Nathan Cleverly dismisses Enzo Maccarinelli’s call for an all-Welsh title showdown – Boxing news
The newly-crowned world champion, Nathan Cleverly, has dismissed Enzo Maccarinelli’s call for an all-Welsh title showdown in July 2011.
Cleverly, who defeated German Juergen Braehmer recently to be the new World Boxing Organization light-heavyweight champion, says he has a bigger fish to fry.
Maccarinelli, who was at ringside at London’s O2 Arena, immediately called out his old stable-mate for a match, as he said he believes this fight could catch the imagination of the Welsh public.
Cleverly and his promoter, Frank Warren, however have refused the proposal saying they are targeting big American stars like Bernard Hopkins, Chad Dawson and Tavoris Cloud. Maccarinelli however is not happy and has called it a premature talk.
“We’re looking at bigger fights than Maccarinelli,” he said. “Hopkins, Dawson and Tavoris Cloud are all on our radar and I’d love to go over to America and prove myself there.”
He said, “I don't think Frank Warren would put him anywhere near Bernard Hopkins,” said the Swansea fighter. “He's 46 years of age but he's still class. You saw the trouble he gave Joe (Calzaghe). Joe was the best fighter on the planet. Nathan is not the
best fighter on the planet.”
Cleverly, who has extended his unbeaten record to 22 fights, in the meanwhile responded by saying Maccarinelli has nothing to offer him.
“He’s got nothing to offer me at the moment. He’s got five defeats on his record and he needs me a lot more than I need him. He needs to start from the bottom and prove himself again if he wants to take me on, said Cleverly,” he said.
He also added that if Maccarinelli wants to have a crack, he will have to wait in the queue like others.
The former World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Union world champion, Enzo Maccarinelli, is now likely to fight in July 2011 and probably he is going to be up against Liverpool’s Tony Bellew.
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