by James Slater: Former WBC and WBA cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck of France is scheduled to return to the ring as a heavyweight in his home country on November 20th, according to Box Rec and other sources on the internet. The 37-year-old, last seen being stopped by David Haye in the 7th-round of a fight in which he scored an early knockdown of his own, will be coming back after a two year layoff..
Currently, 33-4(22), “The Marksman” was originally supposed to make the move up to heavyweight a few months back, but now, having acquired what will surely be a ton of ring-rust, the exciting warrior’s return is set. Rumours have surfaced on the net that Mormeck may face either Brian Minto or fellow crowd-pleaser Vinny Maddalone in the fight scheduled to take place in Paris.
Nobody knows how much Mormeck has left, and we don’t know what kind of shape he’s in or what poundage he intends to carry into the ring with him as a heavyweight. Having had a number of wars – with O’Niel Bell and Haye, for two examples – Mormeck may not have too much left to offer. Certainly, this is what Minto and Maddalone will be hoping if they do indeed get the call to fight the former 200-pound king.
Either fight would be extremely interesting, and if Mormeck has a choice it’s possible he will pick New York favourite Maddalone. Minto, a two-time winner over Maddalone, is the superior fighter of the two men, and maybe Mormeck and his team will opt to go with Vinny in their heavyweight debut. But if this is the case, could this be the fight that sees the likeable and gutsy Maddalone finally getting himself a win over a big name?
If Mormeck is shot or close to it (as some of Haye’s critics subsequently claimed after “The Hayemaker’s” away from home stoppage win) then maybe Maddalone, a couple of years younger than the Frenchman, could pull it off. It’s still way to early to start making predictions, obviously. The opponent for Mormeck hasn’t even been made official yet, after all. But, being a fan of the heart on his sleeve brawler from Queens, I’d like to see Vinny get this fight and win it.
I’ve nothing against the also fan-friendly Mormeck, but Maddalone, after all he’s given of himself in the ring as a pro, surely deserves a meaningful victory. Maddalone has proven how he is unafraid of travelling before. Back in November of last year, Maddalone, 32-5(23) went to Germany to face unbeaten prospect Denis Boytsov. Boytsov was then 22-0 and was already being highly touted in some quarters, yet Vinny took him the distance and won over many of the German fans in the process. Not bad going considering how Boytsov went on to stop Taras Bidenko and then the previously unstopped Jason Gavern in two of his next three outings.
Could it be, if he does get the fight, that Maddalone, having failed to derail a talented German boxer’s heavyweight hopes, manages to do so against a French star who was once (actually twice) a world champion?
Let’s see who Mormeck announces as his next foe.