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Enzo Maccarinelli will now take on Ola Afolabi for the WBO interim cruiserweight title on March 14. The bout will feature on the same card as Amir Khan’s showdown against Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester.
Maccarinelli, the former WBO World champion, was due to face Argentine Victor Emilio Ramirez, but he will not be ready in time to face the big punching Welshman. Afolabi is ranked at number five by the WBO and holds the NABO title. The best win in his career was inflicting the first defeat to the then unbeaten prospect Eric Fields via a tenth round stoppage. What made the win more impressive was that he took it at only a month notice and it was his first bout in two years. Maccarinelli was supposed to fight Johnathon Banks for the WBO title last December, but the bout fell through when Banks injured his ankle. Francisco Alvarez stepped in to replace Banks but he then failed a medical at the weigh-in leaving Maccarinelli with no option but to step up to heavyweight and take on Mathew Ellis - whom he destroyed in two rounds. After another fight with Banks, and the fight with Ramirez fell through, Afolabi got the call. “I’m just looking forward to taking my anger out on someone and it will be Afolabi that will get the full brunt of it,” said Maccarinelli.http://www.fightnews.com/