Maccarinelli v Braithwaite

[Fordy]

Just watching this fight now on itv its been one of the best fights i have seen this year.

Is any one else watching it

[Trina]

Yes me, I have no choice.

[REG]

[left right left]

shit man i missed it!! i dont no how it went , but i would say braithwait will be ko.ed late on

[Fordy]

Maccarinelli won on points but it was a good fight they where at each other all the way

Big Mac stalls Big Truck

Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli endured arguably the toughest test of his career before defending his WBO world cruiserweight title with a unanimous points decision against Wayne Braithwaite in Cardiff.

The 26-year-old, making the third defence of the belt he inherited in the wake of Johnny Nelson's retirement last year, faced, for the first time in 28 fights, punching power that matched his own.

Twice the Guyana fighter, nicknamed 'Big Truck' in honour of his punching power, had the Swansea slugger struggling with big left hooks, while his jab caused significant bruising around Maccarinelli's eyes.

But, despite absorbing some enormous blows, the champion looked superb, even flooring the challenger in the fifth, and deserved the verdict of 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108.

In contrast to the drama in store, the start was tame with both men circling for nearly a minute as Maccarinelli threw a couple of half-hearted jabs.

It all seemed an anti-climax to what had been billed as a "war", but then, with one minute of the opening round remaining, things changed.

Maccarinelli, not renowned for hanging back, retreated a few steps to invite the challenger forward but then rapidly countered and forced Braithwaite against the ropes with a crushing left hook.

Another followed before the round was up, but by that stage the floodgates had opened and Maccarinelli's deluge continued well into the second.

Twice he found the challenger's jaw, each time visibly rocking the 31-year-old, but Braithwaite kept bouncing back.

In the third he caught the Welshman's nose and then his eye, but each punch was met with a ferocious retaliation.

The fourth began and ended with a brutal exchange, but the overriding sense was that Braithwaite, while soaking up punishment, could deal a mean hand in response.

It was a point he proved with a firm right upper-cut midway through the fifth, but the champion, standing strong, absorbed the hit before unleashing a ferocious left hook and flattening the Guyana fighter at the bell.

The sixth and seventh rounds saw Maccarinelli tighten his hold on the fight, a series of stinging body shots taking the edge off Braithwaite's counter-attack tactics, before an enormous upper-cut put him firmly in control of the eighth.

It was a weapon being used to good effect and it had Braithwaite wobbling again in the ninth, but seemed to lack the power to finish off the former champion.

The 11th and 12th rounds followed in the pattern of the rest of the contest, Maccarinelli landing huge punches and absorbing Braithwaite's commendable retaliations - but by that stage the fight was well won.

Maccarinelli said: "He was tough, really tough. I can't believe he took some of the shots that he took, hats off to him.

"But I was a clear winner. I bossed every round, showed I can take hard punches and give harder ones back.

"I think the knockdown I gave him (in the fifth) was great. Really sweet shot. He was lucky that the bell saved him."

The 26-year-old, who injured his hand early on, admitted he took a conservative approach to the final rounds.

"I was well ahead and had easily won by the eighth so I was just a bit smart at the end," he said.

"I could have gone after him, but my hand hurt and I could have been caught by a sucker punch.

"A win's a win and this was one of my best ever. Bring on Steve Cunningham.

[Libertine]

Alex Arthur won as well last night.
And a fantastic result for Gavin Rees beating Souly Mbaye to become World Champion!

Hopkins beat Wright last night too.
And said he'd like to fight Calzaghe next!