In tonight’s main event at the Stadthalle in Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, WBA light heavyweight champion Juergen Braehmer (43-2, 32 KO’s) successfully defended the world title with a fifth round stoppage of former world cruiserweight and current Commonwealth light heavyweight title holder Enzo Maccarinelli (38-7, 30 KO’s).
In what was a competitive bout from the start, it was the opening round that ultimately decided the bout. After suffering a cut over the right eye due to a clash of heads early in the first round, Braehmer landed a clean left hand at the rounds end that had Maccarinelli’s eye swollen shut before the second round began.
Despite being blind in one eye, the challenger opted to continue even after he told his corner following the second round that he couldn’t “see nothing” out of his right eye. Maccarinelli held his own, and managed to stay competitive despite the injury and two visits by the ringside doctor. Following the fifth round, his trainer Gary Lockett opted to stop the bout telling his fighter “your face is a mess”. In a post-fight interview, Maccarinelli stated that he wouldn’t call for a rematch, but would “love another opportunity with two eyes”.
The win marks Braehmer’s 12th straight, and his first defense of the WBA “regular” light heavyweight title he won in December over Marcus Oliveira.
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