European Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Maccarinelli 32-4(25) will look to make the first defence of his title against unbeaten Ukrainian Alexander Frenkel on the bumper 18 September show in Birmingham, England. Back in 2006 Maccarinelli was a young world champion with an entertaining style he would make 4 successful defence’s of the WBO strap before losing it in a bragging rights unification shootout with David Haye. It seemed to send his career into a tailspin when he lost two in a row in a bad 2009. While many fighters would opt to retire not Maccarinelli he decided against getting a day job, rededicated himself going back to basics. After two feel your way back wins both in the first round he was left with a decision to fight in Prizefighter for more money, against weaker opposition or fight for the vacant European crown which though more prestigious would be in Russia against Alexander Kotlobay. After deliberating it with promoter Frank Warren, Maccarinelli decided no guts no glory going for the jugular heading to Russia where he demolished Kotlobay in 135 seconds of the opening round. Maccarinelli hopes to get an impressive victory over Frenkel that would propel him into a muted Cruiserweight Super 6. Here’s what Big Macc had to say ahead of the fight.
Hello Enzo, welcome to 15rounds.com
Anson Wainwright – Firstly you will be making your first defence of the European Cruiserweight title against Alexander Frenkel. What are your thoughts on Frankel? How good do you think he is?
Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah obviously he’s good. He’s got a good record, good knock out record. I’ve seen the boys he’s been fighting they haven’t been up to much i’ll be honest but he’s taken care of them. He beat what’s in front of him but i’m in a totally different kettle of fish to what he’s faced.
Anson Wainwright – Your fight takes place on the massive 18 September Birmingham show. What are your thoughts on appearing on that card?
Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah to be honest it doesn’t really bother me if i’m honest. I’m in this for myself, it’s not a team sport. But you’ve got to give some kudos to Frank Warren for putting on a show like this. It’s got to be the most stacked 50-50 fights for British Boxing for many years. I think it’ll be a fantastic night of boxing and i’m sure everyone will play a part in making it a great night.
Anson Wainwright – Over the past few years you’ve changed several things in your team having left the Calzaghe stable, who are you trained by now? Also who is your manager & promoter? What gym do you train at?
Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah i train with Karl Ince he does pads with me. A conditioner Chris Ware for fitness and an old trainer from when i was younger Derek who’s just pushing me. I’ve gone back to basics. I’ve left all the weights alone, which i’ve done over the last couple of years. Plenty of running, plenty of Boxing, plenty of sparring. I’m in London, I’ve sparred with Derek Chisora this week. Everything is going well. My manager & promoter is Frank Warren. I train over my dad’s gym where it all started, like i say i’ve gone back to basics, i train at home. The place that i grew up and made me. It’s a little tin shed in Swansea, it’s boiling in the summer & freezing in the winter. But it’s what i call my second home. It’s relight the fire inside me.
Anson Wainwright -From your point of view what made your decide to leave the Calzaghe’s and how are things between you now?
Enzo Maccarinelli – It’s all amicable. I gave them my reason’s why i left. I speak to Joe all the time. I speak to Enzo all the time. There’s no animosity at all with me leaving at all. When Joe retired Enzo lost some of his love for the game, he wouldn’t admit it at the time but i think he would now. It was just something i had to do. I don’t hold grudges there’s no grudges to hold. I’m very close to Joe, i’m very close to Enzo.
Anson Wainwright -Obviously Frenkel is a very real test for you, but all being well I’m sure you want to get back on the World stage. What is your plan of attack?
Enzo Maccarinelli – I want that world title back again. I’m in this for no other reason. When i lost to Lebedev and Afolabi i lost to boys who a couple of years ago wouldn’t of touched me. But i lost. I’m not making excuses, i’m not saying it wasn’t me. I prepared wrong for both of them fights, they prepared right they won, preparation is key. But the thing was i knew what i did wrong. Especially after the Lebedev fight i was embarrassed not because i lost because of the way i performed. It was upto me to either sit in the house and think of a new career or carry on and do the sport i love. Obviously here i am. Everyone gave me no hope what so ever going to Russia. I smashed the boy up. I did exactly what i said i was going to do. It was no lucky shot. I said it was going to be over in two rounds and it was the first!
Anson Wainwright -What are your thoughts on the current state of the Cruiserweight division? Where do you feel you fit in to things?
Enzo Maccarinelli – I fit in there. I feel i can beat any Cruiserweight on the planet bar none. As long as i prepare right, as long as i turn up right on the night. I think it’ll be a hard man to beat me. It’s a good division with good fighters. I’d place Steve Cunningham at the top he’s been around a long time he shows no sign of slowing down. Me and Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, Marco Huck would be a cracking fights. I’ve heard rumours of Super 6’s in all division’s so that would be something i’d love to do. But i’m not taking nothing for granted Alexander Frenkel is a dangerous opponent. I’m training as hard as ever. My weight is fine, i’m under weight already, i’m fit as a fiddle. I could do 12 rounds tomorrow. It’s just a matter of not going over the top.
Anson Wainwright – You touched on the Cruiserweight Super 6 which has been mentioned, what are your thoughts on that?
Enzo Maccarinelli – It would be fantastic. It would definitely be something i’d like to do. If i can put on something spectacular against Frenkel then maybe i could earn my way in there, that would be ideal for me, I’d be more than happy. It would be a fantastic tournament at the end of the day after Seven or so fights you find out who the number one is.
Anson Wainwright -You went into the Lions den so to speak last time out when you won the European title, was that a case of you having to win as a loss would of put you in a very difficult place?
Enzo Maccarinelli – Yeah that’s the way i see every fight from now on. When i lost to Lebedev i changed a few things, i didn’t feel anything i did in training was right. But maybe I didn’t have the hunger, but i went along with it, i knew it wasn’t right. I lost i thought i’m going to give it one last crack, i know i can still do it. I’m going to do it my way so if it F&!$’s up it’s all on me. I had that offer to go to Russia and it was either that or Prizefighter. On paper Prizefighter was a lot easier, i’d get paid a lot more money to win Prizefighter. But the rewards were more (For the European Title). Some journalists said it was the best performance by a British fighter on foreign soil in many a year. Nothing hindered me, i spoke to Frank Warren he offered me Prizefighter or the European title. I said which one do you want me to take? He said he’d like me to fight for the European, that was enough for me. I told them all i’d knock him out and that’s exactly what i did.
Anson Wainwright -The biggest fight of your career to date was the David Haye unification. Looking back what are your thoughts on that fight? Was it a case of him just being to big for you?
Enzo Maccarinelli – No not at all. If you watch the fight i hit him in the first round, i didn’t take my chance. He did in the second round. It was a matter of who landed the cleanest (Punch) first. He landed a few times in the first round. But the second round he caught me and finished the job, all credit to him. But after that fight i tried to change things but i just came up against a better boy that night.
Anson Wainwright -After the Haye fight you seemed to be on the way down losing to Afolabi & Lebedev. What happened at that time and how have you turned the corner now?
Enzo Maccarinelli – It was basically when i lost to Ola Afolabi i was winning every round but i was absolutely exhausted from the second round. If you see the fights from before like the first Hobson fight i’ll fight to the finish. Against Afolabi was exausted, I was quite surprised i lasted 8 rounds i’ll be honest. He caught me in the 8th but lets be honest people say about my chin but that would of knock out a Heavyweight. Some people say it was a lucky punch, it was nothing to do with luck. I was absolutely shattered, I threw a lazy jab, he threw it with everything he had into the punch. I changed trainers i went to Bolton with Karl Ince who still works with me. But when i first went with Karl he tried too hard to do everything too correct. I brought in one of the best strength and conditioner trainers in the world to make me do this make me do that. It just didn’t feel right for me. It was to much emphasis on rest and recovery not enough on ridiculous hard work which is what i have always been used to. I went back to Swansea, i didn’t like being away from the kids. I know you need to make sacrifices. But i didn’t like being away from them for all that time, i don’t know if it effected me. But back home in Swansea everyday i see my kids it gave me strength. I’ve gone back to the old tin shed i grew up in. It’s relight the flames i’m in love with Boxing again after i fell out of love with it.
Anson Wainwright -If it wasn’t for Boxing what do you think you’d be doing for a living?
Enzo Maccarinelli – I don’t know. My dad grew me to be a fighter. There’s pictures of me at 3 years old in the gym hitting the bag. Obviously i don’t know what i was doing but i’m hitting the bag. My dad just wanted me to be a fighter. I was good in school, very good but all my reports say the same Enzo wont be one of our brightest pupils he wont try hard because for some reason he thinks he’s going to be a World Champion boxer! Haha it was nice to go back to present awards as a World Champion boxer.
Anson Wainwright – Though your still young what do you think you’d like to do after your Boxing career?
Enzo Maccarinelli – Only one thing i want to do, train boys. I train boys 3 days a week at my dad’s amateur gym. The night i won the European title i had a call off my dad congratulating me. But we had a young boy 17, just gone to the World Youth Championship’s without much experience but won his first fight by 10 points against a top boy. I’m trying to explain to people i was just as happy for him as i was for myself but they don’t get that. How close i am with all these kids in the gym. I’m telling you i have 4/5 boys who are definitely going to go on and do something.
Anson Wainwright -Finally do you have a message for Alexander Frenkel ahead of your fight?
Enzo Maccarinelli – No i don’t have any message just be prepared. He’s shooting his mouth off saying he’s going to knock me out and go site seeing. He wont have to go far, I’ll meet him in the centre of that ring and i guarantee i’ll be the first person to hit him back and he’ll know what it’s like to be hit by Big Macc!
Thanks for your time Enzo, good luck on the 18 September
Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com
Boys’ gifts stolen as they sleep
Croydon Advertiser January 6, 2012 | Nikki Jarvis Cruel partygoers crept into a little boy’s bedroom and stole his treasured Christmas presents as he slept on New Year’s Eve.
Guests at the house party shamelessly snatched five-year-old Kyreim Paul’s brand new Nintendo DS games from right under the dozing child’s nose.
They also grabbed his 11-year-old brother Jurheim’s cherished games, which the siblings had just unwrapped the week before. web site pokemon diamond pokedex
The bash in Selsdon was being hosted by the youngsters’ older sister Montana, 18, who had convinced her mum Elaine to let her have the party when she was out.
Elaine said: “I let my daughter have the party because I thought her friends were decent.
“More fool me though because it backfired.
“The people who did this are disgusting thugs – they’re not my daughter’s friends. The worst thing about the whole thing is they took them when my son was in there sleeping.” Student Elaine, from Copse View, had saved for months to buy her sons six games they desperately wanted for Christmas. this web site pokemon diamond pokedex
Guests stole the boys’ previous collection as well, taking 14 games in total, and also pocketed Montana’s BlackBerry Curve mobile phone during the night.
Elaine added: “My daughter has promised to save all her education maintenance allowance money every week and buy her brothers back the games. She was gutted.
“It made me feel sick the next day – I cried when I walked into their room. It’s so disrespectful.
“It’s the worst thing they could have taken because that’s my boys’ stuff. My sons were crying.
“They knew I’d scrimped and saved for a very long time to buy their presents – I just want them back.” About 20 teenagers aged between 18 and 19 went to the party, which started at 11.45pm on Saturday.
Jurheim was awake in his mum’s bedroom when the thieves sneaked into the room he shares with his brother.
“It was heartbreaking for the kids,” Elaine continued. “They just don’t care about what they’re doing. They’re ruthless.” It was about 1am when Montana realised the games and her phone had gone missing.
Elaine said: “When she asked who took them, nobody answered her so she kicked them out. These people don’t snitch on each other. I just want the games back.
“The police came round on New Year’s Day, but they said there was nothing they can do.” Mario Kart, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Transformers and Pokemon Diamond are just a few of the stolen games.
Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Nikki Jarvis
