Fine Settimana in Italia
It was a busy weekend for the Italian boxing commission (Federazione Pugilistica Italiana) and the boxing community. Two prospect-loaded cards on the peninsula nation highlighted high-level prospects and contenders. The action kicked off on Saturday night in Verbania and highlighted two contenders closing in on world title shots. The action concluded on Sunday in the northeast region of Friuli Venezia Giulia with an ultra-competitive high-level prospect-based card.
On Saturday in Verbania, the hometown hero Ivan Zucco cemented his status as a legitimate 168-pound world title contender by dominating and outclassing Baptiste Castegnaro moving his record to 18-0 (15). Zucco was able to control the range as the Frenchmen tried to dirty the fight up on the inside. Zucco remained in control. The Italian southpaw controlled Castegnaro with straight left hands and began breaking him down and setting him up for something big. That something big came in the fourth round when a short right hook came in and flatted the Frenchmen. Post-fight, the Italian said, "I am very happy with this result because it is an important piece that adds up and projects me towards a really important fight that will be announced within days."
In the co-main event, Sandor Martin who is coming fresh off of his highway robbery loss to now 140-Pound WBO and lineal world champ Teofimo Lopez impressed again. He showed no rust or letdown in his comeback fight. Martin chased down and destroyed an outmatched Arblin Kaba, originally of Albania and now fighting out of Puglia, Italy. A much more aggressive and assertive Martin than we have seen in big fights in the past wore down and obliterated Kaba. After outclassing his man for five rounds, a barrage of hooks and power shots finally forced the referee to wave off the bout. Also on the card was rapidly rising middleweight contender Giovanni Sarchioto, known for his aggression and power punching. The big Italian was strategic and measured his jab early on, setting up the heavy artillery in the later rounds that eventually broke down an outmatched opponent named Fouad El Massoudi of France in the sixth round. Sarchioto ran his record to 8-0 (7) with the sixth-round KO victory.
The Sunday card didn't feature the name value but featured highly competitive fights from emerging prospects who were genuinely matched in 50/50 fights. In the main event Abruzzo, Italy native Luigi Alfieri moved his record to 10-3 (0) and picked up the WBC Mediterranean Welterweight strap. After a strategic start to the fight with undefeated Greek boxer-puncher Panagiotis Tsochataridis. The native countrymen was the stronger and fresher of the fighters, and pressed the action swarming in and battering Tsochataridis with body shots and a barrage of power shots that sent the Greekmen into the ropes. Sealing the deal in the final two rounds Alfieri, who now trains in the UK, needed both rounds to take a narrow unanimous decision by scores of 96-94X2.
In the vengis co-main event, Cristian Zara pulled a minor upset and dazzled Claudio Grande in a bantamweight bout to capture the Federazione Pugilistica Italiana Bantamweight strap. Zara moved his record to 10-2 (3). He outclassed Grande with his speed, jab, and footwork. He boxed predominantly off the back foot with what appeared to be the bigger man. Zara, who hails from Sardegna, Italy, closed the show in style pot shoting and avoiding the heavy artillery of Grande to secure the decision and the upset.
