Boxing: Maccarinelli cruises towards better times

As expected, Enzo Maccarinelli's first defence of his World Boxing Union cruiserweight title was short and sweet at the Newport Sports Centre.

Maccarinelli is one of the sport's most unpredictable fighters because he gets hit, goes down but seems to always get up and return the favour.

On Saturday night there was not much time for him to recover from being hurt because he dominated until the final two punches sent Estonia's Andrei Kiarsten down and out for the full count after just 72 seconds of round one.

The 23-year-old local fighter did have a slight height and natural weight advantage but it was still an impressive performance against a veteran campaigner with a reputation for durability. On Saturday night Kiarsten was out like a light.

Now Maccarinelli and his promoter, Frank Warren, will get together and try to plot a short path to an even more prestigious position among the world's cruiserweights. Maccarinelli is exciting because he is so raw but there is a chance that he will be exposed at a higher level unless he can acquire some extra subtlety.

"I still know that I have a long way to go and I am learning with each fight but if I land cleanly it seems that the night is over,'' said Maccarinelli whose following in Wales will have increased after Saturday's short display.

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas on Saturday night, revenge eluded Oscar de la Hoya as Shane Mosley scored a narrow but unanimous 12-round decision to capture the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council super-welterweight championships.

De la Hoya threw and landed considerably more punches but lost 115-113 on the scorecards of all three judges. As in their first meeting in June 2000, Mosley was the aggressor in the later rounds and did enough early to impress the judges. All three judges awarded the final four rounds to Mosley, who landed more telling blows.

"De la Hoya fought hard and did an excellent job of boxing. He gave me a little trouble in the early rounds," Mosley said. "I am a lot stronger than de la Hoya with my punching power, and physically, I felt overwhelmingly stronger than him."