By Sean McDaniel: Former World Boxing Organization (WBO) cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli (32-4, 25 KO’s) will be defending his EBU cruiserweight title on Saturday night against unbeaten German based contender Alexander Frenkel (22-0, 17 KO’s) in the Magnificent Seven card in Birmingham.

Maccarinelli, 30, has lost three out of his last seven fights and really can’t afford to lose if he wants to remain relevant to the cruiserweight division. Maccarinelli is being considered for the proposed Super Six cruiserweight tournament and a loss to Frenkel would all but destroy that from happening.

Enzo is coming off an impressive 1st round knockout over Alexander Kotlobay in April to win the vacant European Boxing Union cruiserweight title. Maccarinelli jumped all over Kotlobay in the opening seconds of the round and immediately had him in trouble with big body shots.

Maccarinelli’s ability to punch isn’t the question. It’s his ability to take punishment. His chin isn’t the sturdiest in the division and he’s in danger when he takes on fighters that can punch a little. Indeed, all three of Maccarinelli’s losses in the past three years have come by knockout to David Haye, Ola Afolabi and Denis Lebedev.

There’s no shame in getting knocked out by fighters from that bunch, because all three of them can punch well and are top fighters. However, if Maccarinelli isn’t good enough to beat the top guys in the division, then he’s going to have to be satisfied with being just a contender who looks good against the lower ranked guys, but who gets stopped when he steps it up.

On Saturday night, Maccarinelli will be facing a big puncher in Frenkel. The guy can punch if nothing else. Frenkel isn’t the fastest fighter in the division or a great boxer either. But he can punch and if he connects with one of his big shots on Maccarinelli’s chin, he’s going to feel it.

Maccarinelli has been sparring with British heavyweight Derek Chisora recently. Chisora has been impressed with Maccarinelli and thinks he’s going to beat Frenkel on Saturday night. We’ll see about that. Sparring is one thing but it’s a whole different matter altogether when Maccarinelli takes the head protection off and gets in the ring with a puncher like Frenkel.

We could see Maccarinelli get knocked out again unless he can get to Frenkel before he gets to him with his power shots. The good news for Maccarinelli is that Frenkel has been fighting completely soft opponents during his career. His German management hasn’t done him any favors by putting him in with only 2nd and 3rd tier opposition.

Frenkel is going to be taking a huge step up in competition against the hard hitting Maccarinelli on Saturday night.