“I’ll turn you into a can of tuna!”—This and other provocative statements were made by Italian heavyweight prospect Diego Lenzi about his next opponent, Andrea Pesce. However, the evergreen “Thunder” didn’t let it get to him, taking his young rival’s words with a smile and winning over a large number of Italian boxing fans.
At 40 years old, with 41 professional fights under his belt, the seasoned Roman boxer still considers boxing his greatest passion. He is convinced that this Saturday, during the TAF event at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, he will put on a much more competitive fight than expected.
We reached out to Andrea, who kindly agreed to answer our questions.
How did your passion for boxing start, and when did you first step into a gym?
My passion started when I was 15. I used to play water polo in a multifunctional gym, and I saw these guys practicing boxing. One day, I decided to give it a try, and I immediately fell in love—with both the sport itself and my trainer at the time, Marcello Calabrese, who sadly is no longer with us. I liked it so much that I never stopped.
Do you still remember your amateur record?
I think it was 18 wins, 22 losses, and 9 draws. But I should point out that I always fought away from home, and back then, we had the score machine. I was a power puncher, so I never got the benefit of the doubt. I had to do twice the work to win—it was tragic! I even became a regional vice-champion, losing the final by a narrow margin, but everyone was just waiting for me to turn pro because they were sure I’d benefit from the pro rules.
You made your professional debut as a super welterweight. Then, over the years, you moved up in weight until you settled in the heavyweight division. What led you to progressively gain weight?
I had a couple of rough years where I got caught up in easy money and was living the wrong lifestyle. I was spending time in clubs and nightspots, and with food, alcohol, and bad habits, I just kept putting on weight. On top of that, I didn’t see boxing as my job anymore because I was making money the wrong way. Fortunately, I met my wife, who helped put me back on the right track. She convinced me to go back to my passion, earn my living honestly, and do things the right way.
Which professional fight are you most proud of, and why?
The fight I’m most proud of is the one against Andrii Rudenko in Ukraine. He was one of the top 30 heavyweights in the world, and everyone thought I’d go there and lose in seconds. But instead, the fight went the distance, I even won a few rounds, and I stepped out of the ring to applause from the crowd, who wanted photos and congratulated me. That was the greatest feeling. Shortly after, I also went to England to fight David Allen. That was another proud moment, even though I lost by KO in the second round—he was really tough.
Speaking of your fights abroad against high-profile opponents like Rudenko and Allen, is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you get those big opportunities?
Just myself. I did everything on my own. Luckily, I speak very good English, so I was contacted directly by matchmakers and promoters abroad. To be honest, I hesitated a bit before accepting the Rudenko fight because it was my first time stepping up to that level. But in the end, it worked out well.
There’s a rumor that you got into a fight with your former promoter, Davide Buccioni, during the 2016 event headlined by Mirco Ricci vs. Serhii Demchenko. Is that a myth, or did it really happen?
It really happened—we even made the news! [laughs] A brawl broke out in the arena, and by pure chance, Buccioni and I ended up face-to-face. He thought I was involved in the fight and tried to hit me. Luckily, I dodged and reacted by hitting him back, and then security stepped in. I was just defending myself, but I ended up looking like the bad guy because a photo surfaced showing me on top of him throwing a punch. But he was the one who tried to hit me first. Anyway, I want to clarify that Buccioni and I made peace and worked together again. We met recently, and we have a good relationship now—that incident is water under the bridge.
This Saturday, you’ll face Diego Lenzi at the Allianz Cloud in Milan under the TAF banner. Your opponent has made several provocative statements about you, saying he’ll turn you into a can of tuna and finish the fight in seconds. What do you make of his words?
I work in nightclubs as a second job, so I’m used to all kinds of threats. It doesn’t bother me—it just makes me smile. I understand that Diego is 23 and feels like he can take on the world, but I’m sure that on fight night, he’ll change his mind about what he said and realize the fight will be much tougher than he expects.
If, at the end of the fight, no matter the result, Lenzi offers you his hand, will you shake it?
Of course! Absolutely, without a second thought.
Before we wrap up, one last question: besides Guido Vianello, who is pursuing his career in the U.S., who do you think is currently the best heavyweight in Italy?
I believe it’s Antonio Carlesimo. I fought him, and he’s definitely the hardest-hitting fighter I’ve faced in Italy. I’d say he’s the best.