WELSH star Enzo Maccarinelli’s battle with American legend Roy Jones Jnr for the vacant WBA super world cruiserweight championship has been confirmed for Saturday, December 12, at the VTB Ice Palace in Moscow.

Swansea star Maccarinelli, previously part of Team Calzaghe in Abercarn but now trained by Cwmbran’s Gary Lockett, aims to become a three-time world champion at 200lbs by defeating Jones.

The American veteran, aged 46, is a five-time and three-weight division world champ, who became a Russian citizen on Tuesday after being presented with a passport by president Vladimir Putin.

Jones was beaten by Joe Calzaghe in what proved to be the latter’s final fight in New York in November 2008.

Maccarinelli previously held the WBU and WBO world cruiserweight titles before losing a unification bout with David Haye in March 2008.

He has 31 wins by knockout from 40 wins in 47 fights and has also won British and European titles at cruiserweight and the Commonwealth title at light-heavyweight.

Big Macc has been campaigning at light-heavyweight for the last three years and challenged for the WBO world title last year against Juergen Braehmer, but the fight was stopped in the fifth round.

Maccarinelli couldn’t see out of his right eye after a clash of heads in the opening round.

The 35-year-old respects Jones but he’s confident that he will knock out Jones to realise his dream of becoming world champion for a third time.

“Jones was a great great fighter, certainly the best of his era and a fighter that I admired, but that has to be put to one side as I have my job to do and that’s to knock him out and win the world title,” said Maccarinelli.

“It’s incredible how the Russian people have taken Jones, he’s like a superstar here, with the media following his every move.

“It takes the pressure off me because I’m seen as just an opponent for him, but I’m going to pull off a huge shock over here on December 12 and bring the world title back to Wales.

“I’ve been campaigning at light-heavyweight for the last few years and I was recently nominated to fight for the EU title, which I was all set to do.

“But my promoter Frank Warren came in with this fantastic opportunity and how could I turn down the chance to fight a legend and secure my own legacy and win a third world title.”

Warren added: “It would be great to see Enzo back with a world title around his waist.

“I have faith in Enzo – he’s not a fighter that you can write off, he’s got the punch power to turn the tables at any moment.”