Ringside report – Cave (Rome)
Yesterday, February 27, at the Palasport in Cave (Rome), during an event organized by A&B Events – Team Magnesi, the vacant EBU Silver Flyweight title bout took place. France’s Rakyb Mohamed Radji (11-1-0) claimed the belt by knocking out Italy’s Manuel “Grillo” Rizzieri (12-4-0) at 0:59 of the fifth round in a fight charged with emotion and intensity.
The Fight
“Il Grillo” entered a packed arena wearing a Roman gladiator helmet. Huge applause, the crowd on its feet during the national anthems.
Greetings at center ring, gloves touch, first bell.
Round One
Rizzieri started aggressively, but just one minute in we witnessed a shocking twist that silenced the arena. Radji found an opening in “Il Grillo’s” guard and landed a precise hook to the chin. Rizzieri hit the canvas. The crowd held its breath, but the Roman fighter found the strength to get back up. Once action resumed, the fight became heated, and Rizzieri seemed to have absorbed the blow.
(10–8 Radji)
Round Two
Rizzieri was repeatedly forced to absorb Radji’s left hook. It seemed he couldn’t see it coming, yet he refused to take a step back. He stayed there and embraced the brawl. Tremendous heart.
(20–17 Radji)
Round Three
Showing great temperament, Rizzieri became bold and aggressive. On several occasions he managed to break through Radji’s guard. This round was his.
(29–27 Radji)
Round Four
After a promising start in which he appeared to have found distance, rhythm, and accuracy, “Il Grillo” was struck at center ring by a devastating punch that sent him to the canvas again. But once more, he found the strength to rise.
(39–35 Radji)
Round Five
Rizzieri tried to seize the initiative but was caught again and dropped for the third time. His pride told him it could not end this way, and digging deep, he somehow found the strength to stand up once more. The fight resumed, but “Il Grillo” was hit again and suffered yet another knockdown. The referee rightly decided it was enough.
At 0:59 of the fifth round, Rizzieri’s dreams were extinguished in the harshest way.
The Future
Despite being only 24 years old, Manuel Rizzieri is a fighter of great character who courageously faced this, his third bout for a title. He had arrived in Cave aware that he had already managed to bounce back from a previous KO loss in his WBC Youth Intercontinental title fight on October 26, 2024, refusing to let that setback undermine his self-belief or shrink his dreams.
Now the question is: will Rizzieri be able to rise again after this defeat? We certainly hope so, though in the coming months the work will need to focus first on the man, and then on the fighter.
Radji, on the other hand, had previously failed in his attempt to win the vacant EBU European title against Jairo Noriega on June 28 of last year at the Centro de Tecnificación Deportiva in Villarreal, Spain, losing a wide unanimous decision (109–119, 109–119, 108–120). This time, however, on Italian soil, he found redemption. At the moment, his future appears clear of clouds.