by James Slater – As has already been widely reported, Enzo Maccarinelli and his team were forced to search for an eleventh hour opponent after unbeaten Jonathon Banks pulled out of tomorrow night’s vacant WBO cruiserweight title fight injured. A short list of fighters were offered the bout, including former WBO heavyweight champ Herbie Hide. Hide did not take the fight, insisting he needs at least two weeks to prepare for such a fight, and this has caused Maccarinelli’s camp to claim Hide is hiding..
Well, in an article in The South Wales Evening Post, Hide, who has recently been in a court battle with Maccarinelli’s promoter Frank Warren, has fired back at such claims and says he would easily defeat the Welshman if and when they actually fight.
Hide began by slating both Enzo the fight that will now take place on December 6th, between Macarinelli and late sub Francisco Alvarez – a light-heavyweight.
“Enzo Maccarinelli is a manufactured fighter,” Hide stated. “How can he fight a light-heavyweight for the cruiserweight title? Frank Warren must have no confidence in Enzo. If you were a great champion like myself, I would not fight a light-heavyweight for this title. Enzo needs to tell his promoter to make this fight with me. He couldn’t even clean my toilet, he looks like an ostrich and he can’t fight – he is a nobody.”
Hide, who used to be promoted by Warren, has been in a court battle with the promoter, in a case that argues a financial debt Warren allegedly owes Hide. Had he not been preoccupied with this, the 37-year-old would have taken the fight, he said.
“I have been preparing for this court case with Frank Warren and not been in the gym,” Herbie explained. “All they needed to do was give me a ring a couple of months ago and this would be sorted. But give me two or three weeks in the gym and I will be ready. I don’t care where it is – I will fight him in his mother’s kitchen.
“I will put money and my house down that I would beat him. I am telling you this from my £3 million house.”
And while a Maccarinelli-Hide clash would have been far more interesting than what the fans are getting on Saturday night, it’s always hard getting any last-minute replacement. Hide still criticised the Alvarez fight though.
“Who is this guy he’s fighting? Didn’t [Alexander] Alexseev beat him in 4 rounds?,” Hide demanded. “I would do much worse things to Enzo that what David Haye did. Frank Warren did not need to have named Banks originally for this fight. He is not a name – forget what the rankings tell you. That is why Enzo will be a champion, as Warren is a powerful man in the WBO.”
Always good for a quote, Hide makes a lot of sense in what he says on this occasion. Maybe, hopefully, we will see Herbie get the fight he says he wants some time in 2009. Providing, of course, Francisco Alvarez does not cause a huge upset first!