Calzaghe Wants Maccarinelli at 175 To Build Cleverly Bout

By Terence Dooley

Renowned Welsh trainer Enzo Calzaghe took a break from boxing after the retirement of his son, former super-middleweight and light-heavyweight world champion Joe Calzaghe, only to find the lure of the sport too strong to resist.  Calzaghe is currently working with former charge Enzo Maccarinelli, who he guided to cruiserweight world title glory.  Both men have pledged to bring titles back to Calzaghe’s Newbridge gym.  With Maccarinelli in particular keen to net another world strap in order to honour the memory of his father, Mario, who passed away last month.

Calzaghe, however, was unable to take his place in Enzo’s corner during the Swansea fighter’s routine win over Ireland’s Ciaran Healy at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on Saturday night due to a delay in his BBBoC license reapplication.  However, Enzo believes that he never officially retired so should have been allowed in the corner despite requiring a first aid refresher course in order to be relicensed.

“I’m gutted that they banned me from the corner tonight,” said Enzo when speaking to Boxingscene.  “35-years of giving to the game for that.  It is an insult in a way.  I never properly “retired”, put that in quotes, so I can’t understand it.  I never relinquished my license, I was late paying my money and paid a fine – I apologise for that.  But I have never refused to pay my subs and never officially relinquished my license.  I did my first aid before and don’t see why I should have to do it again to be given my license.

“It is wrong.  My boy was relying on me to go into the corner with him.  How can you allow Enzo to go in there without the trainer who has worked with him for eight-weeks?  I can’t ask for special treatment, but you don’t go to Freddie Roach or Manny Steward and ask them to do a first aid course.

“Who cares about a first aid course when I brought my son to 46-0, had 40 fights without a loss (as a trainer) and a lot of world title fights.  Why am I in this position?  It is embarrassing.  I have spoken to the board, I hope to get it sorted out on Monday or Tuesday, but I still don’t understand why I couldn’t work the corner tonight.”

The board can point to numerous ‘Enzo Calzaghe retires’ headlines, a late subs payment, the due process of reapplying for a license and the lack of a first aid refresher when defending their decision.  Enzo, though, disagrees with the need to do a first aid course whilst acknowledging that the BBBoC have a process and he must wait for the formalities to be completed.

“Why do we have paramedics here?” Enzo answered when asked if he understands the need for a first aid refresher.  “They will help the fighter if he is hurt in the fight.  The board want you to have a first aid certificate to work in the gym, well my gym is my home, and my house belongs to me, it is nothing to do with anyone else what goes on in my house, it puzzles me.  What if Enzo had problems tonight and needed his trainer?”

As for the fight itself, it is ironic given the board’s requirement that their members have a first aid certificate that the same body approved a fight between a former cruiserweight coming down in weight against a guy who usually campaigns at super-middleweight.  Healy defied this lapse in health and safety and did well to stay in there for two rounds.  Lefts and rights to the body forced referee Wynford Jones to stop the fight at 2:52 of the second, leaving Calzaghe in no doubt as to which division Enzo, now 34-5 (27), should be operating in.  

“My passion came back when working with Enzo,” enthused Calzaghe.  “I care about him, he had a few defeats obviously, but in my mind he wasn’t a massive cruiserweight, he was a light-heavyweight and was having problems up a weight so I asked him to please try light-heavyweight.  To be a cruiserweight you have to be a heavyweight coming down, he did well there but is not natural at it, his ideal weight is around 175.

“We got his weight right, agreed to go and have a try at light-heavyweight, and I can’t fault him one bit for his performances so far.  He looks healthy, his physique and weight is spot on.  We’ve two fights down there already, unbeaten in three rounds and listen, that first guy [November’s opponent Gyorgy Marosi] was unbeaten – I don’t care what people think, he beat an unbeaten guy and then the Irish light-heavyweight champion.  Enzo has got to stay at light-heavyweight.  Some people might suggest moving up for whatever reason, why I don’t know, but I want him to stay where he is.”

Enzo is due to fight Shane McPhilbin up at cruiserweight on 23 March.  The Welshman believes he has unfinished business at 200lbs and wants to pick up the British crown before dipping back down to challenge Nathan Cleverly, who successfully defended his WBO title with a decision win over Tommy Karpency last night.  A move down in weight followed by a move up is the last thing he needs, especially at the age of 31.  Calzaghe once again implored his man to remain at 175lb.

“I am proud of Enzo tonight, his father has left us, but he did him proud and I believe he needs some commonsense now and to think, ‘Why should I relinquish my position at light-heavyweight?’” said Calzaghe.

“Hopefully he sees sense and goes for the light-heavyweight Commonwealth title [currently held by Ovill McKenzie].  Enzo is an ex world champion so why come in as a challenger for the British at a higher weight instead of going for titles down here?  I’m really pushing this point now because he is a fully-fledged light-heavy who can do damage to any fighter in the world at that weight.”

He added: “There are three other light-heavyweight titles out there and I believe he can win them.  But there is no reason for Enzo to meet Nathan right now, let it build.  My passion was back to bring Enzo to the top of the light-heavyweight tree so why should I relinquish that dream and Enzo go back to a higher weight?  I demand that he stays at light-heavy.”

Indeed, Calzaghe believes that ‘Big Mac’ was operating beyond his natural weight limit when dropping crushing defeats to David Haye, Ola Afolabi, Denis Lebedev and Alexander Frenkel.  He said: “Listen, he was out of his weight category when he lost those fights.  Joe Calzaghe, Floyd Mayweather, name any fighter at the top of their tree and ask if it isn’t too much for them to give to be fighting above their natural weight.  What Enzo has achieved up there shows that he is a class act.

“Enzo’s had tough times, he has a brave heart and looked destined to retire, but he can still add something to the sport.  Can I force him to fight at light-heavyweight?  No.  Can I ask him?  Yes.  So I will ask him to stay.”

One suspects that the Welsh trainer can be pretty persuasive when he sets his mind to it yet the McPhilbin fight is set in stone and Enzo concluded by admitting that his main target now is to ensure that Maccarinelli is in the best possible shape for his return to cruiserweight. 

Speaking of returns, the suggestion that Joe Calzaghe may one day look at his old stomping ground and decide to come back to the sport brought a wry but firm response from Enzo.  “I would say, ‘Joe I’m happy with that, but I want 95% of your purse!’” joked Calzaghe when asked if his son has voiced any thoughts of a return. 

“Joe did something many would want to do in boxing, he retired 46-0 and as a great.  All my compliments go out to Joe, but when the passion is gone, when you’ve done it all and the ambition is not there then you need to leave it behind because you can never buy that passion back.”

The fire may no longer burn for Joe, but his father still carries the Calzaghe flame and he may yet find himself the reluctant trainer of the British cruiserweight champion should Maccarinelli’s return to 200lbs go to plan.

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