Enzo Maccarinelli’s ambition to share a ring with long-standing WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson could finally be realised if he is victorious against Argentinean veteran Marcelo Fabian Dominguez at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, this Saturday. As Nelson continues to recover from a career threatening cruciate knee injury, Maccarinelli and Dominguez will contest the WBO interim title mat 200 pounds. Nelson has until October to prove his fitness, otherwise Saturday’s winner will be recognised as the WBO’s champion. Eleven years younger than Dominguez at 25, with considerably less miles on the odometer (24 fights compared to 47 for Dominguez), Maccarinelli ought to possess the youth and ambition to prevail. However, the Welsh puncher may have to settle for a win via the scorecards against his tough opponent as Dominguez has never been stopped despite sharing a ring with Juan Carlos Gomez, Nikolay Valuev, Johnny Nelson and unbeaten heavyweight prospect Cengiz Koc in his fifteen-year career.
Dominguez, 40-6-1 (21 KOs), once held a world title, the WBC cruiserweight title from 1995-1997, and made five defences of it back when cruiserweight meant 190 pounds. Since losing the belt to Gomez, he has flirted between the heavyweight and the cruiserweight divisions of late, and at one time allowed his weight to balloon as high as 239. However, the stocky campaigner was back down to the cruiserweight championship limit of 200lbs last time out when recording a points victory over Mariano Ramon Ocampo in Argentina in February to extend his current winning run to three.
Maccarinelli, 23-1 (17 KOs) was promoted to the chief support bout underneath Danny Williams’ heavyweight rematch with Matt Skelton when fellow countryman Joe Calzaghe was sidelined. He will be eager to shine in front of his home crowd on such an impressive stage abd he’ll also be looking for a convincing display following his titanic struggle with reigning British and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Mark Hobson back in March. Maccarinelli was to have challenged Johnny Nelson for the WBO title, but when Nelson was ruled out, substitute Hobson was drafted in on three weeks notice and took Maccarinelli to the brink in a captivating seesaw battle. A third round knockdown, registered by Maccarinelli, proved decisive as he sneaked home on the cards by 114-113 twice and 114-113 in the seventh defence of a minor title.
Maccarinelli made hard work of Hobson, but by doing twelve hard rounds and absorbing Hobson’s best shots early before storming back he answered some important questions about his ability to compete at a higher level. In fairness to the Welsh-Italian, he had been preparing to meet an unorthodox stylist in Nelson and instead had to adjust to the marauding Hobson’s high octane tactics. Maccarinelli has promised to be better against Dominguez, in this his first fight under new trainer Enzo Calzaghe following the retirement of longstanding cornerman Charlie Pearson.
Maccarinelli, has recently tried his hand at acting and is set to play the part of former British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Eddie Avoth in a forthcoming movie made about the legendary Welsh featherweight fighter Howard Winstone. One thing’s for sure: if Maccarinelli has suddenly become star-struck through his imminent big screen debut taskmaster Enzo Calzaghe will have taken a dim view as he puts the 6’4 prospect through his paces. Calzaghe has done a fine job with son Joe and current Commonwealth light-middleweight king Bradley Pryce of late and has been given the task of turning Maccarinelli into the finished article.
It would be a huge shock if the 25-year-old was to come unstuck against Dominguez. However, Maccarinelli has had trouble with shorter men before. Jamaican Bruce Scott floored the Welshman in the opening round of their clash for the vacant WBU title in June 2003 and had him on rubbery legs before Maccarinelli knocked Scott out cold with his trademark left hook to the jaw in round four. Enzo had no such difficulty with the diminutive Ismael Abdoul two years ago however, comfortably completing the 12-round trip for the first time against the negative Belgian.
Hopefully Dominguez will harbour more ambition. Like all concussive hitters, there remains a hint of vulnerability about Maccarinelli. Southpaw Lee Swaby handed him his solitary career loss by flattening him in three rounds in the then 19-year-old Maccarinelli’s fourth pro outing. Bruce Scott had him down in the opening round with a seemingly innocuous left hook round the side of Maccarinelli’s ear, and Mark Hobson stiffened his legs on more than one occasion last time out.
Dominguez, with just 21 knockouts in 47 bouts, is no puncher though. His best bet would be to weather the early storm, wear Maccarinelli down on the inside and take the fight into the latter stages where Enzo may begin to flag and lose concentration. Marcelo has completed ten rounds or more on no less than 19 occasions. The Argentinean posed some early problems for Johnny Nelson in an unsuccessful bid for the WBO title in Nelson’s Sheffield backyard in July 2001 but was comfortably outpointed in the end. Now considerably past his prime it’s difficult to imagine him unseating Maccarinelli in the twilight stages of his career.
Dominguez will plod forward in an attempt to take away Maccarinelli’s considerable height and reach advantages but should be met by Enzo’s solid jab and thumping left hooks, delivered to head and body. A compassionate late stoppage cannot be ruled out for Maccarinelli – British officials have been quick on the draw when intervening in some recent bouts, but more likely is Maccarinelli earning a workmanlike points victory following twelve, repetitive rounds of action.
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