Round By Round: Haye Vs. Maccarinelli

They're staying up late in London to bring us the cruiserweight unification bout between David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli. The WBA, WBC and WBO titles are on the line, and 20,000 fans are in the house.

Steve Albert is building this up as a fight that could end at any time with any punch. Let's hope it lives up to that billing. It's interesting that Showtime is using this fight as the first part of a boxing-MMA doubleheader, something they will also be doing at the end of March.

IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods stops by for a short interview, promoting his upcoming bout with Antonio Tarver. They talk a little bit about how hot boxing is in Great Britain right now, and it's hard to argue that point.

The tale of the tape tells us the boxers are coming in within a pound of each other, despite reports that Haye was having trouble making weight and is leaving the division soon. Haye has a reach advantage of a couple inches.

Joe Calzaghe, Frank Bruno and Evander Holyfield are all on hand to take in the action. Haye comes to the ring first, sporting his own "Hayemaker" shirt. The announcers are saying he grew up just a short distance away from the O2 Arena, the site of tonight's fight. Maccarinelli enters to the sounds of Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down," and he gets a mix of cheers and boos from the London crowd.

Both men look to be in good shape, with Haye looking especially cut. And here we go!

Round 1

Big Mac lands the first big punch, a left hook that knocks Haye off balance. Haye is reaching with the jab. They aren't exactly throwing caution to the wind like you may have expected. Both guys land a few jabs. Haye goes to the body with a right. Now a big left upstairs. Haye goes in hard but Maccarinelli ties him up. Right to the body by Haye. A pretty cautious first round overall.

Franchise scores it: 10-9 Maccarinelli
Uatu scores it: 10-9 Maccarinelli

Round 2

Both fighters trying to establish the jab. Big punches mostly miss in close. A big right by Haye finds the mark. A left coming in also hits, but Maccarinelli responds with his own left. Another right hand by Haye. A big right hand by Haye has Maccarinelli in trouble, and he goes down in the corner under a vicious barrage. And it's over! Haye stops Maccarinelli in the second round as the ref calls a stop to this one.

The winner by TKO at 2:04 of the second round, and WBA, WBC and WBO cruiserweight champion of the world, David Haye.