Undefeated
Super-Middleweight prospect Daniele Scardina scored a hard-fought ten round
unanimous decision over Alessandro Goddi on Friday night at the Allianz Cloud
in Milan, Italy. In what was a competitive fight from start to finish,
Scardina’s naturally bigger size and cleaner punches were able to secure the
unanimous decision victory. Although Goddi, who was moving in the Super-Middleweight
division for the second time after spending the majority of his career in the
160lb. Middleweight division, was able to have his share of moments throughout
the fight, he was unable to land a significant punch to discourage the natural
168lb. Super-Middleweight Scardina as the Italian-born, Miami, FL based
Scardina outworked him over the ten round fight. Daniele Scardina advances to 17-0,
with 14 Knockouts. Alessandro Goddi falls to 35-5-1, with 17 Knockouts.
Also
on this card:
European
Lightweight champion Francesco Patera successfully made the second defense of
his European championship by scoring an impressive sixth round stoppage of Paul
Hyland, Jr. Hyland was extremely aggressive and applied pressure on Petera from
the outset. Both fighters were cut in round one as a result of an accidental
clash of heads. In the second round a counter right hand to the head from the
champion forced Hyland’s gloves to touch the canvas resulting in a knockdown.
Patera would be warned three times for accidental low blows throughout the bout
as he attempted to work the challenger’s body. The champion’s body attack
however, gradually broke Hyland down as he was sent to the canvas a second time
late in round five. Patera sensing the end was near continued the body attack
in round six, knocking Hyland down two more times resulting in a total of four
knockdowns and a stoppage of the fight by Referee Jean Laine. Official time of
the stoppage was 1:50 of round six.
Francesco
Patera advances to 22-3, with 8 Knockouts. Paul Hyland, Jr. falls to 20-2, with
7 Knockouts.
In
the Welterweight division unbeaten Dario Morello scored an underwhelming ten
round unanimous decision over Ahmed El Hamwi. Morello appeared to be the only
one forcing the action throughout the fight against the defensive-oriented El
Hamwi. Although at times the bout frankly resembled a sparring session, Morello
simply did what he needed to do to secure the win. Dario Morello advances to 15-0,
with 2 Knockouts. Ahmed El Hamwi falls to 19-9-2, with 1 Knockout.
Also
in the Welterweight division unbeaten prospect Maxim Prodan scored a
workmanlike six round unanimous decision over Nika Nakashidze. Despite
Nakashidze having a 7-7 record and having lost four of his last five bouts
giving the impression that it might be a a short fight, he proved to be durable
and hung in against Prodan over six rounds. Maxim Prodan advances to 17-0-1,
with 14 Knockouts. Nika Nakashidze falls to 7-8-1, with 2 Knockouts.
Undefeated
Super-Middleweight prospect Ivan Zucco scored a third round stoppage over a
“Game”, but overmatched Borislav Zankov. Zucco battered Zankov over the three
rounds with near non-stop offense before the bout was stopped at 1:16 of the
third round. Ivan Zucco advances to 8-0, with 7 Knockouts. Borislav Zankov
falls to 10-26-1, 4 Knockouts.
Also
in the Welterweight division, undefeated prospect Nicholas Esposito scored a
hard fought six round unanimous decision over Jonny Zeze-Sigheh. After some
difficulty early on due to the aggression of Zeze-Sigheh, the unbeaten
Italian’s sharper punches and combination punching were the difference in what
should be viewed as a development fight for the twenty-five year old Esposito.
Nicholas Esposito advances to 10-0, with 5 Knockouts. Jonny Zeze-Sigheh falls
to 2-2, with 1 Knockout.
This
card provided a look at fighters ranging from rising prospects, prospects, and
those who may be approaching world title contention. Similar to various
regional championships like the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) and the
North American Boxing Association (NABA), two regional governing bodies with
world sanctioning affiliation, Fighters in Europe who compete for and are able
to win a European championship (EBU) are often approaching an opportunity to fight
for a world championship in the near future.
With
two successful title defenses of his European Lightweight championship, Francesco
Patera appears to be the next European champion who could be fighting for a
world championship in the next year or so. Patera is currently rated number ten
in the world by the World Boxing Council (WBC). The WBC world championship in
the 135lb. Lightweight division is currently vacant and it will be interesting
to see if Patera will be able to work his way up those rankings before the end
of 2019.
For
Daniele Scardina, who currently holds the International championship in the
International Boxing Federation (IBF) in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division,
which is a title meant to elevate a fighter’s ranking in the hope of
challenging for a world championship, some might feel disappointed with his
performance against Alessandro Goddi. Although a fighter with a career knockout
percentage of over 85% might give the impression that they will be able to get
most fighters out of there, that simply wasn’t the case in this fight. It
should be said however, that a win is a win and for Scardina, this victory will
likely benefit him more than a quick knockout might have. It was after all the
second time in consecutive fights that Scardina has had to go a full ten round
distance and being able to go deep into fights is a necessary attribute for any
fighter that wants to compete on the world level of the sport.
While
Scardina is not rated currently in the top fifteen in any of the respective
world sanctioning organizations at 168lbs., if he can continue to win and
gradually increase the level of his opposition it will only be a matter of time
before he is viewed as a top contender. At twenty-seven years old and with much
of the top of the Super-Middleweight division currently centered around the
division’s currently world champions Callum Smith, Caleb Plant, Anthony
Dirrell, and Billy Joe Saunders, there is time for Scardina to continue to
develop and gradually move up the ladder. As one of the fighters that is being
showcased as part of Matchroom Boxing’s Italian promotional branch, he has
plenty of time and should not be rushed into a world title fight or a fight
against a top contender at this point.
“And
That’s The Boxing Truth.”
The
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