British Boxing Champ Enzo Maccarinelli Interested in MMA

From The Sun:

ENZO MACCARINELLI has fuelled rumours he could quit boxing to move into Mixed Martial Arts after admitting holding talks with UFC president Dana White.

The 28-year-old faces Colombian Francisco Alvarez for the WBO cruiserweight title on Saturday but refused to rule out a switch to MMA later on in his career.

The Welshman revealed tentative discussions with UFC supremo White have already taken place regarding a bout inside the Octagon.

Maccarinelli said: "I went down to watch Michael Bisping against Chris Leben in Birmingham for UFC 89 and I had a chat with Dana there.

"A few things were mentioned and if there ever was an offer I wouldn't mind having a go at it.

"I enjoy the sport, the ground game and the fact that it's a one-on-one fight, so what better way to go?

"It's a long way off in my mind at the minute but I've competed in a couple of jiu jitsu tournaments, just to keep my fitness up and because I like the competitiveness.

"When I haven't got a fight and I'm not training properly, I still like to stay fit and I'm actually not that bad on the ground.

"I trained under a guy called Pedro Bessa, who is a great teacher, but I am a boxer first and foremost and I want to achieve my goals in boxing before I even think about anything else.

"But I'd never rule out putting a pair of the little mitts on and going in the cage.

"I do enjoy the UFC and the sport of MMA in general. I'm quite a big follower of it but boxing will always be my No1."

Fellow British boxing stars Ricky Hatton and David Haye both admit to being fans of MMA but Maccarinelli insists the sweet science is still top dog in the fight game.

He added: "The perception of the UFC is that the people fighting are always the best of the best.

"I think they do it in such a way that the fans think they're seeing the best in the world all the time.

"Most of the amazing fighters are already in the UFC but there are still others elsewhere, such as Fedor Emelianenko, who they would love to have.

"It's promoted very well and the way the show in Birmingham was put on, with the music and everything, was great and each fight is competitive.

"But I think it will be a long time before the UFC takes over from boxing, or even runs it close"

It's one thing to say that you've been rolling around on the mat, it'll a completely different thing to take Boxing and BJJ and make them work together into his own personal fighting style. You really need to be in a good school for that. If and when we see Enzo in a cage, it will be an interesting experience.