Matchroom’s Italian arm promoted an entertaining night of action at Allianz Cloud in Milan, and at the top of the bill, Daniele Scardina picked up the vacant EU Super Middleweight title with an eighth round stoppage win over Cesar Nunez.
Scardina began off a busy jab, and the opening round was fought at close quarters, with the pair taking turns to go on the attack.
Nunez wasn’t overawed, and the second saw him land some clubbing blows to Scardina, who, to his credit, absorbed the shots and fired back. Nunez was growing in confidence, and he wasn’t afraid to take the fight to Scardina, landing a chopping left hand in the fourth.
Scardina was electing to box, but his punches were having little effect on the Spaniard, who continued to chug forward. Scardina started to enjoy more success in the second half of the fight, and Nunez was showing damage under both eyes.
With the visitor tiring, Scardina landed a right uppercut that disorientated Nunez, and he then rained in several shots with Cesar tottering, and the referee stepped in as he was about to hit the deck.
On the undercard, Maxim Prodan retained his IBF International Welterweight title, but was fortunate to score a tenth round stoppage of Nicola Cristofori.
Prodan scored a fifth round knockdown, when a sweeping left hook floored Cristofori, and although he piled on the pressure after the knockdown, Prodan couldn’t find the finish at the end of the frame.
The challenger recovered well though, and was controlling the action in the main with his footwork and angles in what was competitive action.
With the fight seemingly in the balance, the end came in controversial fashion in the final round as an innocuous looking left hand landed from Prodan, and Cristofori seemed to slip backwards on the canvas and headed towards the ropes. As Prodan landed a couple more shots, the referee bizarrely waved the contest off, in what seemed a strange decision, especially with Cristofori not looking particularly hurt.
In an all action ten rounder, Nicholas Esposito took the Italian Welterweight title in thrilling points win over Tobia Giuseppe Loriga, who was making the fifth defence of the belt that he won back in March 2017.
It was a bruising encounter, and a good learning fight for Esposito, who moved to 14-0 with his win. Three scores of 97-93 ensured a new champion was crowned.
Mirko Natalizi knocked out Islam Teffahi in the fourth round of their eight rounder at Super Welterweight.
Rome-based Natalizi was always in control of the contest, and with his Tunisian opponent tiring and missing wildly, Natalizi detonated a big right to the chin of Teffahi, and a follow up right hand floored him heavily, with the referee calling a halt to the action.
At Featherweight, Vincenzo La Femina dominated his six round contest against Pablo Narvaez, taking every round for the three judges in a 60-54 win.
