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According to reports, WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli will face Italian Vincenzo Cantatore in a bout which serves as chief support to Joe Calzaghe's super-middleweight fight against reality TV loser Peter Manfredo at the Millennium Stadium on April 7.
Big Mac will be making the second defense of the title he inherited when long-serving champion Johnny Nelson was forced to retire last year.
As a former European Champion Cantatore, 32-4-1 (27KOs), is a league or two above the 'journeyman' status some other publications have labelled him with but nevertheless the 35-year-old is a disappointing selection considering promoter Frank Warren was unable to reach an agreement for Big Mac to face David Haye.
Enzo v Haye would have been the domestic match-up of the year but, instead, we have a fight where the Welshman will start a heavy, heavy favourite.
Ironically, Nelson defeated Cantatore in his final bout in November of 2005, winning every round except for the ninth when the Italian caught him napping and scored a knockdown.
**** FRANK WARREN
Big Mac will be making the second defense of the title he inherited when long-serving champion Johnny Nelson was forced to retire last year.
As a former European Champion Cantatore, 32-4-1 (27KOs), is a league or two above the 'journeyman' status some other publications have labelled him with but nevertheless the 35-year-old is a disappointing selection considering promoter Frank Warren was unable to reach an agreement for Big Mac to face David Haye.
Enzo v Haye would have been the domestic match-up of the year but, instead, we have a fight where the Welshman will start a heavy, heavy favourite.
Ironically, Nelson defeated Cantatore in his final bout in November of 2005, winning every round except for the ninth when the Italian caught him napping and scored a knockdown.
**** FRANK WARREN
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