Maccarinelli drops to light-heavy

Enzo Maccarinelli fought David Haye for the unified world cruiserweight title

Enzo Maccarinelli will drop to light-heavyweight as the former WBO world cruiserweight champion bids to save his boxing career.

The 30-year-old could set up an all-Welsh clash with unbeaten WBO world title challenger Nathan Cleverly.

Maccarinelli considered retirement in the wake of four defeats in three years but after talks with promoter Frank Warren, he has decided to fight on.

“I still want to be a fighter,” said Welshman Maccarinelli.

“Although I have made a few mistakes in recent years.”

The powerful Maccarinelli was highly-regarded during his successful four defence reign of the WBO world cruiserweight crown between 2006 and 2008.

But he was demolished by rival David Haye in the cruiserweight unification ‘Battle of Britain’ showdown in London in March 2008.

I am coming back to fight in the light-heavyweight division because my desire is still strong Welsh fighter Enzo Maccarinelli

The 6ft 4in fighter has lost three of his four fights since then, but did lift the European cruiserweight crown when he defeated Russian Alexander Kotlobay in his hometown of St Petersburg inside the first round to claim the vacant belt in April 2010.

But Maccarinelli lost his Euro title against German Alexander Frenkel in a seventh-round knockout in September.

The man dubbed ‘Big Macc’ will now fight in the 175lb division where he could face friend and fellow countryman Cleverly after his WBO world light-heavyweight title shot at German champion Juergen Braehmer in May.

“We’ve had some really good Welsh fighters on the scene in the past couple of years,” said Maccarinelli, a former stable-mate of two-weight world champions superstar Joe Calzaghe.

“But between Joe’s retirement and myself it has slowed a little.

“Now there are these young guys coming through and I am coming back to fight in the light-heavyweight division because my desire is still strong.”