Maccarinelli Willing To Fight At 175 - Thoughts?

[Poncey]

Enzo Maccarinelli - "If The Fight Was Important Enough, I Could Get Down To Light-Heavyweight"
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!

[DavidPayne]

whimisical nonsense.

[knockout]

His chin would get weaker and the speed of his opponents would make him easier to hit....

[chinny]

He does seem a bit delusional. He is nowhere near a fight with Kelly Pavlik.

why is he talking to Setanta following Frank's move to Sky?

[oliverfennell]

He does seem a bit delusional. He is nowhere near a fight with Kelly Pavlik.

why is he talking to Setanta following Frank's move to Sky?

Setanta, to be fair, do not act like the boxers and fights on other networks don't exist, like Sky do.

[Rocky Balboa]

I know Maccarinelli has no troubles making 200lbs, but getting down 175lbs is another matter entirely. I mean, the guy is 6'4. As for him talking about Pavlik, that fight is never going to happen. Pavlik has bigger fish to fry, will make more money by fighting other guys than Enzo.

Its academic anyway because as Enzo stated, he's currently a Cruiserweight. Pavlik said he would fight Godzilla if he were put in front of him, so Enzo better watch out if he ever boils down to 175lbs!

[DavidPayne]

Macca would be dangerous as a puncher but Pavlik would be too straight down the pipe for old chin up, wail away Enzo.

If the fight were made at the old limit of 190 would you put your mortgage on Enzo over Dean Francis? I wouldn't.

[Carbo]

This is just a throw away comment that sounds good in isolation. There would be no mega fight for Maccarinelli -- none at all. And even if he could get down in weight, there is no guarantee that he wouldn't lose a great deal of his punch power, which, at world class level at cruiserweight, hasn't exactly shown itself to be Shavers like.

Further, the quality tends to be rather sharper at lower down the weights. Really, now that Bell is off the scene, Moremeck done, and Haye at heavy, who is there? Certainly, Maccarinelli hasn't fought anyone near to the quality of Hopkins, Pavlik or Dawson, and he may find that his natural size, even if it remains as undiminished as possible, isn't enough to bridge the gulf in class.

But there is no way he could drag his frame down to that weight, so its a moot point.

[Max Molyneux]

He's way too big to make 12st 7lbs.

[mike john]

This is just a throw away comment that sounds good in isolation. There would be no mega fight for Maccarinelli -- none at all. And even if he could get down in weight, there is no guarantee that he wouldn't lose a great deal of his punch power, which, at world class level at cruiserweight, hasn't exactly shown itself to be Shavers like.

Further, the quality tends to be rather sharper at lower down the weights. Really, now that Bell is off the scene, Moremeck done, and Haye at heavy, who is there? Certainly, Maccarinelli hasn't fought anyone near to the quality of Hopkins, Pavlik or Dawson, and he may find that his natural size, even if it remains as undiminished as possible, isn't enough to bridge the gulf in class.

But there is no way he could drag his frame down to that weight, so its a moot point.

i think its fair to say that haye is very near the quality of pavilk and dawson

[Max Molyneux]

If he made the weight safely and didn't lose stamina and fitness, he'd KO Pavlik. Pavlik Is a middleweight at the moment and Dawson has a glass jaw and struggled to keep Johnson off him.

[Asterix]

It's intriguing but I have to wonder how negatively it would affect Macca to get down to the weight. Chris Byrd is a good recent example showing why such weight loss can be detrimental (Jones Jr and Tarver are also good examples).

[stujones]

Well I'd like to see him give it a go. He looks fleshy at Cruiser and I think its always better for a fighter to fight at the lightest weight possible - providing he can make the weight comfortable enough.

The fact that he is even mentioning shows how easy he makes Cruiser, and he probably could make it with the right nutritional advice comfortable enough.

[Asterix]

The fact that he is even mentioning shows how easy he makes Cruiser, and he probably could make it with the right nutritional advice comfortable enough.

I wonder how often they have burgers from the van outside the gym.

[Dioufy]

I made a thread about this a few months ago so here's my two penneth...

I think it would be a really bad decision if Enzo Mac dropped down to 175lbs now. I feel, and I said this in my previous thread, that Enzo should've dropped down after that Lee Swaby defeat. I am not pointing or blaming that loss to Lee on the weight - it's was Enzo's own stupid fault. He was always very fleshy up until he beat Bruce Scott (some people even thought that shot that had him on spaghetti legs was because he had never come in that light before - that's been proven wrong because Enzo is a tad chinny).

I believe that that's when Enzo should've and could've lost the weight and become a natural light heavyweight. Because during the Scott fight he did seem to come in in decent shape and weigh-in around 13"6' but still had a bit of excess weight. If he really wanted to I reckon he could've pissed 175lbs and maybe even could've made super middleweight (that would've been silly though).

Sp for me, he's missed his chance to drop down to that weight. He could probably make it but I wouldn't rule out a brutal KO for the other dude. If the crusierweight limit was back at 190lbs then that would've been perfection for Enzo right now. As if is though, he's a very small cruiser and as soon as someone come along who would put on 15lbs+ after the weigh-in he was always a sitting duck for a hard KO - that's what Mr Haye did. I also wouldn't rule out Jonno Banks knocking Enzo out but I feel he lacks the skills to do it. Perhaps a big boy like Alexander Alexeev could do Enzo through six I reckon - so it's a good job it's Banks up next.

[jimglen]

Sounds like he got a fright with Hayes' power and perhaps is thinking at a lighter weight, with his 'stature' (height) he should be able to keep fighters at a distance, liken'd to the Klitschko's. Lennox Lewis', Carl Williams and the other mammoth S-HW's...

might work for him, though some big punchers at L-HW also and lastly IF his bottle's starting to go the so might he!

[rhino222]

enzo should give chris byrd a phone call, and ask him what its like to step DOWN in weight.......

[stujones]

enzo should give chris byrd a phone call, and ask him what its like to step DOWN in weight.......

He's not in a late 30's mind.

[rhino222]

i agree stu, but would you also agree that byrd has more talent !!!

[stujones]

i agree stu, but would you also agree that byrd has more talent !!!

Yes, although I do think he was made to look better than he was due to the mediocrity of the Heavyweight devision. I think Enzo would probably do better as a heavyweight than a Light heavyweight - not cause he would be more suited at the weight, but because the devision is shite.

Well without knowing the full details of Enzo's training/dieting regime currently, then it is hard to tell how he will react. However, I could imagine he would struggle less than even Roy Jones - cause Roy bulked up with the original intention to stay at Heavyweight and needed to lose alot of muscle mass. Chris Byrd the same, he hardly looked like John McDermmot did he as a heavyweight. Enzo isn't fat, but has more fat to lose to make Light Heavy - than Chris Byrd did to make Cruiser.

[Autobarn]

Sounds like he got a fright with Hayes' power and perhaps is thinking at a lighter weight, with his 'stature' (height) he should be able to keep fighters at a distance, liken'd to the Klitschko's. Lennox Lewis', Carl Williams and the other mammoth S-HW's...

might work for him, though some big punchers at L-HW also and lastly IF his bottle's starting to go the so might he!

Could be the shock of it (Haye TKO) has him thinking about moving down. Also, he could be saying, Haye is a heavyweight, I am a light heavyweight, hence why I lost. Could be part of some big excuse, who knows.

Or maybe he's shying away from fights with Alexeev and other dangerous cruiserweights.

Don't really like to hear Mac talk of moving down when he's just been given a straight title shot (WBO cruiser). I don't understand what top light heavyweights will have to gain vs Mac.

[Twinkle Toes]

I think it is just talk from the Enzo camp, much the same as moving up to heavyweight was talk.

However, he does look like he could probably make the light heavy limit - He has always looked to be carrying a bit of surplus at cruiser.

[Carbo]

This is just a throw away comment that sounds good in isolation. There would be no mega fight for Maccarinelli -- none at all. And even if he could get down in weight, there is no guarantee that he wouldn't lose a great deal of his punch power, which, at world class level at cruiserweight, hasn't exactly shown itself to be Shavers like.

Further, the quality tends to be rather sharper at lower down the weights. Really, now that Bell is off the scene, Moremeck done, and Haye at heavy, who is there? Certainly, Maccarinelli hasn't fought anyone near to the quality of Hopkins, Pavlik or Dawson, and he may find that his natural size, even if it remains as undiminished as possible, isn't enough to bridge the gulf in class.

But there is no way he could drag his frame down to that weight, so its a moot point.

i think its fair to say that haye is very near the quality of pavilk and dawson

You're right. I should have said looked close to beating. That being said, Haye's it. There's nobody else on the CV.

[lurkyshaka]

Don't think it'd be a wise move. He makes cruiser nicely so why would he want to struggle to make 175? And he would have to kill himself to make light-heavy. He'd likely lose punch resistance and be weak at the weight. At 6'4 he's a genuine cruiser who has the luxury of not having to boil himself to make weight. If anything Enzo should do a bit of strength work to develop his cruiser physique and add a little bit of bulk.

He's always going to be chinny, but he has decent ability and genuine one shot power. He can still do things at cruiser and thats the only weight class he should be concentrating on.

[twenty six]

If I'm honest this smacks a little of desperation to keep in the limelight.
Anyone who thinks the likes of Macca are not affected by the Calzaghe / Wazza affair are deluding themselves.
I really feel for these guys because contractually they are tied, but Wazza is just the sort of guy to pull them into the argument.