Boxing, Italy with two faces: doubles in Europe, disappears in the world

The Italy of professional boxing doubles in Europe, but disappears from the map worldwide. It is the two-faced balance of a 2022 which also saw the novelty of the first economic support of the Italian Federation (Fpi) for boxers and the reduction from 5 to 3 of the currently vacant Italian titles in the 14 men’s weight categories.

EUROPA

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Italy doubles because Matteo Signani’s European middleweight title, lost irregularly and peremptorily regained in the re-match, is joined by Alessio Lorusso’s bantamweight title, won on 14 October in Monza with a match to be applauded. To the two men’s titles must be added the three women’s titles (none last year) by Martina Bernile (fly), Stephanie Silva (superfly) and Annalisa Brozzi (feather). Out of a total of 30 matches (men and women) played with the European Championship up for grabs, the Italians entered the ring 8 times (26.6%). In 2024, according to the rankings of the European Federation (Ebu), 7 other Italians (Rigoldi, Forte, Grandelli, Ionescu, Marsili, De Carolis, Bortot) will have the chance to fight for the title and the palmares could increase. To this must be added two European Union belts (same number as in 2021) by Vincenzo Picardi (rooster) and Emiliano Marsili (lightweight) plus those abandoned by Lorusso and Luca Rigoldi (super-rooster) to access the European chance.

WORLD

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In terms of world titles, Italy remains dry after the defeat of Michael Magnesi, on September 24 in Manchester (Ing) against Antony Cacace in the defense of the Ibo super featherweight belt. This despite the fact that there are 85 titles up for grabs, 17 categories for 5 recognized acronyms (Wba, Wbc, Ibf, Wbo, Ibo), plus a series of subtitles (interim, world, gold, super). A disqualifying drift, in which, unlike the golden age, Italian boxing is only a spectator. Out of 79 current champions of 28 different nationalities, none wears the Italian flag. A sign of organizational rather than technical weakness.

ITALIA

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The Fpi has adopted a corrective by setting up the Pro Club for the first time. A list of 9 boxers (7 men and 2 women) to whom financial support can be given for the activity. A small step to which others will have to follow to go back. Meanwhile, the 2022 tricolor ended on December 23 in Reggio Emilia with the meeting of Loreni’s Promo Boxe where Mattia De Bianchi defended the featherweight title from the assault of Alfredo Di Bartolo and Nino Rossetti snatched the middleweight title from Carlo De Novellis . On January 21 in Florence, the first appointment of 2023 with the challenge of the maximum between the champion Edoardo Giustini and Pietro Cappelli, organized by Rosanna Conti Cavini.

The situation of Italian securities

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Men: flyweight Samir El Kadimi; feather Mattia De Bianchi; lightweight Marvin Demollari; superlight Charlemagne Motonyeponk; welterweight Pietro Rossetti; superwelter Francesco Russo; middleweight Nino Rossetti; super middleweight Yuri Lupparelli; light heavyweight Stefano Abatangelo; light heavyweight Claudio Squeo; maximum Edoardo Giustini. Vacant rooster, super rooster and super feather. Feminine: light Martina Righi.