Marathon British Boxing Card Tonight In Cardiff

ByRicky Jones

The biggest boxing card of the year in Britain takes places tonight at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales with Danny Williams putting his Commonwealth Heavyweight title at risk in a rematch against arch rival Matt Skelton. Originally, WBO/IBF Super Middle Champion Joe Calzaghe was supposed to make a triumphant home return on this date but a hand injury scuppered his participation, touching off a bout frenzy that sees 16 contests scheduled for the evening. Among the 32 fighters who could see action, aside from the headliners, there are some definite big names on the British scene.

In the main event, Danny Williams, 36-4 (29), weighed in yesterday at 288 lbs, a full 21 lbs heavier than when he fought and beat Matt Skelton in February. This is a considerable feat for a boxer standing six foot one and a half inches and while the weight may help Williams shove his brawl-happy opponent around, it may not bode well for the reigning Commonwealth champion should the bout go the full distance as expected.

Skelton, 19-1 (18), balanced the scales at a comparatively slim 255 lbs and had pledged to “box” Williams during the prefight build up to this contest. While that may be a genuine intention, it’s questionable whether or not big Matt even has the capability to pull off such a lofty goal given his brief, five year fling with boxing after an earlier career as a kick boxer.

WBU Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Maccarinelli, 23-1 (17), gets a chance to contend for the WBO Interim belt when he takes on ex-WBC titlist Marcelo Dominiquez, 40-6-1 (21), of Argentina. The pair will undoubtedly make for an ungainly couple as the six foot four Maccainelli towers over the five foot nine inch Argentine fighter but Dominiquez will likely be around for the entire twelve round event. The 36 year old has faced heavyweights for his last ten bouts, including future WBA champion Nikolay Valuev at seven feet, 323 lbs, and has never been stopped in a bout.

The rest of the bill features Commonwealth Light Middle king Bradley Pryce meeting Hassan Matumla, Gary Lockett and Ryan Rhodes squaring off in a hotly anticipated WBU Middleweight title bout, Martin Watson and Gavin Rees contending for the Celtic Lightweight crown as well as such fistic luminaries as Souleymane M’baye, Amir Khan, Steve Foster Jr., Kevin Mitchell, Ross Minter, Tony Doherty, Matthew Hall and a raft of prospects.