Dario Morello and Giovanni Sarchioto don’t have much in common. They are both professional boxers, and they both compete in the middleweight division, but their technical styles and personality traits are very different. Yet, in this opinion piece, I will talk about both of them, because their upcoming fights have sparked controversy and heated debates among fans, journalists, and insiders. The issue, traditionally thorny and divisive, is that of boxing’s so-called “minor titles.”
Morello and the disappearance of the word “Silver”
Dario Morello will step into the ring at the Allianz Cloud in Milan on November 8. He will face Switzerland’s Faton Vukshinaj and, if victorious, will claim the EBU Silver middleweight title. “Silver” is precisely the key word that triggered the debates. Both journalist Niccolò Pavesi and the official account of TAF, the event’s promoter, published posts on Facebook announcing Morello’s upcoming fight for “the European title.”
The belt at stake is, in fact, the heir to the old “EBU UE” belt, better known as the European Union title. A springboard that usually brings its winner closer to a continental title shot. In the past, many successful Italian boxers have captured it before moving on to bigger stages. A title worthy of respect, then, but certainly not the same as the European title.
I myself pointed out this “oversight” with a tongue-in-cheek comment, and that alone was enough to provoke the irritated reaction of Ercole Morello, Dario’s father and trainer. He accused me of hoping for his son’s defeat, called me a “makeshift scribbler” (credit where it’s due—that’s a creative insult), and shut the door on any possible future interviews. He even went as far as to suggest I should be sued for calling the TAF’s announcement “false advertising.”
Sarchioto and the controversy over the upcoming “World title”
The situation involving Giovanni Sarchioto is of a different nature, but it also revolves around the confusion caused by a title that can easily be mistaken for something it isn’t. The powerful middleweight from Lazio has recently joined forces with Massimiliano Duran, the former cruiserweight world champion who is now a respected trainer and an extremely active promoter, mainly in the Ferrara area.
The change of camp was accompanied in many newspaper articles by bold claims about Sarchioto’s imminent shot at the “UBO World middleweight title.” Duran himself, in his posts, put some emphasis on the word “World,” although to be fair he did acknowledge in online exchanges with fans that the UBO does not hold the same prestige as boxing’s four major sanctioning bodies.
Inevitably, this ignited heated debates online between those who lashed out at the secondary organizations, even calling for their abolition and openly disapproving of Duran and Sarchioto’s choice to take this path, and those who instead staunchly defended the fighter and his new team.
Before rushing headlong, take a deep breath
Regardless of one’s opinion about the belts we mentioned, attacking, disparaging, insulting, and belittling fighters and promoters for the path they choose to take is about the worst thing one can do. Those who wield the club on social media, playing the part of a modern-day Savonarola and firing indiscriminately at everyone, forget that those working in the world of boxing in Italy often have to make bricks without straw.
The lack of sponsors and financial backers, the disinterest of television networks, the enormous difficulty in attracting paying audiences, the absence of institutional support, and the objective challenges in arranging functional and productive sparring sessions are just some of the obstacles faced by those trying to build something meaningful in our sport.
So a boxer who accepts to fight for a less prestigious-sounding title in exchange for a decent purse should not be blamed. Nor should a promoter be condemned for taking some “poetic license” in presenting an event to secure a few extra sponsors and spark the curiosity of potential spectators.
True journalism doesn’t compromise
If boxers, trainers, and promoters understandably try to look after their own interests with the (limited) resources they have, those who have the absolute duty to tell things as they are, to provide clarity, and to approach the public with transparency and honesty are the journalists.
Morello is absolutely right to face Vukshinaj—who, incidentally, is a solid, testing, and dangerous opponent—in order to further enrich his record and carve a path toward even greater goals. But those who write about boxing have the duty to tell you that the real European title will be contested by the Frenchmen Bilal Jkitou and Diego Natchoo on October 18 in Nanterre.
Sarchioto is absolutely right to go after the UBO belt, given the enormous difficulty in finding opponents willing to face him and the chance to gain valuable international experience, hopefully against a worthy rival. But those who write about boxing have the duty to tell you that the UBO, as of today, is a decidedly minor organization, and that its current “world heavyweight champion” is 48-year-old Alessio Bisutti, who won the belt against a Thai boxer with 16 defeats who once fought as a super middleweight.
Anyone who, whether professionally or simply as a hobby, has taken on the task of telling the story of the Noble Art must not mislead the public by equating wool with silk in order to secure an interview, an accreditation, or a pat on the back. Because if you keep convincing people they’re about to witness epic fights, extraordinary champions, and breathtaking battles, you risk achieving the opposite effect: many, once they realize they’ve been misled, will stay away from shows and arenas for years to come.
So let everyone carry out their role with seriousness. We will continue to write the truth, without compromise and without mincing words. We will do so even at the cost of ruffling feathers and being labeled “makeshift scribblers” by those who would rather deal with a flattering and complacent journalism.