by James Slater – Not too long ago, former WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli of Wales said he’d one day very possibly go up to heavyweight. Getting the chance to avenge his 2nd round stoppage loss to David Haye up at heavyweight appealed to him, and Enzo said as much. But now, in an interview with Setanta Sports, the big-punching 27-year-old has said he would consider moving DOWN in weight, to light-heavyweight, if the right fight were offered to him..
“If the fight was important enough, I think I could just get down to 12 stone 7 pounds (175-pounds),” Maccarinelli told Setanta. “How I would perform [at light-heavyweight] is another matter. But if a big fight was presented to me, like a Chad Dawson. Even the winner of Kelly Pavlik or Bernard Hopkins and there was enough money on the table. Yes, I might take the chance. I might take the risk, but at the moment I am a cruiserweight and I want to clean up the cruiserweights. But never say never, if I get a big offer and something meaningful on the table, I’d definitely think about it.”
Of course, stranger things have happened, but it seems unlikely any top class light-heavyweight like a Chad Dawson or the winner out of Pavlik-Hopkins (which is being fought at a catch-weight of 170-pounds, of course) would take a fight with Maccarinelli. What would there be to gain for Messrs Dawson, Pavlik or Hopkins in such a fight? Nothing, that’s what. People would simply say, “So you beat the guy Haye destroyed in 2 rounds, so what?” On the other hand, however, a fight with the big-puncher could prove difficult. No, I think it’s safe to say no huge name at 175-pounds will be giving Enzo a call any time soon.
As such, Maccarinelli had better be focused instead on his next fight, the WBO title fight clash at 200-pounds with the unbeaten Jonathan Banks. Fortunately, it seems the Welshman is doing just that.
“I’m fit and strong and I’ve got a lot of people to prove wrong at the moment,” Macca continued. “I feel like a dangerous man, I’m ready to go. I saw Banks’ last fight and thought he was pretty useless to be honest. But look at my last fight and I was pretty useless myself. You look at the last fight, I didn’t look impressive, he [Banks] didn’t look impressive. People are going to be questioning which Enzo turns up. Will I be gun shy, will I be lacking confidence? I can tell Jonathan Banks right now. As soon as that bell goes, I’ll be coming out swinging. I’m just going to be a nasty man that night.”
Judging by Maccarinelli’s closing comments, Jonathan Banks had better be ready for a fight!