NZ Boxer Gets Shot At WBO Cruiserweight Title

3 November 2007

Media statement: For immediate release

NZ Boxer Gets Shot At WBO Cruiserweight Championship Title

NZ boxer Mohamed Azzaoui joins an elite group of NZ boxers who have contested a world title when he fights Enzo Maccarinelli for the WBO Cruiserweight Championship of the World in front of 50,000 boxing fans at the Cardiff Millennium Dome at 11.00am this Sunday (4 November) NZ time.

Trainer Anthony Warren said Mohamed was in great shape after winning a fight in Moscow three weeks ago.

“Mohamed always keeps up with his fitness work and since confirmation of the fight came through we’ve been training hard in Cardiff. He’s ‘right on the button’ now and in great shape for the biggest fight of his life, said Anthony Warren.

“The support we have received has been unbelievable. They love kiwi’s here and they are predicting that the attendance record for a fight in Europe (55,000) may be broken on the night.

“We’ve got Zinzan Brooke in our corner too, which has been a huge confidence booster, but as soon as the locals find out about that, all they want to do is talk about rugby.”

Bruce Plested, who has supported Azzaoui in his quest to become a world champion, is hopeful that in 24 hours New Zealand will have a world boxing champion.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Mohamed has the talent and the skills to pull this off. He’s fighting a quality opponent now and this is perhaps where he can show some of his critics that he has what it takes to be a genuine world champion.”
The cruiserweight title fight will be held immediately before the Super Middleweight unification title fight between Welshman Joe Calzaghe vs Mikkel Kessler from Sweden.
Enzo Maccarinelli won the WBO title in November 2006.

Azzaoui lives in the tiny Northland town of Ohaeawai and trains in Kerikeri with trainer Anthony Warren. He will be returning to New Zealand on Monday, hopefully with a world title belt.

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