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Maccarinelli wins with first round KO

15/10/2006

Enzo Maccarinelli defeated Mark Hobson 71 seconds into their WBO cruiserweight title fight in Manchester last night, knocking his opponent out.

The Welshman caught his man with a right hook that landed on the Sheffield fighter's ear. It was not the cleanest of knock downs but enough to win the bout.

It was a surprise to many onlookers because the last fight between the pair in 2005 had gone the distance with Maccarinelli victorious on a points decision on that occasion.

"Enzo is the best cruiserweight out there and the hardest-punching fighter in the world", said promoter Frank Warren, who is looking to set up a unification fight with WBA title-holder O'Neil Bell.

Elsewhere WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler from Denmark unified his belt with the WBC title by beating German Markus Beyer in Copenhagen.

The undefeated Dane KO'd his opponent in the third round with a left followed by a right to the chin and now has a record of 38 wins with 29 of them knockouts.

Kessler is now a viable target for Joe Calzaghe who may want to unify the four belts the men hold between them. Kessler would certainly relish the chance to fight the Welshman who has dominated the division for nearly a decade.

Calzaghe's attention may also be on a big name fight against an American opponent, but if that does not happen then the dangerous Kessler may be next in line in what would be an exciting showdown.

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