TIME TO GO ENZO MACCARINELLI

ENZO MACCARINELLI was told to quit boxing by promoter Frank Warren after Russian Denis Lebedev destroyed him in three rounds last night.

Big Mac, 28, was rescued by referee Terry O'Connor after being on the receiving end from a salvo of bombs in their vacant WBO inter-continental title clash at Manchester's MEN Arena.

The Welshman had vowed to quit if he lost and fell apart after being stung by a sledgehammer left hand from the jut-jawed Lebedev.

Although the Swansea idol was winning when the fight was stopped he was groggy and downhearted after his third defeat in four contests.

He said: "I'm not sure if I have got it anymore. I don't know what it is. That may be the end."

Promoter Warren was more forthright, adding: "My advice to Enzo is to retire after this setback.

"He is a super guy, one of the very best but there is no point in him lowering his ambitions."

Maccarinelli, who left Newbridge trainer Enzo Calzaghe, Joe's father, to team up with Englishman Karl Ince in Manchester, had come into the fight confident.

But that was smacked out of him when his undefeated rival wobbled him with a crushing left seconds before he was stopped on his feet.

The belief visibly drained away and there was absolutely no way back for Maccarinelli whose pregnant wife Elouise looked deeply concerned in her front row seat.

Lebedev swung his left hook like a madman. With Maccarinelli's bloodied face a mask of bruises and his right eye a mere slit the fight was stopped after two minutes 20 seconds of the third round.

Enzo's career hit the skids when he lost his WBO world title to David Haye 16 months ago and in March was sunk when unknown Ola Afolabi stopped him in eight rounds.

The dad of four seemed destined for the very top when he won the WBU title in Cardiff knocking out London's Bruce Scott in June 2003.

And he became a true star three years later when he became the first man to stop Argentina's Marcello Dominguez and claim the WBO world crown.

Maccarinelli added: "I'll have a think about it, and make an announcement when I am good and ready, but this takes some getting over.

"The annoying thing is that I would have wiped the floor with him two years ago.

"I beat a guy like Wayne Braithwaite and all respect to Lebedev but he was no Wayne Braithwaite.

"I had a really good training camp with Karl Ince and he is a really good trainer, but I just didn't seem to have it in the ring.

"I still want to be involved in boxing. I love the sport and I may start training. There are a lot of good kids out there."

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