The EBU European Light Heavyweight Title bout between reigning champion Luca D’Ortenzi and challenger Eros Seghetti will headline an excellent card organised by OPI Since 82 at the Guidonia Sports Hall, to be broadcast live on DAZN on Saturday.
The undercard will feature several prominent names from the Italian boxing scene, with European champion Gloria Peritore and ambitious contenders Giovanni Sarchioto and Vincenzo La Femina all set to step into the ring. In this preview, we will take a closer look at the matchups scheduled for Saturday night.
Luca D’Ortenzi vs Eros Seghetti – EBU European Light Heavyweight Title
Luca D’Ortenzi captured the European title by making masterful use of his physical advantages as a former cruiserweight against the determined but undersized Polish boxer Robert Parzęczewski.
The Roman fighter has developed a style reminiscent of the German boxing school of past decades, built around a rock-solid high guard, prolonged periods of patience and sudden, explosive bursts designed to catch opponents off guard and impress the judges.
Eros Seghetti is a straightforward boxer who tends to work at a measured pace. He looks at his best when relying on his straight punches and favouring disciplined, orderly boxing. He is less effective when attempting more elaborate combinations, which can leave him dangerously off balance.
If the challenger adopts the same strategy he used in his most recent fight against Bosnia’s Enid Numanović, D’Ortenzi could benefit considerably. In a low-tempo contest, the champion would have little difficulty making his greater experience count.
To upset the pre-fight expectations, which in our view see him as a slight underdog, Seghetti will therefore need to take some risks and apply sustained, determined pressure.
Gloria Peritore vs Karla Merida – European Women’s Bantamweight Title
In our opinion, our talented representative has everything it takes to overcome the challenge awaiting her this Saturday and further enhance her standing on the international scene.
Merida is a southpaw who tends to be rather stiff through the torso and is not particularly powerful. She has already shown some significant limitations during her professional career.
In 2023, the Spaniard was beaten on home soil by Rome’s Maria Cecchi. In our assessment, Gloria Peritore possesses a broader technical skill set than Cecchi, as well as greater physical strength. Merida is also coming off a recent defeat against fellow Spaniard Natalia Francesca, who had previously lost on points to Peritore by unanimous decision.
On paper, the Italian looks considerably more solid and effective than her opponent. We therefore expect a commanding performance that could give Gloria a significant boost in the international rankings and bring her closer to a major title opportunity.
Giovanni Sarchioto vs Ciril Johnson Suffo – WBO International Middleweight Title
Johnson Suffo is a short, aggressive southpaw who does not possess particularly explosive punching power. Compared with Sarchioto, he will be at a disadvantage in both height and reach, a gap that could become even more significant given the Frenchman’s tendency to adopt a rather compact stance, with his upper body leaning forward.
So far, Sarchioto has appeared to favour this type of opponent. By coming forward, they give him opportunities to unleash his powerful punches without forcing him to chase them around the ring and cut off their escape routes.
The contrasting characteristics of the two fighters suggest that we could be in for a thrilling, high-intensity contest in which the Italian should thrive and showcase his outstanding qualities.
A convincing victory, which in our view is the most likely outcome, could help Giovanni climb further up the WBO world rankings, where he already occupies eighth place.
Vincenzo La Femina vs Ihor Semonchuk – WBO Global Featherweight Title
Alongside the main event, the clash between La Femina and Semonchuk is arguably the most intriguing and unpredictable fight on the entire card.
Both men are exciting fighters with plenty of firepower, strong physical attributes and an aggressive approach. All the ingredients are there for an all-action contest that should keep spectators glued to their seats.
La Femina is an explosive puncher with unpredictable punch trajectories. His Achilles’ heel so far, however, has been his defence, which has often been too reckless to avoid being punished by opponents with a well-rounded offensive arsenal.
On Saturday, Vincenzo will need to show that he has worked hard to address this weakness, particularly since Semonchuk has scored ten knockouts in his twelve professional victories.
The 22-year-old Ukrainian is familiar to Italian boxing fans thanks to his bout against our own Muhamet Qamili, held in Riyadh last year. In that fight, he displayed a relentless pace from the opening exchanges, along with an awkward style and a few crafty tricks in close quarters.
For La Femina, it could therefore be crucial to make his punching power felt early on and slow his opponent’s advance. He will then need to manage the remainder of what promises to be an unpredictable contest with great care. This is a fight with plenty of question marks and no clear favourite.
Naturally, we hope Vincenzo has drawn confidence and renewed belief in his abilities from his spectacular come-from-behind victory over Simone Rao, and that he delivers another outstanding performance.
One further fight worth mentioning outside the main card is the professional debut on Italian soil of young Anthony El Moeti. Having contested his first four professional bouts abroad, he will finally make his home-country debut against seasoned Colombian campaigner Eber Tobar in a scheduled six-round contest.