By James Slater: Former long-reigning WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson, now a commentator for SKY Sports, will be a very interested observer of tonight’s European title fight between 200-pound operators Enzo Maccarinelli and Alexander Frenkel. Not only is the fight taking place in “The General’s” former weight class, and not only will Johnny be calling the fight – just one of the large number of excellent-looking bouts on Frank Warren’s “Magnificent Seven” show – but Nelson sees a potentially massive fight for a victorious Maccarinelli.
Nelson does feel the big-punching Welshman will win tonight, in so doing handing the Ukrainian his first pro loss, and Johnny is of the belief that Enzo will then get it on with heavyweight champ David Haye in a rematch! As fans know, Haye, who subsequently moved up in weight and won the World Boxing Association heavyweight title, stopped “Big Macc” inside two-exciting rounds in a cruiserweight unification match back in March of 2008. That crushing loss took a lot out of Maccarinelli, at least mentally, and he went on to lose two more big fights by stoppage.
Ever since the loss to “The Hayemaker,” Maccarinelli, now 32-4(25) has craved a shot at revenge, and Nelson, for one, feels the 30-year-old may get his chance after he’s done away with the dangerous Frenkel.
“I’m expecting him [Enzo] to beat Frenkel and I’m looking forward to seeing him push on in his career,” Nelson told This Is South Wales. “I wouldn’t rule out another fight with Haye. At heavyweight level I could see it happen. You see so many cruiserweights stepping up and dealing with heavyweights because they are quicker and have the power to do some damage. Of course, people will say Enzo is chinny, but Wladimir Klitschko is chinny and he’s a heavyweight world champion.
“Enzo has the power to knock the top cruiserweights out, and I believe he’ll be a world champion again. Then people will start talking about the Haye defeat – and I’m sure a rematch would generate a lot of interest.”
Who knows, maybe Nelson is right, and a return match between the two lethal-hitting but vulnerable warriors would prove to intrigue. I don’t see how many fans would possibly predict the revenge win Enzo is after, but it only takes one punch. And in comparison to the fight Hays is taking next (against Audley Harrison in November), a rematch with Maccarinelli would be a decent, perhaps even risky fight for the WBA ruler. The chances of Haye-Maccarinelli II actually happening are slim at best, but stranger things have happened!
But can Enzo, who has won his last three fights inside a round, get past the 22-0(17)Frenkel tonight? Nelson didn’t give a full prediction, only saying that he expects Enzo to win. Can the big-hitter land a bomb on the younger man and take him out? Or will the defending European champ’s less than rock chin let him down once again? Tonight’s fight figures to be lively, with not much of a chance of it going the distance. For what it’s worth, I see 25-year-old Frenkel getting a mid-rounds stoppage.