12.03.06 – By Michael Klimes: The cruiserweight clash between the power punching Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli (the W.B.U Champion) and the dangerous Mark Hobson (the British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion), who replaced the suddenly injured W.B.O Cruiserweight Champion Johnny Nelson raised my eyebrows at its conclusion.
The judges scored the fight as a unanimous decision in favour of Maccarinelli, scoring 116-112, 114-113 and 114-113 respectively. Conversely, I thought Hobson won by a wide margin. In hindsight, my scoring was far too harsh on Maccarinelli. Nevertheless he did not win in my mind. I never shared this verdict with the rest of the arena as it was the Welshman’s turf. The entire crowd bellowed out ‘Enzo, Enzo, Enzo’ for the first quarter of the fight but their silence towards the latter half was more than a single that there was much to be worried about. A man sitting just in front of me exclaimed (when the results were announced),’ I was nervous there, it was close.’
I am flirting with controversy by suggesting such a horrible conclusion for Maccarinelli fans but I think Hobson was robbed by unfair judging. Maccarinelli, who is one of the most explosive punchers in the cruiserweight division was stretched the full twelve rounds, did not register a devastating knock out (now 24 fights with 17KOs) and looked baffled at times. This was accomplished by a fighter, which had not fought for fifteen months. To his credit, Maccarinelli took many punches and fought very bravely, both did.
Hobson started off excellently by slipping his jab between Maccarinelli’s lax defences and hitting him with a big right hand. In the third round, Maccarinelli floored Hobson with a superb right hand and staggered him with shots afterwards. His full arsenal was on display with kidney cutting left hooks, competent right hands and well placed 1-2 combinations. Hobson was desperate but held on.
However, Hobson stole the initiative hereafter and was looking more to out box the tough Welshman. Maccarinelli was not forcing him to the ropes (where he always lands the most poisonous body shots) and although Hobson has power and is offensively orientated; he intelligently adopted a clever, counter-punching/boxing forward style. It all was ushered from his better jab.
Maccarinelli seemed to be trying to out jab Hobson in some rounds when Hobson was unquestionably the better rounded boxer. It seemed bizarre to me that after Maccarinelli wielded such explosive fury in the third round, he withered away to ineffectiveness until the sixth, when he got a second wind.
There were stamina problems for Maccarinelli and he might have been suffering from what I call, ‘Blow Out Syndrome’. The most recent practitioner of this has been Mike Tyson; a puncher of Tyson’s repute (in the latter stages of his career) searched for a knock out early on but punched himself out.
This did not completely happen to Maccarinelli but there were worrisome periods. If power is your main asset (it is for Maccarinelli) and you are facing a better boxer; the only way you will beat them is through more aggression, outworking, negating the jab and utilising those body sapping shots. This is something, despite Maccarinelli’s courage, high work rate (at points) and dogged attack he failed to do.
There were cracks in his left hand being too low and he was repeatedly nailed by Hobson’s over right hand punch. He put too much effort into all his punches, which caused him stamina problems and thereby did not have a consistently high work rate. He was also in fighting in the centre of the ring too often.
The Fight
Round 1:
Good activity with Hobson scoring his jab but Maccaranelli landed his shots. Hobson, though, had the better exchanges and is beginning to force the fight. The pace is fast. Hobson finishes the round with some great punches.
10-9 Hobson.
Round 2:
Hobson improves his work rate, outscores Maccarinelli and although he receives a big left hook, Hobson blasts Maccarinelli with a superb right hand, which makes him clinch and forces him on the ropes. Maccarinelli not effective on the back foot and this is where he is put. Slips his jab between Maccarinelli’s gloves as well.
10-9 Hobson.
Round 3:
Maccarinelli floors Hobson with a concrete right hand. It is such a big round that it equalises the fight.
10-8 Maccarinelli.
Round 4:
Hobson demonstrates a good work rate, landing combinations and forcing Enzo Maccarinelli onto the back foot. Maccarinelli looks slightly bemused as he is forced back. He is out of his element when doing this.
10-9 Hobson.
Round 5:
Hobson is scoring with the jab and banging with stiff 1-2 combinations. Again Maccarinelli is not as effective but the round is closer.
10-9 Hobson.
Round 6:
Hobson begins to look a bit tired now. Maccarinelli is looking more predatory and lands a left hook and a good uppercut at the end. He still needs to be doing more though but is getting through to Hobson.
10-9 Maccarinelli.
Round 7:
Hobson becoming inactive. It’s definitely not his round. Hobson lands a good right hand. Maccarinelli is outworking and both are landing hard shots.
10-9 Maccarinelli.
Round 8:
Maccarinelli landing heavy body shots and 1-2 combinations. Hobson was becoming more static and easy to hit but Hobson weathers the storm and comes back. Maccarinelli walks into a right hand.
10-10 Draw.
Round 9:
Hobson and Maccarinelli go at each other. Hobson still lands the better punches; again straight right hands are doing the damage. Hobson lands a beautiful left hook. Maccarinelli has to hold on allowing his head to clear. Maccarinelli having his chin tested.
Chanting for the Welshman is rekindled.
10-9 Hobson.
Round 10:
Both fighters really trade. Both going to work in the middle of the ring. Both are tiring however. Hobson is keeping his form more.
10-10. Draw.
Round 11:
Maccarinelli not really finding a way past Hobson’s sharp jab. They then traded, Maccarinelli throwing bombs but Hobson does enough.
10-9 Hobson.
Round 12:
Magnificent round for Maccarinelli. He ends it with a bang. He hits Hobson with a good right hand, two good hooks and an uppercut. He has superb shots when he wants to but this round shows how Maccarinelli should have been fighting in more rounds
10-9 Maccarinelli.
Revised Score: 115-114 Hobson.
Hobson (for me) won 6 rounds. Maccarinelli won 4 rounds and they both drew 2.
It was a much closer fight than I originally scored and I asked myself, (remembering being ringside and watching the bout on tape), why was my judging so harsh on Maccarinelli? It simply lay in his flaws, which can be modified:
Maccarinelli is a good fighter, perhaps one dimensional in the puncher sense but this is reversible. Frazier had the weaving and bobbing, Duran the head feint and Marciano the crouch. These ‘brawlers’ are all beautiful templates on how power punchers can minimise their damaging journey onto the inside.
Alternatively, Maccarinelli could improve his jab and use it as his cushion. He tried to do this but it did not work. He is a decent sized cruiserweight with the reach to develop it. If he could improve his jab, learn how to slip punches to get on the inside and become more of a pressure fighter, Maccarinelli’s effectiveness against mobile boxer-punchers would go up leaps and bounds. Hobson stood up to his power, not only out boxing him but even getting him back.
He must improve his composure as well. He was hit by too many of Hobson’s dangerous right hands by letting his left glove drop slightly and threw everything he had into all his punches, which made him tire. Even punchers need to pace themselves but this is probably forgivable in Maccarinelli as he has yet to peak. He has a few rough edges, which Hobson exploited that he needs to smoothen out to reach the highest level.
His chin is not in question, power, courage and the excitement he generates are indisputable.
I feel he should have a rematch with Hobson but it probably will not happen.
Future Plans?
Enzo Maccarinelli and David Haye are the young cruiserweight stars in the country. Haye recently became European Champion by blitzing the former Russian title holder, Alexander Gurov in the 1st round in December lat year. Haye is 25, the same age as Maccarinelli and comments have been made about them facing off. Haye was stopped in September 2004 by the notoriously tough cruiserweight Carl Thompson. Thompson defeated Chris Eubank twice in his forays into the division. Haye was just too green for Thompson and is scheduled to make a defence of his title against Lasse Johansen on 24th March. He has a record of 15 wins and 1 defeat. It is logical that Haye has a rematch with Thompson.
He also has ambitions for the heavyweight division,’ I’m gonna clean up the cruiserweights then move up… One of my heroes is Evander Holyfield, who had a similar build to me at cruiser and a similar amateur record. Look at what he did at heavyweight.’
The current ‘elder statesmen’ of the cruiserweights in the U.K is Johnny Nelson and in my opinion, Haye and Maccarinelli should fight an eliminator before going after him. On BBC Sport, Haye revealed that like James Toney, he has problems with his weight. After the Gurov victory he said, ‘It was so hard getting down to the weight. I was walking around 20lb over the limit. I think I have four or five fights left at the division. I need to clean up and then move up to heavyweight.’
Further Thoughts:
Chad Dawson fought on the under-card and looked very good. He outclassed his opponent in 3 rounds. He was fast, powerful, is a considerable combination puncher and is now undefeated in 22 fights. For his 23 years, he looked remarkably composed and a seasoned professional. Judging by the sorry state of the light heavyweight division, he is progressing well and is active, which is encouraging.