Oh no! Enzo's moving back to cruiser!

According to WBN, British cruiserweight champion Shane McPhilbin will make the first defence of his title against Enzo Maccarinelli in Wolverhampton on Friday March 23rd.

That stint at Light Heavy didn't last long!

I fear for Enzo

He looked very thin at light heavy and as hes getting old, its going to be even more difficult to boil down to the weight. I like Enzo although hes got a knack for letting people perform show-reel KOs on him.

I'd like to see him fight Cleverly at some point if Clev is prepared to move to cruiser or fight at a catch weight.

Light Heavy was too draining on him and Cruiser is too much it seems.

If theres anyone out there who loves him - bloody make him stop - he has the daftness of the old holyfield - but not even half the chin - one more brutal knockout and he could end up permantly damaged.

I don't want Enzo to get hurt. Give him his due though when he gets knocked out the man does it in style. I feel for him a little, it must be hard to let go, he had it all going for him before Haye and it was a real 50/50 fight, he's went downhill rapid from there.

Mentioned this in the boxnation thread, I like Enzo, met him at the MEN when Khan fought Barerra, really nice bloke. But this has got me concerned, he should be too good for domestic level though.

I don't think his chin is that bad, it's just his fighting style needs adjustment but no one seems to address that?

His chin isn't one for the ages Commander.

He's a nice guy. That he's picked fights with bouncers makes him exactly the same as >50% of the population of South Wales. He has a very good punch - and he probably is fringe top 10 at CW in the world.

However - its a big ask to make him boil down - and it seems that its too much of an ask for him to stay there. He delivered some good performances - the Braithwaite win was a good win and a good night - but its time for him to stop.

Maybe Enzo should hold a conference call with Manny, Roach and Bob Arum to get information on how to create another weight class between LH and CW. throw in the Cruiser Belt just for good measure. Hell, millions of Manny fans didn't notice the difference. I'm sure Enzos fans would be suckers for it too

I just reckon that with some Manny Steward type teaching and better fundamentals, he could remain in the top 10 with the useful pop that he has.

Commander wrote:I just reckon that with some Manny Steward type teaching and better fundamentals, he could remain in the top 10 with the useful pop that he has.

Definitely - In fact - he's the archetypal Manny fighter - tall with a questionable chin. Manny would teach him to jab and run away - and sit down on his right hand - and he'd be away.

Don't think Manny is that keen on taking on too many charges now though. Think he fancies retiring once Wlad is gone - and for him to stick around the price (quite a high price) would have to be right.

Yep.. and I don't think Cruiserweight pays too well. Still, the Enzo Mac story would be a good film one day if he can win another title.

I think people get a little carried away with Enzo. I would hav reservations about him against hard punching cruisers at world level but as long as hes fighting the kind of guys he has been in his last couple of fights then he shouldnt really be in any severe danger at domestic level. Dont know much about this McPhilbin guy but would be confident he isnt anything like world class and Enzo should be a level or two above at least.

His chin is far from granite but some of the shots he has taken would fell most I reckon.

manos de piedra wrote:I think people get a little carried away with Enzo. I would hav reservations about him against hard punching cruisers at world level but as long as hes fighting the kind of guys he has been in his last couple of fights then he shouldnt really be in any severe danger at domestic level. Dont know much about this McPhilbin guy but would be confident he isnt anything like world class and Enzo should be a level or two above at least.

Whose getting carried away Manos? On recent form, he's a bottom end of a top 10 at a very weak weight. He will beat those whose fundamentals aren't good enough to land on him - and will lose to those who can punch straight with venom.

Don't think anyone's predicting a return to a championship?

oxring wrote:

manos de piedra wrote:I think people get a little carried away with Enzo. I would hav reservations about him against hard punching cruisers at world level but as long as hes fighting the kind of guys he has been in his last couple of fights then he shouldnt really be in any severe danger at domestic level. Dont know much about this McPhilbin guy but would be confident he isnt anything like world class and Enzo should be a level or two above at least.

Whose getting carried away Manos? On recent form, he's a bottom end of a top 10 at a very weak weight. He will beat those whose fundamentals aren't good enough to land on him - and will lose to those who can punch straight with venom.

Don't think anyone's predicting a return to a championship?

I mean people are getting caried away ever time he steps into the ring that hes about to be killed or violently knocked out. I dont mean people are getting carried away that he going to go far. To be honest Enzo has a decent dig on him at cruiser, if not much else. So I would be more worried about this McPhilbin guys health who could be grossly overmatched in this one.

If/when Enzo steps up to hard punching world level cruisers I will worry but I dont think hes in imminent danger against low level opposition such as the ones in his last few fights.

Understood. Haven't looked at McPhilbin's record - so no idea of his punching ability. A club fighter you say?

My points on Enzo don't change really. He gets fed a diet of muppets and journeymen who he dispatches with consummate eaze. Then he rises in the world rankings and can't help himself - and gets clobbered, dangerously, by the first heavy hitting cruiserweight he meets.

It happened with Lebedev, Afolabi and Frenkel - and I'd hate for it to happen again.

oxring wrote:Understood. Haven't looked at McPhilbin's record - so no idea of his punching ability. A club fighter you say?

My points on Enzo don't change really. He gets fed a diet of muppets and journeymen who he dispatches with consummate eaze. Then he rises in the world rankings and can't help himself - and gets clobbered, dangerously, by the first heavy hitting cruiserweight he meets.

It happened with Lebedev, Afolabi and Frenkel - and I'd hate for it to happen again.

I agree. I know almost nothing about McPhilbin but Im guessing hes basically a prizefighter standard fighter. I dont really have a problem with Enzo contesting domestic honours. He will probably start this fight as a red hot favoutite and hes likely to make a few bob doing it so why not? I just find that every time a fight involving him is announced there is an outpouring of concern that hes about to be severely injured. Looking at this latest match up, any health concern should probably be for Enzo's opponent rather than Enzo himself.

He should be fine against McPhilbin. It maybe a case of LH being to much of a struggle for him. Though, I always wondered why he kept getting put in with Bangers.

I really like Enzo and I also enjoyed his commentary on Boxnation (and before anyone shouts conspiracy, I stated that before any potential tie ups were on the table!).

Having said that I was comparing him to Wayne McCullough and the American guy from Primetime, so even Union Cane would appear literate compared to those two!

McPhilbins record is 8-2 with 5 stoppages, all of those have been by TKO rather than KO so I'd say Enzo is fairly safe in this fight. The way it has collapsed for him though since the Haye fight is startling.

Should be a comfortable night for Enzo to be fair. McPhilbin was pretty much outclassed by a mediocre Leon Williams before Williams got careless and McPhilbin got him with a hail mary punch in the final round. Early KO for Enzo..too much power and I imagine McPhilbin has perhaps been 'enjoying' his surprise British title success (he was a late replacement for Tony Conquest if I remember rightly.)

I reckon Enzo has just spotted the opportunity for winning the British title with the minimum of effort and that's why he's moved up already. Although he did look pretty thin, I'm not sure making the weight was the main factor in this move.

That said, people are right in saying that beyond the pretty dire domestic cruiserweight scene, Enzo is an accident waiting to happen and if he shows to much ambition it'll be 'watch from behind the sofa' time again.

I just spotted a tweet from Enzo Calzaghe about the fight.

He mentioned that this fight is at Light Heavyweight tonight as a tune up for his cruiserweight fight in March.

Does anyone else feel this is weird?

Yes. although he might be just experimenting with how enzo feels at a lighter weight - see if it does him good and helps his stamina. May end up on the lower side of cruiserweight. Still cant see what he can accomplish.

I once read a Tommy Morrison (y'know, thinks he can teleport, given aids by a contract) interview where he claimed only he and Evander Holyfield gained weight during training. Maybe Enzo's the third in this special group of fighters who defy what little i know about training.

Fun fight that. A skinny cruiserweight against a chubby middleweight.

djlovesyou wrote:Fun fight that. A skinny cruiserweight against a chubby middleweight.

I had to comment on how funny I found that comment!

hampo171 wrote:McPhilbins record is 8-2 with 5 stoppages, all of those have been by TKO rather than KO so I'd say Enzo is fairly safe in this fight. The way it has collapsed for him though since the Haye fight is startling.

Personally i reckon McPhilbin is rubbish. (Appalling pun intended.)