Francisco Alvarez has been named as Enzo Maccarinelli's opponent on Saturday night.

[maka]

Francisco Alvarez has been named as Enzo Maccarinelli's opponent on Saturday night.





The Puerto Rican knockout specialist, who has stopped nine of his 11 victims, has been drafted into the Judgement Night bill, live on Sky Box Office.


Sports Network have been searching for a replacement ever since Johnathon Banks pulled out after injuring an ankle in training and the 31-year-old has answered the call.


Alvarez will now get the chance of a lifetime to challenge former holder Maccarinelli for the WBO cruiserweight belt on the same bill as Amir Khan's comeback fight.


It will be by far the biggest night of his fledgling professional career - spent largely at light-heavyweight - and the first time he has boxed in Europe in 12 paid contests (11-1).


But he comes to the Excel Arena with a fine knockout record having finished nine inside the distance, seven inside the first two rounds. He is also the reigning WBO Latino light-heavyweight champion.


His only loss was against rated Uzbekistani Alexander Alexeev, who was once touted as a possible foe for Davd Haye - the man who took the WBO belt off Maccarinelli, only to vacate it and leave it open for the Welshman to reclaim.

[dwilson]

Amazing news. Can't wait.

[rooq]

ridiculousness. the guys only been beaten by alexeev though.

i wonder if any deal has been made to make banks the first defence.

[John18]

Given it's for the WBO title it's a shocker. No way can Enzo call himself a champ.

A standard fight at late notice, fair enough I suppose.

[draw99]

This is amazing.

I cant wait for this fight. Me and a load of mates are all gonna have a a shit load of beers and watch this fantantic fight, and cannot wait to find out who will be the CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!!!!


This is gonna be up there in terms of the all time great WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP fights like Hagler-Hearns, Frazier-Ali, etc etc.


Thanks must go to Frank ****** for pulling out another night of fantastic WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP boxing. We've all been waiting for this fight for years....I cant wait.

[biglads]

Friends of mine who have no interest in boxing have been ringing me up in a state of crazed excitement about this fight. Like Ali-Frazier I, this is bigger than boxing. It transcends sport.

When I was in Tescos doing my shopping earlier on, it was the sole thing on peoples lips. The lad behind the deli counter, the girl arranging the Pot Noodle display, even the old boy collecting trolleys in the car park - and perhaps it is just me, but doesn't the world feel a brighter place following this announcement?

The worries over the economy, people losing their jobs and houses, somehow none of it seems to matter anymore when we are being served up a delight for the senses such as this fight.

Saturday cannot come quickly enough.

[hit me HARDER]

All jokes aside, what a fucking crock of shit

[stuey]

i know ****** plays it safe,but look at the report from fightnews

NEWS FLASH
New Maccarinelli foe named!
Enzo Maccarinelli will now meet WBO #15 lightweight Francisco Alvarez (11-1, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBO cruiserweight title at London's ExCel Arena on Saturday. Maccarinelli was originally slated to face #1 Johnathon Banks, but Banks pulled out with an injury. There was talk of Maccarinelli facing former WBO heavyweight champion Herbie Hide, but the little known Alvarez got the nod.
Thursday, December 4 2008

that fwankie has some nerve:bart

[hit me HARDER]

hahahaha, good stuff, imagine it, they've got a lightweight in to prove Frank's claim that Enzo's 'doubled his muscle mass'

[riot187]

Really?! (Scarpers to steal £15 from Riot's own mother to see this Superfight).

[PrideOfWales]

This just in from the WBO's own official website:

World Boxing Organization November, 2008
JR. HEAVYWEIGHT
(200 lbs.)(91,00 kgs)
Title Name Country
Champ VACANT GB
Interim
1 Johnathon Banks USA
2 Alexander Alekseev (Int-Cont) RUS
3 Enzo Maccarinelli GB
4 Herbie Hide GB
5 BJ Flores USA
6 Lawrence Tauasa (Oriental) SAM
7 Ola Afolabi (NABO) GB
8 Gregory Drozd RUS
9 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk POL
10 Firat Arslan GER
11 Ali Ismailov (Latino) SPN
12 Marco Huck GER
13 Pedro Otas (Latino Int) BRA
14 Powel Kolodziej POL
15 Troy Winston Roy GUY

No sign of this guy anywhere in their top 15. It's the same shit over and over again with ******. He is a complete con artist. I remember when he did this with Ezra Sellers. Got mysteriously placed at #15 in their rankings overnight without fighting. Then the BBBC rejected the fight and the following day, Sellers was out of the top 15 again. I'm not even surprised.

[icemax]

Funnily enough Alvarez is exactly the type of opponent I would have picked for Enzo given the way his arse got splintered last time out, basically as a confidence builder, but certainly not in a world title tilt. It really is shit.

[ScouseLad]

After his beating by Alexeev he's fucked off to light heavy this year. Yet now out of nowhere he's got a crusierweight title shot. His biggest achievements at cruiser are beating a few bums in 4 and 6 rounders. He's never fought a 12 rounder either and couldnt KO someone John Duddy ko'd in 1. A disgrace but not the least bit surprising.

[Infern0]

Well another world title for britain then

[DamonD]

hahahaha, good stuff, imagine it, they've got a lightweight in to prove Frank's claim that Enzo's 'doubled his muscle mass'
Enzo will look very big next to this guy, so there's probably some truth in ******'s thinking there.

They're really trying to push this 'knockout specialist' line. Never mind the quality, feel the width.