Welsh Boxing: Calzaghe, Maccarinelli and Rees.

“ Welsh dragons… can they do it?”
By Gary Todd

When these three fighters are out running the roads and the miles, pushing themselves to the limits, through the rugged Welsh valley’s, they call home, nothing else matters, nothing else is entertained, and nothing will change their thoughts. Only winning and victory.

Three fighters, three Welshmen, three champions, with three different destiny’s.

As the fighters each train for the hardest fights of their careers, the people of Wales go about their businesses as usual, but something is different. Boxing is all the talk of the towns, throughout the valley’s. People in the butchers, the bakers, the farms and the factories, all talking about their favourite sons. Not since Steve Robinson’s fight with Hamed, or Johnny Owen’s domestic scraps, or even when Thatcher shut the doors of the mines for the last time, has there been so much talk of fighting .

With Gavin Rees defending his hard fought, newly won WBA junior welterweight title against the tremendously experienced and tough boxer, Andreas Kotelnik, and Enzo Maccarinelli fighting in a unification dust up with the big punching mobile banger, David Haye, and Joe Calzaghe finally hooking up, to risk his own legacy against Bernard Hopkins, these three men deserve to be spoken of.

As far as things go, each man will have his toughest night ahead, but in saying that, it could also be the greatest night of their lives thus far.

Victory is everything.

Looking ahead to Rees’s fight with Kotelnik, [ W28- kos 12, -L2 D1. ] he will be facing a strong, come forward technical boxer who had a brilliant , 135 – 15 amateur career, winning the silver medal in the 2000 olympics, and a fighter who has never been stopped. If that’s not enough, then throw in, he has a great defence which usually means he goes the distance. All in all, Kotelnik is always going to be a tough night out.

David Haye. [ W20 kos 19. – L1. ] Big puncher, mobile, and dangerous with the right hand. Like Kotelnik, Haye tasted success in the amateurs, winning the silver medal at the 2001 world championships, before turning pro in 2002, and blasting out everyone he faced. He seems to struggle to make the cruiserweight limit, with stamina, and a suspect chin, as well as carrying his left hand far too low, all being the chinks in his armour. He is a tremendous finisher though, and if he hurts you, it’s goodnight Irene !

Hopkins. [ W48. kos 32.- L4.] Well now he is a one in a million. Loud, talks way too much, but without doubt, he knows his way around the fight game. Fighter, promoter, commentator, self proclaimed legend, and the record to prove it.

Can these Welsh Dragons do it?

Gavin Rees [ W27. – kos 13.- L0.] has been fighting as a pro since 1998, fighting 4 to 6 rounders, before building up to fight for the WBO intercontinental featherweight title in 2001. After winning that title, and defending it, he went back to fighting at 6 and 8 round fights. In July, 2007, he stepped up big time, to fight the WBA champion, Souleymane M’baye for his light welterweight title and fought hard to snatch it away, winning on points. Rees will have to outwork Kotelnik to win. It’s a fifty fifty fight, and it will probably go to the scorecards. Experience could be a major factor in the fight, with all the experience at the higher level going to the man from the Ukraine. “The Rock” will have to be at is very best to hold on to his title.

Enzo Maccarinelli and David Haye can only mean one thing. Knockout. On paper, this is going to be a brutal fight, as long as it lasts. Both men have power. Enzo has power in both fists, and both men have been taken out. This is a huge fight for the both of them, as the winner will become an overnight millionaire, with the winner opening the doors to big money, mega fights in America. To win, the man from Swansea, will have to get through some scary moments in the first 6 rounds, as that’s when Haye is at his most dangerous. In the Jean Marc Mormeck fight, Haye was almost stopped in the fourth, but showed championship grit, to come back and stop “ The Marksman” in the 7th round to unify the cruiserweight division. As I commented before, Haye carries his left hand way too low and Maccarinelli should have a field day. “Big Mac” by ko.

Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins is a fight which should have happened years ago. Hopkins is 43, and is 20 years as a professional prize fighter. I don’t care what anyone says, Hopkins legs will go in this fight. I predict that Calzaghe will use the ring, use his jab and counter in flurries. Hopkins will want to hold, grab Calzaghe’s arms inside, and try to steal the rounds, by spoiling , and fighting ugly, possibly hitting Calzaghe in the back of the head. Hopkins is a technical boxer and uses every trick he knows to win. He does carry his left hand low, and if Calzaghe stings him with his southpaw right hand jab, followed by a straight left, then right hook to Hopkins body, then I feel he can take “The Executioners “legs away. Calzaghe’s pressure with the jab, must be paramount, and he has to step off to the right all night long. If he does, he will win on points.

Gary Todd is the best selling author of “Workouts From Boxing’s Greatest Champs” and he has been involved in all aspects in the sport of boxing, for over 25 years. He is also a proud member of the Boxing writers association of America. Look out for his new book on world champions “Workouts Volume II” COMING SOON.