Swansea's Enzo Maccarinelli retained his WBU world cruiserweight crown with a brilliant third round KO of brave Danish challenger Jesper Kristiansen at Newport Centre last night.

Now Maccarinelli hopes WBO champion Johnny Nelson retains his crown against Rudiger May in Germany tonight so the long anticipated showdown between the pair can go ahead in Cardiff in December.

In the fifth defence of his title it was again Maccarinelli's vicious body shots that took him to his 19th win in 20 contests and 14th by KO.

There was little between the pair in round one, though both fighters aimed cheaply at the body, but in round two Maccarinelli really went downstairs and the Dane, a former European title challenger, was dropped for a count of eight by a powerful left hook to the solar plexus.

Maccarinelli, 24, could not finish his 32-year-old opponent off and Kristiansen appeared to be boxing well on the retreat at the start of the third.

But then Maccarinelli caught him with another terrific left hook to the body which made even those at ringside wince and though the Dane gallantly got up, the wind had gone from his sails and he was counted out in two minutes five seconds of the round by top international referee Dave Parris.

Afterwards Maccarinelli said: "I don't know if it was the best punch I've thrown, but it was a good one.

"I think I'm ready for Nelson now. A lot of people don't think I am but I want the chance to prove them wrong."