by James Slater: Last night, at the Andreas Kotelnik-Gavin Rees light-welterweight world title fight in Cardiff, Wales, Enzo Maccarinelli was at the ringside. There to cheer on his team-mate Rees (to no avail, sadly) Macca also gave a brief interview after the action had come to an end. In this quick interview, Enzo made it abundantly clear he is supremely anxious to get back in a boxing ring as soon as is at all possible. Losing on March 8th to David Haye in the cruiserweight title fight unification was not an experience that has sat well with the big punching Welshman – as many would obviously imagine..
Now, in constantly badgering his promoter Frank Warren to do the business and get him somebody, anybody, to fight, Maccarinelli plans to make his quick return by the month of June at the latest. Deciding to make a quick return took Enzo no time at all, so disgusted with himself was he after losing so fast and unsatisfactorily against boxing’s new golden boy in “The Hayemaker.” Claiming he did “everything wrong” in the all too short affair two weeks ago, Macca is desperate to move on and show the fans he is an altogether much better fighter than he appeared to be on March the 8th.
But who should Enzo fight in his comeback bout? A confidence builder Cleary makes sense, therefore no fighter who poses too much of a threat would be a good idea. Then again, though, a meaningless blow-out of a nobody wouldn’t do anyone concerned much good, would it? Maccarinelli is a world level fighter, and as such the fans and experts alike will demand that he face only live bodies from here on in. Maybe Enzo faced more than his fair share of soft touches in the past, but the critics will not be won over by the big puncher taking that route for a second time around.
Enzo says he wants back in, and hopefully he will get what he wants – against a name opponent at least. I say hopefully, because the Haye loss aside, Maccarinelli is a good and exciting fighter. His rehabilitation will not be easy, though, what with the ever cynical nature of the majority of today’s boxing fans. Macca may have worked hard so far in his career, but the really hard slog will begin as soon as he resumes his boxing.