21.02.04 – By Elliot Worsell: Welsh power puncher Enzo Maccarinelli advanced past the four round barrier for the first time in his career tonight as he impressively stopped the brave and gutsy Garry Delaney in 8 rounds in defence of his WBU Cruiserweight title. In a performance described by Sky TV commentator Ian Darke, as ‘one of the bravest ring performances seen in Britain in modern times’, West Ham man Delaney endured 7 sickening knockdowns en route to being stopped on his feet at the raging fists of the man 10 years his junior.
23-year-old Maccarinelli, described by many as the hardest pound for pound hitter in the UK, was yet to progress past four rounds in his short career, and many believed the battle hardened veteran from the Peacock gym would be just the man to christen Enzo past that barrier. Those assumptions were proved correct, thanks mostly to Delaney’s beyond the call of duty bravery.
The pain Delaney received throughout the contest begun from the very first round, as his Welsh opponent looked to continue his streak of devastating first round knockouts. Bouncing on his toes around the perimeter of the ring, Maccarinelli displayed a snappy left jab as Delaney looked to come forward aggressively and rough up the young prospect when in close. In truth, Delaney started well, and looked fairly comfortable with his gloves up high and his chin tucked down into his chest. But then Enzo began to unload. Swiftly picked left hooks to the head, and most notably to the body quickly began to take their toll on the shaven headed cockney. A sweetly picked left under the ribs from Maccarinelli banished the wind from Garry’s sails, and he duly took a knee to recover. The writing seemed to be on the wall. Maccarinelli was just too quick, too hungry, and possessed too much firepower for the hard as nails challenger in front of him.
True to form, Delaney sucked it up and came out fighting again in the second round. Stalking the taller Maccarinelli down, Delaney ponderously fired left jabs and overhand rights that the Welshman read with ease and returned fire with meatier artillery. A left jab, right cross, left hook to the body combination unsettled Delaney at centre ring, and it was clear to see that the younger man’s superior hand speed was extremely problematic for the claret and blue clad warrior. Maccarinelli was zoning in mercilessly on Delaney’s mid region, and time and time again Garry too huge gulps of breath after being struck in the ribs. It was never Garry’s intention to quit though, he was adamant he’d be there fighting til’ he was carried out.
The hometown hero was fighting with a real swagger now and was exuding confidence as he systematically broke the will of Delaney. In the 3rd, after further body punishment, Delaney thought about touching down again with one minute forty seconds gone in the round. Enzo dug in a lethal left hook downstairs that brought about a wince and a snarl from Delaney, as he contemplated taking a knee. His fighting instincts took over however, and despite taking a follow up left hook high on the head, the West Ham brave heart remained standing and ready for the Welshman’s onslaught. Gutsy, yes, but wise? No. Maccarinelli accepted Delaney’s written invitation and honed in with precision on Delaney’s exposed left side, sinking Delaney down to the canvas with a corking left to the body. Delaney shook his head, looked towards his corner, and rose to his feet, but in all honesty, the fight could have been stopped there and then.
Maccarinelli unloaded further lefts to the body and stinging uppercuts to the head, but Delaney was proving tough to move, and he merely nodded and smiled in reply. He knew this was his last chance at the big time, and he was most certainly going out on his shield.
In the 4th Delaney began to have more success as he successfully backed up the Welsh prospect, and kept affairs up close, giving Maccarinelli no space to engineer those vicious body assaults. Maccarinelli was still very much on top though as he let the combinations flow with impressive regularity. Delaney could do nothing but soak up the punishment, and look for single shots in return. A well-picked left hook as Enzo dropped his gloves was a sporadic success for Delaney, and sent out a message to himself, that the young banger could be caught. Delaney noticeably gained confidence in the 4th, and was upping his work rate to try and compensate for Maccarinelli’s explosive power advantage.
The start of the 5th signified unknown territory for Maccarinelli, and Delaney was obviously aware of this too, as he roamed forwards trying to force the pace more. Delaney rocked back the head of the young Welshman with neatly picked left jabs and straight rights, as Maccarinelli began to be more conservative with his shot output. Delaney outworked the lanky Welshman in this round, and was beginning to find the tall, stand up puncher easy to tag with clubbing right hands as they tussled in close. Maccarinelli would sporadically fire back his usual meaty two and three punch combinations, but not with the same snap or deadly accuracy as in the previous rounds.
Maccarinelli was noticeably breathing heavily in the corner, but one would expect he knew Delaney was the type to drag him into the kind of long distance battle he’s yearned for. In the 6th Enzo seemed marginally refreshed, as he was snapping out the jab with more authority, and looking devilishly for the left’s downstairs. Delaney, face reddened and ribs battered, was beginning to get a foothold in the fight and calm down the fire breathing Welshman, but didn’t seem to carry both the power and the hand speed to really trouble the champion.
Before the 7th Maccarinelli was given a ‘gee up’ by his corner men Charlie Pearson and Dean Powell, and was told not to let the tough veteran Delaney back into the fight. He didn’t. His pet combination, the left upstairs followed by the left to the ribs did the trick again, as Delaney took a knee once more. He gallantly rose at 5, but whilst trying to smother Maccarinelli’s work, walked onto a big left uppercut, and most importantly a left again to the ribs as Delaney was backed to the ropes. The hard as nails hammer sank resignedly to the canvas, folded over in a heap, and miraculously rose to his feet for more. Delaney gritted his teeth, planted a glance at his corner and met Maccarinelli head on, the pride and resilience being shown quite remarkable.
In the end though, even a tough as old boots character like Delaney can only take so much. Maccarinelli, young, fresh and hungry, began teeing off on his older opponent in the 8th as he went about finishing events. A left hook, right uppercut, left to the body combination brought about a rueful smile on the face of Delaney, as he tried, but ultimately failed to cover up. Again though, in the heat of the onslaught, Delaney bit his bottom lip and went balls to the wall. Leading with his head, he threw both arms aimlessly at Maccarinelli, in hope of landing that one lucky shot to turn the fight on its head. It never came though, and once again Maccarinelli was just too fast and too powerful for him. A stinging right to the body sagged the legs of Delaney and sent him on his way to the canvas once again, the follow up right uppercut merely rubber stamping the knockdown. No prizes for guessing that Delaney again rose bravely to his feet at referee Dave Parris’ command. Maccarinelli was not about to let up however, and was intent on finishing things in this round. A combination to the head followed again by a right hook to the body returned Delaney to the floor, as Enzo dished out the sort of liver punishment only usually linked to cheap whisky.
With a minute left the warrior in Delaney pulled him up again, and he locked horns for one last rumble with the young apprentice in front of him. A low blow from Maccarinelli ensued, that sent Delaney down again, though not legitimately. The two left body hooks that followed, were most definitely for real. Delaney crumpled down again, and rolled over onto his back. The fight was there to be stopped, and despite Delaney’s valiant struggle to get to his feet, it was. Referee Parris calling a halt with 25 seconds left in the 8th round. Delaney effectively signalled his retirement at the end of the fight, and on this type of showing, no one would begrudge him of some well-earned time off. Maccarinelli on the other hand looked a class act offensively, and the question must be asked, just how many top cruiserweights could stand up to that kind of head and body punishment? His 4th defence of his title in the bag, and it’s expected that bigger and better things will soon follow.