14.10.07 – by James Slater: The news that WBO cruiserweight king Enzo Maccarinelli will make his next title defence against 39 year old veteran Ezra Sellers – on the under-card of Joe Calzaghe’s unification showdown with Mikkel Kessler – is not good. Indeed, can this fight possibly get past the opening round stage? Well, of course it is possible, but likely? I think not. Sellers, like the WBO champion, is a big puncher, the problem is the amount of wear and tear on the 28-7(25) southpaw from Washington D.C. Also, Ezra has been far from active over the last three years..
Sellers scored a six round TKO win over the 12-11-1 Troy Beets this past July, but that victory was Ezra’s first fight/win since his two round drubbing at the hands of O’Niel Bell in an IBF cruiserweight title fight elimination bout back in September of 2004. Sellers also lost his fight before the quick exit at the hands of Bell. On that occasion, in a fight that contested the (vacant) IBF title for real, Sellers was stopped in eight rounds against Kelvin Davis – in a fight in which he was decked three times.
Sellers’ recent record is patchy at best then, clearly. Coming into his fight with the murderous punching 27 year old Welshman, Ezra’s non too reliable chin doesn’t figure to have gotten any better, either. In short, as stated above, the American challenger will do extremely well if he can reach the end of the first three minutes, in this writer’s opinion anyway. Enzo cannot be totally blamed for taking this fight, however. Maccarinelli wanted a tougher opponent, but no other fighter was available in the end – so Sellers gets his chance.
Ezra has been a world champion (of sorts) in the past. He captured the IBO cruiserweight belt with a fourth round KO in a thrilling six knockdown war against another Brit in Carl Thompson, back in November of 2001. But a challenge against yet another fighter from the U.K, in WBO champ Johnny Nelson, the following year, saw Ezra’s attempts put to an end in eight rounds. Sellers did score a knockdown early on against Nelson, however, and he is without doubt a very dangerous and gutsy warrior. Still, as full of heart as he is it’s doubtful the 39 year old is going to enjoy a second tenure at the top this late in his up and down career.
Of Sellers’ seven career losses all seven have come by KO; look for Maccarinelli, currently 27-1(20) to turn that number into eight come November 3rd. Without being disrespectful to Ezra, the only question in my mind is whether or not it will take the champion more than a single round to get the job done.
Sellers lost his pro debut – a two round KO to Bruce Seldon way back in August of 1989. I think he will lose the final fight of his entertaining career in similar fashion.