Enzo Maccarinelli v Bobby Gunn
Enzo Maccarinelli v Bobby Gunn
The hard-punching 26-year-old prompted referee Mark Nelson to step in and end the contest with Gunn having shipped heavy punishment and sustained an apparent broken nose.
It was an all-too-predictable ending for Gunn, the 33-year-old New Jersey native whose 16-2 record included a 11-year hiatus to compete in unregulated bare-knuckle contests.
Gunn could have entered the ring wearing knuckle-dusters and it would have made no difference as he failed to land a punch before Maccarinelli wrapped up victory.
Faced with such an evident mis-match, the Welshman maintained his concentration and boxed neatly behind a heavy jab while he waited for his chance.
Having wobbled Gunn with a trademark left hook, Maccarinelli unloaded in the corner and injured the challenger’s nose as he looked set to crumble in the corner.
Despite being granted temporary respite by the referee, it was simply delaying the inevitable and as Maccarinelli crashed home more heavy shots with both hands, the contest was finally waved off.
Having bludgeoned Marcelo Dominguez and Mark Hobson in his previous two fights, Maccarinelli is now clearly established as one of the best at his weight in the world and is eager for unification bouts.
Maccarinelli said: “I have stepped up to the next level now and I am looking to unify the belts. It doesn’t matter which one of the champions I get, but I just can’t wait.
“I caught him with some good shots before the stoppage and credit to him, he stayed on his feet when lesser men would have folded. The fact is that whoever I hit on the chin is going to drop.”
