IT SHOULD all be over pretty quickly again tonight when Swansea cruiserweight Enzo Maccarinelli makes the sixth defence of his WBU world title against American Rich LaMont-agne at Bridgend leisure centre.

The 24-year-old Welshman's fights have the habit of finishing well inside the distance, three of them failing to go beyond the first round and five more failing to last beyond two.

In fact 18 of his twenty fights have failed to pass four rounds, though four were four-rounders he won on points earlier in his career, and one a shock third round KO by Lee Swaby in his fourth contest, the only blemish on his twenty-fight record.

Since becoming champion with a fourth round KO of Bruce Scott in Cardiff in June 2003, only a very negative Ismail Abdoul has taken Maccarinelli the 12-round championship distance and there is no reason to expect tonight's fight will go the same way.

In fact there is every reason to believe the opposite for his opponent too is no stranger to quick finishes.

In fact Rich 'The Mountain' LaMontagne has won no fewer than eleven of his 29 contests within a round, most of them early in his career on home soil in Everett, Massachusetts.

The Versace and Calvin Kline model has made all the usual noises about having to win his fights early to avoid his looks being spoilt and promising to rearrange Maccarinelli's not quite so pretty features.

But the fact is he can punch with 24 of his 29 wins inside the distance, though he has also suffered six defeats and boxed one draw.

It is also a fact that he can be put down and stopped quickly as fellow American Chris Thomas showed with a second round victory last June.

So,all in all, fans who love an explosive contest should not be disappointed.

But though LaMontagne's record suggests Maccarinelli will have to be careful, the odds are that it is the Welshman whose arm will be raised pretty early on.

For a start Maccarinelli is 24 and getting better while LaMontagne is 35 and past his peak. In addition, LaMontagne has an unofficial world ranking of 72 while Thomas, who stopped him last year, was ranked 55 and Maccarinelli is ranked 11.

And there is no way Maccarinelli's promoter Frank Warren would put him in against an opponent he felt could beat him with a unification bout with WBO world champion Johnny Nelson likely sometime later in the year.

Maccarinelli to win before the halfway mark is the verdict.

On the same bill unbeaten Gwent prospects Tony Doherty and Jamie Arthur bid to maintain their 100 per cent pro records against Frenchman Emmanuel Fleury and Pakistan-born Haider Ali respectively.

Doherty has won all twelve to date and has been tipped by more than one influential pundit to be the fighter to watch in 2005.

He comes up against a 29-year-old from Niort who has lost eleven of his 21 fights and five of his last six, four of them inside the distance, though two were in attempts at the French light-welterweight title.

His experience could give Doherty a few problems, but the talented 21-year-old from Pontypool should make it lucky 13.

Super-featherweight Arthur, who has won nine from nine, could face a tougher test against fellow 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ali, even though the 25-year-old Leyton-based boxer has had only four pro fights, losing one.

He was regarded as one of the most skillful boxers in the Games and will test Arthur's ability to land his punches.

But with experience on his side and the fact he is used to fighting over more than four rounds, Arthur should come through this scheduled eight-rounder.

Other bouts: Matthew Hall v TBA, four rounds light-middleweight; Darren Morgan v Abrima Secka, four rounds heavyweight; Barrie Jones v Lee Handley, four rounds light-welterweight; Kerry Hope v TBA, six rounds middleweight. Doors open 7pm. First bout 8pm.