Skip to main content

Vince Cleverly: Was desperate Enzo tempted to cheat?

Phil D. Jay 
WBN Editor
Fellow-Welshman comments on Maccarinelli rumours

WBO light-heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly’s father Vince has spoken to WBN following internet rumours that touted future opponent to his son, Enzo Maccarinelli has recently failed a doping test.

Cleverly, who has guided his son to three successful world title defences and an unbeaten 24-fight record, believes that any fighter who finds their skills deteriorating could be vulnerable to making a career-ending mistake.

“When a guy is desperate to get back the good years I think he's always tempted to cheat a bit in some way,” Cleverly told World Boxing News.

“To be honest, I don’t think Maccarinelli is capable of cheating, but when a man’s career nose dives who knows what their capable of as they have nothing to lose.

“Anybody getting caught using illegal substances should be banned. It’s not fair on the hard working genuine guys like Nathan.”

The UK-Anti doping agency have today told WBN that their policy is not to comment on whether any athlete has provided a positive or negative sample until all the avenues of appeal have been covered for the participant.

Even if the results/rumours are in favour of Maccarinelli, he will find it tough to scrub out the stains that even a rumoured test failure can bring and the former cruiserweight king may have now seen any chance of an all-Welsh world title fight fade away.

Popular posts from this blog

The Tragedy of Billy Collins Jr.

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  Collins after the fight Williams Ray Collins Jr. or Billy Collins Jr. as he became known, was born to a boxing father in Antioch, Tennessee in 1961. His father William Sr, once fought Welterweight Champion Curtis Cokes and wanted his boy to follow in his footsteps, so decided to train Billy himself. Collins Jr. turned pro in 1981, a welterweight, just like his father before him and impressively won his first 14 professional contests, 11 by knockout with eight inside the first three rounds. It was 1983 and Billy was matched up against Puerto Rican journeyman Luis Resto on the undercard of Roberto Duran v Davey Moore at Madison Square Garden in a ten rounder. Resto wasn’t known for his punching power but Billy took a sustained beating for the full ten rounds, his face, badly damaged and his eyes were almost shut. After the fight, which Resto won on decision, Billy’s father shook Resto’s hand and noticed there wasn’t much padding in his gl...

The Ring Magazine P4P Top 10 compared to WBN's P4P Top 10

World Boxing News pound for pound Top 10 (25/11/2011) 1. Manny Pacquaio (53-3-2) WBO Welterweight champion and WBC light-middleweight champion 2. Nonito Donaire (26-1) WBC and WBO bantamweight champion 3. Floyd Mayweather Jr (41-0) 4. Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2) WBC and IBO light-heavyweight champion 5. Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1) WBA and WBO lightweight champion 6. Miguel Cotto (36-2-0) WBA "Super" light-middleweight champion 7. Sergio Martinez (47-2-2) 8. Wladimir Klitschko (55-3-0) WBO and IBF heavyweight champion 9. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (80-3-1) WBC flyweight champion 10. Chris John (44-0-2) WBA “super” world featherweight champion Do you agree or disagree? Have your say on the WBN Facebook wall at  http://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Boxing-News/134654593225151

WBN Remembers: "Gypsy Boy" Ernie Smith

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  (picure by boxrec.com)  After almost a year and a half without one of boxing’s great journeymen, World Boxing News is looking back at the 161-fight career of Worcestershire warrior Ernie Smith, concentrating on his contribution in the ring, rather than the tragic way his life ended out of it. Smith turned professional at super-featherweight in 1998 at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton, losing a six rounder against Welshman Woody Greenaway.  One month later, Ernie was thrown in with an unknown prospect by the name of Gavin Rees (former world champion and current British Lightweight Champion) who he also took the distance over four rounds. The “Gypsy Boy” then managed to string together a four fight unbeaten run together in early 1999 and ended the year winning five out of his twelve contests, but by this time had already delved into the journeyman pool of boxers with a record of 5-8-1. After settling at the welterweight limit, Ernie ga...