Francesco Grandelli gave it his all, but he could do nothing against the overwhelming physicality of Liam Davies. The English fighter forced him to retire after six high-intensity rounds that left clear marks on his face. Davies was thus crowned the new European featherweight champion, a title he had previously held in the super bantamweight division. For Grandelli, this marks his third unsuccessful attempt to capture the EBU belt.
From the very face-off at center ring during the referee’s final instructions, the difference in size between the two fighters was striking, with Davies enjoying advantages in height and reach, as well as a more imposing build compared to the Italian contender.
Grandelli initially tried to rely on his usual mobility, circling rapidly around his opponent, but Davies was ready for this approach and proved highly effective at cutting off the ring, using his left jab like a piston to open the way.
The danger posed by the English fighter—who appears to have benefited from the move up in weight—became evident as soon as his first heavy right hand landed: a pronounced bruise immediately appeared near Grandelli’s left cheekbone, forcing him to work overtime just to stay in the fight.
The power difference made it extremely difficult for the Italian to find a tactical alternative to evasion. When he chose to trade at close range, Grandelli did manage to land punches, taking advantage of Davies’ less-than-perfect defense, but he failed to produce any real effect and paid dearly for his efforts.
After clearly winning the first three rounds, Davies put an exclamation mark on the bout in the fourth. Grandelli was forced to absorb a barrage of heavy punches, especially to the body, and when he bravely tried to respond, he was caught by two consecutive hooks to the head—a right and a left—and was sent to the canvas.
The Piedmontese fighter kept his composure and managed to limit the damage at the end of the round and in the following one, though he was forced to remain on the defensive. Then Davies raised the pace again in the sixth round, making Grandelli’s stubborn resistance increasingly desperate.
The Italian continued to give everything he had, but by the end of the round he was exhausted, battered, and in visible distress, prompting his corner to wisely stop the fight and spare him further punishment.
It was a bitter night for the 31-year-old Italian, who this time was unable to rely on the qualities that had previously allowed him to compete against top-level opponents. Davies’ punches proved too sharp, fast, and impactful, and he was also very effective at mixing shots to the head with punishing body uppercuts, making himself difficult to read.
The Englishman delivered a performance above expectations and appears to have reached full maturity as a fighter. It remains to be seen whether this convincing victory will push him even higher in the world rankings, where he was already placed within the top fifteen by three governing bodies prior to this bout.