Enzo Maccarinelli could be matched with Tony Bellew if he wins European title
Thursday 9 June 2016 18:37, UK
Enzo Maccarinelli could be in line for a shot at WBC cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew if he lands the European title on Friday night.
The 35-year-old Welshman meets Ukrainian Dmytro Kucher for the vacant European belt at London's York Hall on Friday night in what likely represents his final chance of earning a shot at a world champion.
Maccarinelli is a former WBO cruiserweight world champion, retaining the belt four times before a 2008 loss to David Haye, who has been in talks about a showdown with Bellew.
"All he wants is another shot at the world title, and then he can retire," Maccarinelli's promoter Frank Warren said.
"Enzo's got a good boxing brain, good jab, and can punch, and if he catches Tony Bellew on the chin he won't get up.
"If he wins, he's European champion. Normally the European champion goes straight into the top five (in the rankings). It's two bangers, they both punch, it'd be a great fight while it lasted because I don't see it going the distance.
"I've asked him to retire on numerous occasions, but since he's been with (trainer) Gary Lockett he seems to have had a lease of life, and more importantly sorted his defence out."
Maccarinelli and Britain's newest world champion Bellew are good friends but Warren says that won't stop them from meeting in the ring, adding he doubts the Evertonian would beat Haye should the pair end up meeting.
"All he [Maccarinelli] keeps on at me is he wants a world title fight, he says 'I want one more go at it and then I'm out of the game'," he said.
"Friends fight, don't they? We've seen that happen time and time again. Richie Woodhall and Joe Calzaghe were friends: when that bell went, Woodhall fought like never before.
"There's no way Tony Bellew's going to be beating David Haye any day of the week. Is he going to give all that weight away? I doubt it. Can David Haye get down? I don't know.
"If it did, it'd be huge, but I don't see what Tony Bellew has got to beat David Haye. I don't think there's any cruiserweights who'd be able to give that weight away (to Haye)."
