UK Boxing: Enzo Maccarinelli; Darren Barker; Yassine El Maachi

Former WBO World Cruiserweight king Enzo Maccarinelli is on his third and final mission to reclaim his world title. The big-hitting Welshman lost his crown last year to David Haye, but the Swansea puncher is aiming for a fresh start on December 5 in Newcastle when he fights in a six rounder on the undercard of Amir Khan’s clash with Dmitriy Salita. And he reckons that by this time next year he’s going to back in title contention. “After my last fight against Denis Lebedev there was talk of me retiring,” said Enzo. “I had a long think about where my career was going, but I’ve got my hunger back now. “Being a world champion meant a lot to me and it hurt so much losing my world title..

“There’s no way that I’ll quit before I win it back, and the plan is to have a couple of warm up fights before stepping up to championship level in 2010.

“There were a few things that weren’t right in the ring against Lebedev and it wasn’t a question of me not being good enough, I just didn’t fight the right fight.

“But I know that I’ve still got a lot left to offer and I’ve been really buzzing in the gym these last few months.”

Maccarinelli, 29, still has a formidable 29-4 (22) record and believes he’ll be back to his old self in the north east.

“I’ve had a nightmare 18 months or so, but it’s time for a fresh start,” he said.

“My mind was getting too cluttered but people are going to be seeing an old school Enzo up in Newcastle and I’ll be back to my knockout best.”

Tickets are priced at £30, £40, £50, £85, £125, £200 and £300, and are available from:

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Barker’s not The Special One

Darren Barker might be a Chelsea fan but if Wayne Elcock’s trainer is to be believed then he’s definitely not the special one. Veteran Birmingham fight figure Paddy Lynch says he’s seen enough of Barker to form the opinion that he won’t stand in the way of Elcock regaining his British Middleweight crown when they clash at the Brentwood Centre on November 28th.

The two men meet in the headline bout of a Hennessy Sports event which is live on ITV4 and Lynch believes that the prestigious Lonsdale belt will be going back to Birmingham. “I’ve watched Barker progress over the years and he’s a nice, tidy boxer, there’s no doubts about that,” admitted Lynch.

“He ticks all the boxes in that he’s solid in every department but I don’t believe he’s a ten out of ten in any one area. I don’t see anything special about him and if the right Wayne Elcock shows up then there’s no reason why he can’t regain that Lonsdale belt.

“Wayne knows he needs to reproduce the form that won him the British title first time out against Howard Eastman. If he can do that then he will be British Champion again, it’s as simple as that.”

At 35 Lynch admits time isn’t on Elcock’s side as he bids to become a two time British Champ. “There’s no doubt that Wayne’s drinking in the last chance saloon but that’s what’s driving him for this fight,” said Lynch. “He knows that a win here will put him back to the top of the stack so he’s taking it very seriously.”

Elcock was dethroned as British Middleweight King earlier this year in an all Birmingham showdown with Matthew Macklin but Lynch says that anyone writing Elcock off based on that performance is making a big mistake.

“People have been saying that Wayne’s finished after that fight but that’s certainly not the case from what I’ve seen from him in the gym. Wayne trained hard for the Macklin fight and physically he was fine but mentally I know he had other things on his mind at the time and he wasn’t anywhere near the fighter he can be. He knows this time around that there are no second chances so he’s really up for this one.”

The undercard at the Brentwood Centre will feature Colchester’s Lee Purdy defending his Southern Area Welterweight title against Wokingham’s Mark Douglas. Waltham Abbey middleweight Daniel “Mr. Slick” Cadman will also end a three year hiatus from the ring when he fights on the undercard alongside bouts featuring exciting light middleweight Yassine El Maachi and unbeaten prospects Bradley Evans, Bobby Ward, Phill Fury and Steve Barnes.

Tickets for the bout priced £30 and £80 are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.

Showtime for Showman El Maachi

On paper Yassine El Maachi’s record is unlikely to set the world on fire but the London based Moroccan believes he’s the best kept secret in British boxing and he might just be right. El Maachi has won ten and lost four in a stop start professional career that started in 2001 but having put together an impressive six fight winning streak he says he’s ready for any welterweight or light welterweight in Britain.

His next outing comes at the Brentwood Centre on November 28th on the undercard of the Darren Barker – Wayne Elcock British Middleweight title. The Hennessy Sports event is live on ITV4 and El Maachi is hopeful that he can make himself known to a wider audience.

“In boxing it’s all about getting the right breaks and I believe that this is a big chance for me,” said the self styled “Showman”. I will fight anyone out there right now; all I need is the chance to prove I belong with the best.”

The power punching southpaw has no problem admitting that he has styled himself on his idol, former World Champ Naseem Hamed. “I used to love watching Naseem’s fights. He was a great entertainer as well as a great fighter and I always try to entertain people as well.”

El Maachi, a three time Moroccan amateur champ turned professional in Holland in 2001 after a 31 fight unbeaten amateur career and won three of his first four fights. However the bare statistic of his defeat at the hands future European Champion Jackson Osei Bonsu in Belgium doesn’t tell the whole story.

“I was asked to fight Bonsu at two days notice in just my third fight. I think his people assumed I was a journeyman but I put him down twice and had him out on his feet. He did well to come back and win the fight but with more preparation I know it would have been a different result.”

El Maachi had a frustrating four years on the sidelines from 2003 to 2007 while he waited for a fight but a move to the U.K. finally reignited his career. “I wanted to fight but nobody would fight me. I kept training but I think people thought I was too dangerous as an opponent but finally in 2007 I started to get regular fights again in Britain.

“At first it was just like before because I was only getting a couple of days notice for the fights but I felt I was robbed against Thomas McDonagh and Denton Vassell and I knew from sparring the top guys in the U.K. that I was good enough to take on the best.”

Now with six straight wins behind him El Maachi feels he’s ready to take on the best in Britain. “I don’t want to bad mouth anyone but I’ve sparred with the British Champion Anthony Small and he couldn’t touch me. I’d love to fight any of the Champions out there right now, all I need is the opportunity and I believe I can beat any of them.

El Maachi’s bout at the Brentwood Centre on November 28th is part of the undercard to Darren Barker’s British Middleweight title showdown with Wayne Elcock. The action packed undercard also features Colchester’s Lee Purdy defending his Southern Area Welterweight title against Wokingham’s Mark Douglas while unbeaten prospects Bradley Evans, Bobby Ward, Phill Fury and Steve Barnes are also in action.

Tickets for the bout priced £30 and £80 are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.