By Frank Warren

It will be an intriguing night in Moscow on December 12 when Enzo Maccarinelli meets Roy Jones Jr in a clash of two former World Champions at the VTB Ice Palace, televised exclusively live in the UK on BoxNation.

Maccarinelli aims to grab a high profile scalp, by defeating Jones, a former four time and three weight-division World champion.

Jones, a man formerly acknowledged by many as the pound for pound number one fighter in the world, bizarrely became a Russian citizen this week after being presented with a passport by President Vladimir Putin, with whom he has become bosom pals.

“I am Russian,” the 46-year-old Jones declared. In Russian too.

Apparently Putin granted the citizenship request on the grounds that Jones “intends to spend a significant part of his life “working in Russia.

Whether that that includes boxing must be doubtful because I fancy Enzo to beat him - big time. A win for the big punching Welshman would probably draw a curtain on an illustrious career for Jones that is very much in its twilight.

I have advocated Jones retiring and I know I said the same thing before about Maccarinelli after a few defeats. But the Welshman is a redoubtable and resilient character and has resurrected his career under new trainer Gary Lockett, who is one of the new breed of fine young mentors in the game.

We have been told by our Russian counterparts, who are promoting the event, that a WBA Super World Title will be at stake and we are still waiting for clarification that this will be the case, from them.

It’s sure to be a good match up on 12th December between two guys who have given so many great night to the sport.

Hardly a Belter in Sheffield

Chris Eubank Jr may be a memorable name, but last weekend’s fight with ageing American Tony Jeter was one best forgotten. It was a total mismatch for an interim world champion having his 22nd bout.

At the conclusion of the bout, the promoter for once certainly didn’t seem too eager to climb into the ring to join the ‘celebrations’ as the boos and chants of ‘what a waste of money’ rang round the Sheffield Arena following the four-minute farce.

Ironically Eubank was forced by the WBA to relinquish his Interim World Title after the contest.

As has been much publicized, Eubank Jr turned down a hugely lucrative rematch with Billy Joe Saunders at Upton Park last summer supposedly because his father did not want to give up that belt.

That could of course be considered complete lunacy if they fancied Jr to win a rematch, however the Eubanks’ recent choice of opponents suggest that a second loss to Saunders was something they greatly feared would happen and that they felt was one Jr’s career could not afford.

And whilst Eubank, fresh from his destruction of Tony ‘anyone better’ Jetter, will go on to face a fellow Saunders victim, Spike O Sullivan, who lost every round against the Hatfield man 2 years ago; 2008 Olympian Saunders now goes on to face Andy Lee in a mouthwatering World title showdown between 2 fighters ranked in the Ring Magazine’s top 5 Middleweights in the World on December 19th.