Ringside report – Ferrara
It was a long night of boxing yesterday in Ferrara, on the occasion of the 25th Memorial Duran organized by Boxing Duran at the Palapalestre arena. The card was centered around the Italian middleweight title semifinal between local favorite Nicola Cristofori and Apulian fighter Giovanni Rossetti, known as “Nino.”
As always, there was an excellent turnout for events organized by the host Massimiliano Duran, with whom we had the pleasure of exchanging a few words. Speaking with him, you can clearly feel his passion for the sport and his commitment to creating opportunities for his fighters.
We arrived at the venue at 6 p.m. to also follow the amateur bouts. There were many interesting matchups featuring young fighters from several historic gyms in the region, both before and after the break, when the stands filled up completely. Everything was set for the highlight of the evening, with notable names in attendance such as former champions Alessandro Duran and Maurizio Stecca, as well as current Cuban heavyweight standout Angelo Morejon.
The professional portion began with an important debut for Boxing Duran: Alí Marcel. Not an easy task, as he faced Cristian Sabbatini in a competitive matchup.
The Roman fighter started aggressively, with two very different styles on display. Alí tried to box at mid-range with an active jab and straight punches, while Sabbatini loaded up on every shot and applied constant pressure. The judges’ decision surprised many: Sabbatini was awarded the win after six rounds, but Marcel showed promise and should do well in future outings.
Next up for the Duran stable was super middleweight Alex Ciupitu in a six-round bout against late replacement Marcel Bzowski, who brought experience to Ferrara.
It was a hard-fought contest with no holding back. Ciupitu applied pressure with his aggressive style, while Bzowski waited for mistakes, often trying to counter with the right hand. Ciupitu ultimately secured the win and continues his development.
Then came the main event: Cristofori vs Rossetti, a semifinal for the Italian middleweight title. There was great anticipation, as the winner would earn a shot at Mazzon for the title.
On one side, a focused and determined Rossetti; on the other, Cristofori, driven by a desire to return to the top and fueled by personal redemption.
The first round saw both fighters start cautiously before unleashing fast, powerful combinations. The back-and-forth exchanges promised an exciting fight.
Rossetti blends Cuban boxing tradition—through his maternal roots—with the technical foundation of the renowned Quero-Chiloiro gym in Taranto. This explosive mix was evident early on, but Cristofori responded bravely, and the pace quickly intensified.
However, in the second round, the unexpected happened. Rossetti broke through his opponent’s guard with precise, powerful combinations that put Cristofori in serious trouble. A final right hand visibly rocked the hometown fighter, and the referee—amid strong protests from the crowd—decided to stop the fight.
Technically, the referee did not make a mistake, as standing counts are not allowed under Italian professional boxing rules: a count can only be given if a fighter is held up by the ropes or touches the canvas. In this case, the referee opted for caution, a decision not shared by many in attendance. Personally, I favor safety, but Cristofori seemed willing to continue, and given the stakes, the fight might have been allowed to go on a few seconds longer to better assess his condition.
Rossetti now positions himself as a challenger to Mazzon, and based on last night’s performance, he could pose serious problems for the Italian champion.
Despite the controversy, the Memorial Duran once again proved to be an engaging event, as it does every year.
We thank Massimiliano for the hospitality and wish him continued success, confident that he will keep delivering high-quality boxing events.