Tag Archives: cruiserweight

Enzo Maccarinelli beaten by Ovil McKenzie in controversial fashion

Posted on by

Devastated Maccarinelli controversially stopped in second round as McKenzie retains Commonwealth title

|

UPDATED:

23:03 GMT, 9 November 2012

Enzo Maccarinelli was robbed of the chance to win the only belt missing from his collection when his light-heavyweight Commonwealth title clash with Ovil McKenzie was stopped prematurely in the second round.

The Welshman, 32, came under pressure from the champion but appeared in no distress, only for referee Ian John-Lewis to end the fight, much to the bewilderment of the former cruiserweight world champion, and the crowd.

'I am absolutely devastated,' Maccarinelli said. 'The referee apologised to me afterwards.

Taking the blows: Enzo Maccarinelli gets caught with a left hook from Ovill McKenzie

Taking the blows: Enzo Maccarinelli gets caught with a left hook from Ovill McKenzie

'We knew he [McKenzie] was strong but it was my plan to take the shots on the ropes. My hands were up and I blocked his shots until the referee stepped in.'

McKenzie meanwhile admitted the fight could have continued.

'It's not my fault, there's nothing I can do,' he said. 'I will give this guy a rematch anytime. The fight could have carried on, I can't lie about that.'

Maccarinelli was involved in a controversial bout for the second time this year following his British title victory over Shane McPhilbin in March.

Stoppage time: Refree Ian John Lewis explains to Maccarinelli why he stopped the fight against McKenzie. The referee later apologised

Stoppage time: Refree Ian John Lewis explains to Maccarinelli why he stopped the fight against McKenzie. The referee later apologised

That fight was marred by the bizarre decision to end the first round 47 seconds early after Maccarinelli had been knocked down. He was floored again in the third before winning on all three judges' scorecards.

Having endured a torrid four years since losing a cruiserweight unification bout with David Haye at the O2 Arena in London, Maccarinelli had hoped to get back on track against McKenzie after serving a six-month ban for failing a drugs test.

Game over: Maccarinelli looks stunned as McKenzie celebrates his win

Game over: Maccarinelli looks stunned as McKenzie celebrates his win

He looked comfortable in the opening stages, although the man from Derby was the busier man which was also the case in the second session before the controversial stoppage.

The final fight of the evening saw Paul Butler maintain his unbeaten record and claim the vacant British super flyweight title with a stunning first-round stoppage of John Donnelly.

The home favourite delivered a sickening body shot after just 69 seconds to send the Liverpool crowd into delirium.

Enzo Maccarinelli banned for six months over failed drugs test

Posted on by

British champion Maccarinelli slapped with six-month ban after failing drugs test

|

UPDATED:

13:19 GMT, 18 July 2012

Enzo Maccarinelli has been banned for six months after failing a random drugs test.

The former WBO world cruiserweight champion tested positive for methylhexaneamine (MHA) following his victory over Shane McPhilbin in March.

UK Anti-Doping Chief Executive Andy Parkinson said: 'This is a timely reminder that, no matter what your sport, under the principle of strict liability athletes must exercise extreme caution over what they put into their body.

In the dock: Enzo Maccarinelli has failed a drug test

In the dock: Enzo Maccarinelli has failed a drug test

'With this in mind, Olympic athletes
should be aware that they are now in-competition from 16 July until 12
August and could be tested at anytime, anywhere. MHA is available in a
range of supplement products, is banned in-competition, and can often be
listed under a number of different names.

'UK Anti-Doping continues to work closely with the British Boxing Board of Control to maintain the integrity of the sport.'

Heavyweight Larry Olubamiwo, cruiserweight Terry Dunstan, light-heavyweight Michael Banbula and former British super-middleweight champion Tony Dodson – are all serving bans for taking banned substances.

Vitali Klitschko: David Haye chose Dereck Chisora over September super fight

Posted on by

You had your chance! Vitali claims Haye chose Chisora over September super fight

|

UPDATED:

16:08 GMT, 16 July 2012

Vitali Klitschko reminded David Haye he rejected the chance to meet in a heavyweight super fight in favour of facing Dereck Chisora.

Haye demanded a showdown with Klitschko after flattening Chisora in an explosive five-round victory at Upton Park on Saturday night.

The 31-year-old expressed his fear a fight against Klitschko would never happen because his performance against Chisora was 'too good'.

Speaking out: Vitali Klitschko, who faces Manuel Charr in September, claims David Haye rejected the chance to fight him

Speaking out: Vitali Klitschko, who faces Manuel Charr in September, claims David Haye rejected the chance to fight him

Klitschko, speaking in Moscow to publicise his clash with Manuel Charr on September 8, insisted Haye should have been his next opponent.

'David Haye was supposed to be at this press conference,' Klitschko told Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Making a point: WBC heavyweight champion Klitschko speaks during his news conference in Moscow

Making a point: WBC heavyweight champion Klitschko speaks during his news conference in Moscow

'He had a concrete offer for a fight in September and he refused.

'He turned down a fight with Vitali Klitschko in favour of one with Chisora.'

Haye opted against fighting Klitschko due to the size of the purse being offered, knowing he could make more money from settling his grudge match with Chisora.

Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente declared yesterday that the 40-year-old is unlikely to face Haye now because he hopes to launch his political career in Ukraine in October.

If he fails to tempt his preferred target into one more fight, then Haye will enter retirement for a second time satisfied by what he has achieved.

'If a fight with Vitali happens down the line, fantastic,' Haye told BBC Sport.

'If it doesn't then I've been undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world and a heavyweight champion of the world.

'I've achieved more than I anticipated I would do as a youngster.

'I'm happy with what I've done in the ring and it's nice to finish on such a high.

'When I retired after losing to Wladimir (Klitschko) a year ago, it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

'But this time round after fighting in London in front of 30,000 of my fans, it really did put a smile on my face.

Turning up: Vitali's next opponent Charr interrupted Saturday's post-fight press conference at Upton Park

Turning up: Vitali's next opponent Charr interrupted Saturday's post-fight press conference at Upton Park

'If that's my last fight, it's one I'm very proud and happy of.'

Frank Warren stated on Saturday that a meeting between Haye and Vitali would have to be staged at Wembley such would be the interest.

And the promoter believes Haye would triumph – if he carried the fight to the older Klitschko brother.

'It will happen, 100 per cent, unless Vitali retires. If Dereck had won he'd have fought Wladimir, if David won he was going to fight Vitali,' Warren said.

Fists of fury: Haye was impressive in his victory of Chisora

Fists of fury: Haye was impressive in his victory of Chisora

'Now David against Vitali is a natural fight. I was impressed with David against Chisora and he's made me change my opinion of him.

'David fights a lot off his back foot and if you do that against big guys, it suits their gameplan.

'But if you jump on them and get under that jab, the one thing they can't do is fight on the inside and deal with a high workrate.

'Vitali's an old guy now, he's 40 years of age, and Dereck has shown how he can be beaten.'

Wladimir Klitschko plans to knock-out Jean-Marc Mormeck

Posted on by

Klitschko plans to send Mormeck to the canvas in title showdown

Wladimir Klitschko will be aiming for his 50th career knockout when he defends his world heavyweight titles against French challenger Jean-Marc Mormeck on Saturday night.

Klitschko is 17 centimeters taller, has an 18 cm reach advantage and is four years younger than the 39-year-old Frenchman.

Klitschko, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles, has a 56-3 record and has won his last 14 fights.

Shake, not a slap: Wladimir Klitschko and Jean-Marc Mormeck go face to face during the weigh in

Shake, not a slap: Wladimir Klitschko and Jean-Marc Mormeck go face to face during the weigh in

The Ukrainian is a big favorite against the Guadeloupe-born Mormeck, who is 36-4, with 22 KOs.

Klitschko, who has 49 knockouts, will be fighting in his 20th title bout and trying to maintain the brothers' dominance of the heavyweight division.

Older brother Vitali won a unanimous decision against British challenger Dereck Chisora in Munich two weeks ago to retain his WBC belt. Chisora slapped Vitali at the weigh-in, spit water in Wladimir's face before the bout and brawled with former British fighter David Haye at the post-fight news conference.

This fight, taking place in the football stadium of Fortuna Duesseldorf, promises to be a more civilized affair. Mormeck has rejected Klitschko's flattering comparisons of him to Mike Tyson.

'I'm not Mike Tyson, though sometimes it's a good PR stunt. I have neither the explosiveness nor the punch,' said Mormeck, a former WBC and WBA unified cruiserweight champion.

Size difference: Klitschko towers over Mormeck at the weigh-in

Size difference: Klitschko towers over Mormeck at the weigh-in

Klitschko hasn't fought since beating Haye by unanimous decision for the Briton's WBA belt in Hamburg last July.

'I will do everything in my power to knock a person out, but I won't guarantee it,' said Klitschko, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist. 'I promised a knockout against David Haye and I didn't deliver. I'm going to do my job.'

Mormeck's last defeat came to Haye while he was still a cruiserweight in Nov. 2007. He had the Londoner on the canvas in round four, but Haye recovered to win by technical knockout in the seventh round.

Mormeck is now aiming to become the first world heavyweight champion from France.

'I can imagine what the odds will look like for me against Wladimir Klitschko,'

Good fit: Klitschko tries on his glove before the weigh in

Good fit: Klitschko tries on his glove before the weigh in

Mormeck said: 'But I know my skills. I had Haye on the canvas and shortly before a knock out which Klitschko could not do. What I missed out against Haye I will now do with him.'

After losing to Haye, Mormeck moved up to the heavyweight division in 2009 and has won all three fights since then.

'Wladimir has a glass chin which I will break,' he said. 'He cannot stand punches. Against his brother Vitali I would have thought longer about fighting him, but against Wladimir I believe I have very good chances.'

Klitschko said he's not overlooking the challenger.

'Mormeck is one of the most experienced fighters I have ever faced,' he said. 'He has had many world title fights, has a very good technique, can take a lot of punches and is very intelligent inside the ring. To underestimate him would be a fatal mistake.'

Dereck Chisora and David Haye: Who"s who at the brawl

Posted on by

Who's who at the brawl: The main players from the disgraceful night in Munich

DERECK CHISORA

Zimbabwe-born fighter, 28, has now lost three of his last four bouts and
has a history of violent behaviour. In 2009 he was suspended from boxing for four months for biting an opponent’s ear and received a suspended prison sentence in 2010 for a ‘humiliating’ assault on his ex-girlfriend. Chisora also has convictions for assaulting a police officer and possession of an offensive weapon.

Dereck Chisora

DAVID HAYE

After unifying the cruiserweight division, Haye memorably beat Nikolai Valuev in 2009 to win the WBA heavyweight title before successfully defending it against John Ruiz and Audley Harrison. Soundly beaten by
Wladimir Klitschko but blamed the defeat on a broken toe before announcing his retirement. He would still fight brother Vitali given the chance.

Taunts: Haye mocked Chisora about his fight record from the back of the room in Munich on Saturday

DON CHARLES – Chisora's trainer

A former amateur heavyweight boxer himself, Charles had three fights in
1980 and lost them all. The Nigerian-born coach also sparred with the likes of former British heavyweight champion Gary Mason and one-time WBA heavyweight champion James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith. Charles used to own a flower shop and met his current charge Chisora at a petrol station.

Don Charles

ADAM BOOTH – Haye's trainer

Booth met Haye at the Fitzroy Lodge amateur boxing club and has trained the Bermondsey-born fighter since he was 16. Despite never fighting
professionally, he guided Haye to a silver medal at the 2001 World
Amateur Championships and has been involved in boxing for more than
25 years. Away from the ring, he has also acted as a health consultant to Kylie Minogue.

Adam Booth (right)

FRANK WARREN – Promoter

One of British boxing’s leading figures, Warren has promoted fights since 1980 and managed a host of world champions, including Nigel Benn, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan. He guided ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed to become Britain’s youngest ever world champion and, in July 2011, founded the BoxNation TV channel, which screened the Chisora v Klitschko fight.

Frank Warren

BERND BONTE – Klitschko manager

The German businessman has a Masters in history and was a former sports journalist and broadcaster before becoming manager of the Klitschko brothers in 2001. In 2007 he formed the Klitschko Management Group with the fighting siblings and, under his guidance, more than 250,000 people have attended live Klitschko fights.

Bernd Boente

VITALI KLITSCHKO

The 40-year-old Ukrainian began his career as an amateur kick-boxer and is the first boxing world champion to have a PhD. Despite retiring in 2005,
the WBC heavyweight champion returned to the ring in 2008 and boasts an impressive record of 44 wins and two losses, with one of those
defeats coming against Lennox Lewis. He is the head of his own political party and ran for mayor of Kiev in 2006 but was defeated.

Vitali Klitschko

THE MYSTERY MAN

It was a chaotic night in Munich’s Olympiahalle and a man in a denim jacket, believed to be part of Haye and Booth’s entourage, frequently tried to break up the fight. He could be seen intervening between the two fighters as their brawl spilled across the floor and also held back Chisora’s trainer Charles as he tried to get to Haye.

Mystery man (right) with Adam Booth

Mystery man (right) with Adam Booth