Italy’s Gloria Peritore returned to the top of European boxing after clearly defeating Britain’s Laura Pain at yesterday’s event organized by Opi Since 82 at the Centro Pavesi in Milan, reclaiming the EBU bantamweight title. The belt had previously been vacated by Peritore herself in order to undergo hand surgery. These were the official scores announced by the judges after ten rounds, all in favor of the Italian fighter: 100-90, 99-91, 100-90.
From the opening rounds, the significant stylistic differences between the two contenders became immediately evident, as their approaches were completely opposite. Laura Pain tried to use the full width of the ring, constantly moving and throwing fast but relatively harmless punches from range; Gloria Peritore, on the other hand, firmly controlled the center of the ring and put real weight behind her shots.
The Italian fighter significantly increased the pace during the third round, putting her opponent under serious pressure. Peritore’s wide hooks proved to be a nightmare for Pain, who throughout the entire fight failed to find effective answers and was often forced into frantic retreat.
After losing the first four rounds, the British boxer realized she needed to change her tactical approach if she hoped to turn the fight around. In the fifth round, she tried to come forward and engage in exchanges. However, the decision backfired badly, as Peritore found it even easier to capitalize on her superior punching power.
By the halfway point, the hierarchy inside the ring was already clear, and Gloria was able to dictate the pace at will for the remainder of the contest. Whenever Pain circled on the outside to avoid danger, the Italian simply controlled the situation while applying measured pressure. When the British fighter attempted to attack instead, Peritore was ready and consistently came out on top in close-range exchanges.
Only in the ninth round, fully aware of the wide lead she had built, did Peritore slightly ease off, allowing Pain to enjoy a few positive moments before once again taking command in the tenth and final round of the bout.
The judges’ work was impeccable, and Gloria’s triumph was fully deserved. After winning the European title for the second consecutive time, she can now legitimately dream of even greater achievements.