Enzo Maccarinelli back from the dead
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the cruiserweights Enzo Maccarinelli has completed a remarkable return.
“Big Mac” has clawed his way up from the abyss and last night claimed the European championship with a crushing victory over Alexander Kotlobay in St Petersburg.
Perhaps the Welshman had been inspired by the herculean return to glory that fellow British write-off Audley Harrison completed a few weeks ago. Like “A-Force”, Maccarinelli is now holder of an EBU belt, which automatically puts him in contentions for some big fights and possibly a world-title shot.
It’s a return to the big-time for the Maccarinelli who suffered a catastrophic fall from grace. It was all going so well for the big Celt, until March 2008. At the time the Enzo Calzaghe stable was flying and Maccarinelli was the second biggest-jewel in the Newport gym’s crown after Joe Calzaghe. A big fight with David Haye beckoned with the undisputed cruiserweight championship on the line, the two were thought to be on an even keel in the lead up to the fight.
However disaster struck when Haye buckled the Welshman’s legs in the second with a brutal onslaught. No-one will forget Maccarinelli’s stagger, he had the look of a drunken tramp which he matched with a camp waddle. It looked like that might be the defining moment of Maccrinelli’s career an early loss in his first big-time shot. His confidence was drained following that, he went on to lose two of his next three fights while Haye blasted off into superstardom. Big Mac looked shot.
Rock bottom was hit by July 2009 with a defeat to Denis Lebedev. The Welshman appeared uninterested and out of shape as the Russian fighter strolled to victory. That was the wake-up call for Maccarinelli, carry on like that and he may as well just retire, however he came back in emphatic style.
Big Mac destroyed his next two opponents, both within the first round and he continued along his path of destruction last night.
In the past his commitment has been questioned, but going all the way to Russia to fight a champion on a Tuesday night, essentially on your own, there’s no denying he wants it. It was a new Maccarinelli in that ring in St Petersburg. He looked as trim as you like, not an ounce of fat on him and he had confidence by the bucket load.
It looks like Big Mac’s gone back to basics and it’s done him the world of good. He now sits comfortably behind his jab and fights a more controlled fight at his own tempo. He destroyed Kotlobay in less than three minutes, a win that was met with total silence by the shocked home crowd.
Maccarinelli was on the front foot from the start, instantly asserted himself on proceedings. He had the Russian worried with some decent body shots before dropping his opponent midway through the first. He then tied Kotlobay up on the ropes, before a left uppercut was enough for the ref who called it a day before the Welshman even broke sweat.
Now Maccarinelli has options, the current cruiserweight division is not that tough and he should be in contention sooner rather than later for a world title. It’s remarkable really considering the slump he was in. What with Prizefighter hitting the cruiserweights in the next few days, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see him resurface in that, but he’s battled his way back up the hard way.
For a while it looked like his career was well off track, but now Mac is back. All he needs to do now is catch up with that David Haye chap.
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