A commanding performance inside the ring at the Palasport in Guidonia allowed Luca D’Ortenzi to remain on the European light heavyweight throne. Eros Seghetti’s bid for the EBU belt therefore fell short, as he was declared the loser on points at the conclusion of the main event of a show promoted by Opi Since 82. All three judges scored the contest 117-111 in favour of the champion, a verdict that was entirely justified.
The first three rounds were closely contested. D’Ortenzi had the edge in the opening round, thanks to his greater aggression and willingness to take the initiative. Seghetti looked livelier in the second and third, however, occasionally finding openings in the champion’s high guard with his quick counterpunches.
The complexion of the fight changed in the fourth round, when the challenger was caught by a short hook to the face in the middle of a close-range exchange and appeared to be hurt by the shot. D’Ortenzi immediately sensed his opportunity and surged forward, attacking with grit and determination and landing several more heavy punches.
The incident probably had an impact on Seghetti’s confidence and approach to the fight. In the following rounds, he began circling frantically along the ropes in an attempt to avoid exchanges at close quarters. When going on the offensive, he limited himself to tentative jabs and defensive punches that mostly landed on his opponent’s gloves, causing little or no damage.
The champion took full advantage, building a lead on the scorecards and reaching the peak of his dominance in the seventh round, when he also managed to shake his opponent with a left hook to the jaw.
Realising that the fight was slipping away from him, Seghetti showed some pride and produced a good eighth round. His hopes of getting back into contention, however, were dashed by a superb combination from D’Ortenzi in the ninth. A left uppercut to the body followed immediately by a left hook to the head destabilised the challenger, who shortly afterwards grabbed hold of his opponent to avoid being overwhelmed, causing both fighters to fall to the canvas.
Forced back onto the defensive once again, Seghetti appeared on the verge of a technical knockout during a punishing eleventh round. He found himself trapped with his back against the ropes, absorbing several punches without offering any meaningful resistance or even attempting to fight back.
His corner’s decision to send him out for the final round seemed risky, but fortunately D’Ortenzi did not press the issue. He simply made his control of the fight evident during the closing three minutes, which passed without any further dramatic moments.
The judges’ verdict was, in my view, spot on. My own scorecard also read 117-111, accurately reflecting a fight that featured some encouraging moments from Seghetti, particularly in the early stages, but which, from the fourth round onwards, was essentially controlled by one man: reigning champion Luca D’Ortenzi.
By moving down from cruiserweight to light heavyweight, the winner seems to have found a second lease on life. Despite being 38 years old, D’Ortenzi is displaying excellent physical conditioning and, compared with his performances in the previous weight class, looks considerably more dangerous, sharp and effective whenever he connects. His opponents are certainly feeling the consequences inside the ring.