy,” Martinez says with a smile. “Manchester and the people are special, and they have many great fighters. I had the best night of my life in Manchester when I beat Richard Williams for the IBO title.”
Martinez is still in his shorts when a now-fully dressed Macca, in black tracksuit and black north face jacket, walks into the winner’s dressing room with team in tow. Maravilla greets him like an old friend, “hey Macaulay!” and the pair embrace while the rest of the room applauds.
A little chit-chat ensues, Martinez asks Macca if he’s ok, to which he smiles and says “yeah, yeah, I’m ok. It’s boxing!” After a few pictures, Team McGowan leaves the arena and heads back to the hotel, a short walk away in the Salamanca district. Bags dropped, and on to a bar across the road where the fighter’s pals are waiting for their hero. It is a giddy scene with cerveza flowing and all is well in Macca’s world.
The following day, eyes swollen and the reality is kicking in that his dream of ending the Martinez comeback has failed. That does not stop the laughter though, as he sits at a café in Retiro Park, enjoying the glorious Madrid sunshine.
It has been an incredible experience for a man who was labouring on a building site just a few days before leaving for the Spanish capital.
“In my changing room after, I was gutted I didn’t win,” he says. “People don’t think that because of the way I am. I’m happy with what I’ve done and I’m happy with the whole experience, but deep down, I don’t like losing. No-one does. When I get home and it’s all died down and I’m left with my own thoughts, I’ll be gutted but there are a lot of positives to take from it.”
One thing that is always positive is a McGowan ringwalk. On his big night in Madrid, it didn’t disappoint. Arms aloft, grin wide, ambling to the middle of the arena whilst the PA pumped out ‘Acquiesce’ by Oasis. His mates ringside belting out the tune, waving a Manchester City flag with Macca’s name emblazoned across it.
“I’ve never put a kit on before and felt the way I did putting that kit and robe on. I felt a million dollars. I thought ‘wow, this is my moment!’ Walking out, I felt amazing. Probably the best feeling I’ve ever had in boxing – walking out in that kit.
“I could hear them [his Wythenshawe friends] as I was walking out. There were thousands of people there screaming for Martinez, but my mates were out-shouting them. It was crazy, they’re an amazing bunch. They’re just buzzing to be here.”
Despite his disappointment, Macca’s still trying to compute the fact that he, a man written off after his previous two defeats, has held his own with a former pound-for-pound star
“He was dead respectful,” he says of Martinez. “He said I was a warrior, and it was one of the best nights of his life! That’s madness! To think there’s me, who’s watched him and admired him, and I’ve got a piece of history with Sergio Martinez that we’ll share forever. You share a bond with all your opponents deep down. I share a piece of myself with Sergio Martinez. F**king mad when you think about it!
“Obviously I’m gutted about the result, but I’ve had an amazing time. I feel that I’ve squeezed every bit of the experience out of it. With everyone that’s come out to support me, going sight-seeing with Joe to the Bernabéu, seeing the city, taking pictures. I don’t think there’s been anything I’ve missed!
“Overall, it’s been amazing. But you know what? When I’m away from my family, I realise I love my life. When I was talking to my missus and she’s telling me she’s at the table with the kids having tea and that, and I’m here in Madrid, obviously it’s been amazing, but I was thinking, ‘I wish I was there with my wife and kids.’ I can’t wait to get home.”
Macaulay McGowan is now home in Benchill and back labouring on his mate’s building site in nearby Gatley. He’s been enjoying family time with his wife Francesca and children Florence and Albie. His two-year-old son was deprived of oxygen at birth, but thankfully has been doing very well much to Macca’s delight. But on the day he flew out for the biggest night of his life, a distressing story was developing in Manchester.
“I didn’t know at the time, but since I’ve been back, my missus told me the full extent of Albie being rushed to hospital. It was due to suspected meningitis. I was in my hotel room the night before the weigh-in and she told me she was taking him to the doctor as he had a high temperature and wasn’t himself.
“I didn’t hear from her for a while, so I was trying to find out what was going on and I find out they’re at the hospital being checked over. She played it all down, but actually the doctor called an ambulance from the surgery to get him to hospital! Luckily, he’s okay and was home within 24 hours.”
