Cleverly vs Karpency Undercard: Enzo Maccarinelli to Be Featured, Could Set Up Future Title Shot

Former cruiserweight titlist Enzo Maccarinelli will continue his comeback campaign as a light heavyweight on the February 25 card in Cardiff, Wales, featuring on the undercard of Nathan Cleverly's WBO title defense against Tommy Karpency.

It seems obvious that what is being set up here is a future fight between Cleverly (23-0, 11 KO) and Maccarinelli (33-5, 26 KO), which would be a big all-Wales clash, in that it would sell plenty of tickets and generate some fan interest.

Maccarinelli, 31, returned to the ring on November 18 and trounced a short little fellow no one had ever heard of before who posed no threat to him whatsoever, and after the fight, Cleverly said that Maccarinelli had a lot more to prove before getting a title shot. But considering Cleverly is fighting Tommy freaking Karpency on February 25, I'm not sure that Cleverly's prior words hold much weight, given that Maccarinelli is a better fighter and far bigger drawing card for a possible fight in the summer.

And that's about what I expect to happen now: Maccarinelli will likely be given another patsy opponent, he and Cleverly should both win easily in February, and then they can sign it up before Macca gets put into the ring with someone (anyone) who can knock him out and cut the comeback short before it's worth any money. A Cleverly vs Maccarinelli fight would be for almost nothing but money in the eyes of a promoter, but there is some danger, as Macca can still thump and could be a handful early. I mean Cleverly is far from some superstar, and given his struggles with Tony Bellew last October, maybe this is one of those "uh oh" fights someone realizes after they shouldn't have made.