Promoter Frank Warren confirmed today that the explosive all-British showdown between big-hitters Enzo Maccarinelli and David Haye is on. WBO world champion Maccarinelli and newly crowned WBC/WBA world champion Haye will clash on Saturday 8th March (venue TBC) to finally decide who is the best cruiserweight in the world. All three titles will be on the line..
Setanta Sports 1 will televise the fight live and exclusive. (The fight will not be available on a pay-per-view basis, but only by subscription to Setanta Sports at only £9.99 a month. To subscribe, visit setanta.com or call 08712 10 20 30.) Swansea puncher Maccarinelli last fought on the Joe Calzaghe-Mikkel Kessler undercard in November, stopping Mohamed Azzaoui in the fourth round.
He said,”I’m delighted that Haye has finally put pen to paper and the fight is happening. There is nothing like a big fight between the top two British fighters in the division to get the public excited. I believe that this will rival if not better the Nigel Benn-Chris Eubank epics. We are both big punchers but I believe that I am the hardest hitter out of the two of us. Once I drop Haye he won’t be getting up.”
Londoner Haye had to get up from the canvas to sensationally stop Jean Marc Mormeck in the seventh round and claim the WBC and WBA titles also in November.
Haye said, “This will be the modern day Benn-Eubank. I’m glad that politics have been put to one side and that Frank Warren and my manager Adam Booth have made the fight happen. I feel that it is my duty as world champion to fight the very best and I guarantee that I will knock-out Maccarinelli to convince the few doubters that I am the best cruiserweight that Britain has ever produced.”
The punch statistics between the two are dynamite: Maccarinelli has stopped 21 of his 29 opponents with 16 coming inside the first three rounds while Haye has halted 19 of his 21 opponents early with 14 inside the first three rounds.
Warren has consistently staged the biggest fights in this country and is naturally excited by this one.
He said, “If there is one fight I would buy a ticket to watch it would be Maccarinelli-Haye. I’m in the business of delivering big fights and this is certainly a real fight for the boxing fans and media and one that they have been clamouring for. It has all the ingredients for a potentially thrilling fight: two big names; both hugh punchers; both have been put down but got up to win and plenty of pride at stake. We have a fantastic line up for the early part of next year with Kevin Mitchell challenging for the British title and Matt Skelton going to Germany to face Ruslan Chagaev for the WBA World Heavyweight title in January, Amir Khan in February, then Haye-Maccarinelli, and after that a potential superfight between Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins in the pipeline.”
Further details confirming venue and ticket prices will be announced shortly.