Enzo Calzaghes 'plan' to beat David Haye...

We have a winner. Well said. Enzo Maccarinelli did nothing he'd never done before. He is what he is. He made the same mistakes he always makes and he threw the same punches he always throws. His one danger shot was his counter left hook and that's all he offered on the night (even landed it once, I think). His jab and right hand were much slower and massively inferior to Haye's and, coupled with the fact, Enzo was **** scared of Haye's arsenal, it was no surprise it ended when and how it did.

The only CHANCE ENzo had in this fight was to go forwards early and land something BIG to get Haye's respect. Even then, though, he'd have to somehow get inside a torrent of Haye punches and, the combination of Enzo's upright stance and chin would figure he gets KO'd anyway. He's definitely not a pressure fighter, that's for sure. On the flip, never in a million years could Enzo Maccarinelli outbox David Haye. It just wouldn't happen.

 

From what I've seen and heard I think Enzo wanted Enzo to jump on Haye and wear him out. Attrition.

Hayes speed, power, defence etc took away Macs game. Macca got a touch shy and was standing off and boxing with Haye. Haye was bossing it though.

 

Joe Calzaghe doesn't seem to approach individual fights with individual gameplans. He can adapt and change his approach during a fight if things are getting uncomfortable but his whole career he has relied on his handspeed and footwork and instincts more than any particular strategy based on his opponents strengths/weaknesses.

I read an interwiew with Enzo C in the lead up to the Macca fight and he admitted that he wasn't the most methodical and classical trainer, encouraging his fighters to use fight to their strengths and basically making sure they are extremely fit above all else.

That's fine with Joe who has all the attributes and superb boxing brain but other less gifted fighters will ultimately suffer from a lack of classical instruction.

For the record all the training and strategy in world wouldn't have stopped Haye winning by KO. Too fast too powerful. I think Enzo is simply talking bollox to salvage the situiation which isn't necessary. Big Enzo seems to have dealt with the defeat little Enzo needs to do the same.

 

Joe has been watching Hopkins for years even his Enzo hasn't (which I really doubt no matter what he says).

 

Damn...that pretty much nails everything.

I would also add "fight better opponents beforehand" in terms of what would've increased Macca's chances to beat Haye. I was fine with someone like Braithwaite, but too many of Enzo's fights between his 'introduction' to boxing fans when punching out Bruce Scott in 2003 and now did absolutely nothing for his development as a fighter.

The weak-sauce Warren WBU & WBO approach to building up a boxer really let Macca down the most.

 

I never believed Macarinelli could win this fight based on what I have seen from him in the past. Styles make fights. For Enzo to win he would have needed to try and prolong the fight and take it into the last quarter hoping Haye was drained making the weight. This was a very slim chance. Haye has always been bigger, stronger, faster, better puncher and boxer in my opinion. That is not say Enzo is a bad fighter as he is far from being a bad fighter rather some guys just have your number. As for Enzo Calzaghe his failure to recognise Haye's talent was a serious mistake. By way of example I am not a fan of Junior Witter at all not just because of Ajose Olusegun my guy however not being a fan of a particular fighter must never make me a blind to their qualities otherwise you might miss something critical. If Witter and Hatton fight I would be hoping Hatton wins but my boxing brain tells me that this is a difficult one for Hatton to win.

 

Well you know what they say about the best laid plans!! In the Enzo Calzaghe interview he just contradicts himself. One moment he says "I think the same of Haye as I did before. If Enzo went 12 rounds with the guy, he would have destroyed him."

Then in the same interview he says "I'd rather it have gone that way than him been involved in a 12-round war. There is no physical damage like there would have been in a long battle."

You can't have it both ways, so maybe Enzo Mac went into that fight with plans "A" and "B" and Enzo Calzaghe forgot to mention plan "C". 'If you get hit take a knee, don't dance around thinking your Zab Judah"

 

Enzo had a few plans which if they had been executed would have ensures Macca won. Sadly they did not get close enough to Haye to carry the plans out.

Plan 1

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Plan 2 : Enzo tried this one on JC and it worked at home.

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Haaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaa, where's the banana peel??????????

 

No banana peel but as Enzo said if the fight had gone 12 rounds they had the beating of Haye.

Shame the fight did not last long enough for Enzo to pull of plan 3 (as illustrated below but Haye would be tied to the turnbuckle whilst he rested on his stool betwen rounds)

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Bound and gagged is good, but imagine if David Haye was sponsered by Nike, he could have come into the ring wearing a pair of Nike Air's, now that could have given Team Calzaghe the perfect excuse to use a police stinger and thrown it across the ring, puncture the shoes, i really should stop watching Police, Camera, Action....:nut

 

Funny you should mention Nike Airs. Lloyd Honeyghan wore Nike Air Max for a few fights when he made a comeback.

Links in well with Enzos plans as another boxer (forgot his name) tried to hit Honeyghan over the head with a cup (or trophy) after one of his fights. Anyone else remember this ?

 

I think the plan was to work at a pace for 4 or 5 rounds and then try and take him out.

Problem is, while you are working at a pace, you are leaving yourself open. As I said the day after the fight, I noticed at the start of the second round Enzo had a concerned (scared would be the wrong word) look on his face after feeling Hayes power in the first. From then on there was no way he was leaving himself open.

 

I noticed that as well. It was the "oh **** he hits hard...what shall I do" look.

He looked timid and ready for the taking and Haye took the opportunity.

 

Exactly. I knew at that point he would either get blown away or go on a kamikaze mission.