By Ken Hissner: At the PalaEur, Roma, Lazio, Italy, Friday over DAZN Christian Cherchi (OPI Since 82) and Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing) presented in the Main Event European Middleweight champion Matteo “El Giaguaro” Signani, of Emilia Romagna, Italy, defeated Ruben “El Destructor” Diaz, of Pampiona, Spain, over 12 rounds.
In the co-feature, EBU Featherweight champion southpaw Mauro Forte of Roma, Lazio, Italy, and Francesco Grandelli, of Cambiano, Piemonte, Italy, battled to a 12 round split decision draw.
In the main event, European Middleweight champion Matteo “El Giaguaro” Signani, 31-5-3 (11), #159 ½, of Emilia Romagna, Italy, defeated Ruben “El Destructor” Diaz, 26-3-2 (17), #159 ¾, of Pampiona, Spain, over 12 rounds.
In the first six rounds, Signani had a solid edge over Diaz. In the eighth round, the cut on Diaz’s left eyebrow has blood running down the side of his face causing the referee to bring in the ring physician.
The ninth through the twelfth rounds were slopping and foul-filled with too much clinching.
Scores were 117-111, 116-112, and 115-113, with this writer 116-112.
In the co-feature EBU Featherweight champion southpaw Mauro Forte, 16-0-2 (6), #125 ½, of Roma, Lazio, Italy, ended in a split decision draw with Francesco Grandelli, 15-1-2 (3), 125 ¾of Cambiano, Piemonte, Italy, over 12 rounds.
Scores were 116-113 Forte, 115-113 Grandelli, and 114-114.
In the first six rounds, both fighters fought on even terms. In the final six rounds, both fighters gave their all, but little was done for one to have an edge.
Super Welterweight Francesco Russo, 10-2 (8), #154 ¾, of Roma, Lazio, Italy, was knocked out by Tony Dixon, 13-3 (4), #154 ¼, of Mountain Ash, Wales, UK, at 1:03 of the first round of a scheduled ten rounds.
In the first round coming back after two years of inactivity, Dixon knocked out Russo with a right on the chin.
Super Bantamweight southpaw Maria “Russian” Cecchi, 6-0 (1), #124 ¼, of Guidonia Montecelio, Italy, defeated Bec Connolly, 3-11 (0), #124, of Swindon, Wiltshire, UK, over eight rounds.
In the first two rounds southpaw, Cecchi held a slight edge using a good right hook, outworking Connolly. In the third and fourth rounds final seconds, a left from Cecchi on the chin had Connolly holding on at the bell.
In the fifth round, Cecchi had Connolly in trouble, but Connolly scored well, turning Cecchi to orthodox in the final seconds.
In the sixth round, Connolly’s left eye was closing from lefts by Cecchi and an accidental clash of heads.
In the seventh round, it was all Cecchi though Connolly landed counter rights at times. In the eighth and final round, Cecchi remained in control against a game Connolly.
Scores were 80-72 twice and 79-73, as did this writer.
Super Lightweight Armando Casamonica, 4-0 (0), #142, of Roma, Lazio, Italy, defeated southpaw Mauro Loli, 5-3 (2), #143 ¾, of Roma, Lazio, Italy, over six busy rounds.
In the first three rounds, the southpaw Loli was busier of the two, but Casamonica was stronger of the two, switching to southpaw and back. The referee allows Casamonica to walk Loli to the ropes with no punching while Casamonica continues to complain of head butting.
In the final seconds of the fourth round, Casamonica hurt Loli with a right on the chin as the bell sounded. In the sixth and final round, the referee continued siding with Casamonica using his head inside without warning. It was the volume of soft punches by Loli versus fewer stronger punches by Casamonica.
Scores were 57-57, 58-56 twice, with this writer 58-56.
Serhiy “The Tiger” Demchenko, 23-16-1 (15), #174, of UKR and Roma, Lazio, Italy, lost to Hrvoje Sep, 11-0 (8), #178 ¾, of Zagreb, Croatia, over six action-packed rounds.
In the three rounds, Demchenko, with hands held high, uses a left hook body attack while Sep throws all headshots, mostly with overhand rights causing bleeding from the nose of Demchenko. In the fifth round, Demchenko was almost knocked down in the final minutes with a flurry of punches from Sep. In the sixth and final round, the punching never stopped for the entire fight. Sep seemed to have an edge at the end.
Scores were all 60-54 for Sep. This writer had it 59-55.