Three is the magic number. Cristian Zara must have thought so last night, after achieving the greatest feat of his boxing career by defeating the talented Vincenzo Picardi on his third attempt. The Sardinian fighter endured a rough start but staged a superb comeback, eventually winning by technical decision when the ringside doctor stopped a wounded and bleeding Picardi at the beginning of the tenth round. The early reading of the scorecards revealed the following official scores, all in favor of Zara, who was crowned the new EBU bantamweight European champion by unanimous decision: 96-95, 97-94, 97-94.
It was a surprising Picardi in the first round. The former Olympic bronze medalist, renowned for his elegant boxing style based on distance control and timing, adopted a very aggressive approach from the outset, immediately setting a high pace and seeking power shots at the expense of accuracy.
Zara, on the other hand, opted for a cautious strategy, throwing fewer punches in the early rounds and staying behind a tight guard while waiting for the right opening. Still, the Sardinian did not entirely hold back from showcasing flashes of his talent, as in the third round when he landed a beautiful right uppercut to his opponent’s chin.
Picardi continued to press forward, reaching the peak of his aggression in the fourth round, when the two boxers engaged in furious exchanges at center ring, unleashing a flurry of uppercuts to the body. For a brief moment, the bout felt more like a classic Mexican war than an Italian derby.
Until that point, Picardi had the upper hand thanks to his higher work rate, but he began to slow down from the fifth round onward. His legs became heavier, his breathing more labored, and Zara took advantage by working behind his jab and stinging his rival with consistent accuracy.
Things worsened for Picardi due to an accidental clash of heads at the end of the fifth. The impact caused a deep cut near his right eye, and his face quickly became a crimson mask.
Sensing the momentum shift, Zara began to respond with poise, landing sharp counters against Picardi’s increasingly wild attacks. The Sardinian fighter picked his shots carefully, displaying superior accuracy and effectiveness—qualities the judges were sure to notice.
Twice, in the eighth and ninth rounds, the referee called in the ringside doctor as blood continued to pour from Picardi’s face, covering his nose and likely making it difficult for him to breathe.
Realizing how dire things were getting, the former Olympic medalist bravely tried to turn the tide of a fight slipping away from him. But his offensive burst was halted by a vicious right uppercut to the solar plexus from Zara. The blow forced Picardi backward, sealing the Sardinian’s comeback as he now fought with complete confidence.
The third consultation between the referee and doctor at the start of the tenth round proved decisive. Since the cut had been caused by an accidental head clash, the fight went to the scorecards early, and Zara was awarded a unanimous decision. Personally, I also had it 96-95 in favor of Zara and agree with the judges’ verdict.
The unfortunate incident in the fifth round certainly influenced the dynamics of the bout. The relentless blood flow visibly shook Picardi, sapping his confidence and clouding his tactical judgment.
However, full credit must go to Cristian Zara for preparing a brilliant strategy and executing it with composure and intelligence. The new European champion wisely avoided unnecessary risks early on, weathered the onslaught of his more decorated rival, and then staged a phenomenal comeback.
The boxer from Sassari also showcased impressive technical skills, particularly his excellent use of the right uppercut and his fluid stance-switching, never losing effectiveness.
As for Picardi, beyond cursing his bad luck, his team should reflect on the tactical plan for this fight. In my humble opinion, he made a mistake by approaching the bout with such aggression and recklessness. Although he initially gained the upper hand, he strayed too far from his natural style and wasted precious energy, struggling later to contain his younger opponent’s surge.
Given how closely contested the fight was and the fact that the outcome was decided by an accidental injury, it would be great to see a fourth match between these two excellent representatives of Italian boxing. The European title would remain within our borders, and Picardi would get the same chance for redemption that Zara seized to climb to the top of Europe.