We inaugurate today the habit of offering you every Monday the weekly program of the most important and significant fights scheduled for the next seven days, with brief descriptions to help you understand what’s at stake and the fighters involved.
The upcoming week will be dominated by female boxing, with three world title fights on the line. Also noteworthy is the farewell match of a great Italian boxer after twenty years of an honorable career. Below is the list of the most interesting fights.
Friday, September 27, 2024
Emiliano Marsili vs Diego Lagos – 10-round professional bout – Civitavecchia, Rome (Italy)
The 45th and final fight of the timeless Emiliano Marsili, who in his hometown of Civitavecchia will say goodbye to competitive boxing by facing 29-year-old Colombian Diego Lagos. More than for the match itself, the event will be important to pay a proper tribute to one of the best representatives of our national boxing scene in recent decades.
Thomas Essomba vs Charlie Edwards – EBU European Bantamweight Title – York Hall, Bethnal Green (UK)
Essomba’s second defense of the European title, which he won in Italy in May last year at the expense of our Alessio Lorusso. The hard-hitting English brawler will face his elusive compatriot Edwards, a former flyweight world champion who, after a period of stagnation, is looking to reignite his career. An interesting clash of styles.
Alycia Baumgardner vs Delfine Persoon – WBC World Female Super Featherweight Title – Trilith Studios Town Stage, Fayetteville (USA)
After being cleared of a doping charge for not intentionally ingesting a banned substance, the world champion Baumgardner, known for the explosiveness of her punches, returns to the ring more than a year after her last appearance. She will face a seasoned opponent, Persoon, who was the lightweight world champion from 2014 to 2019 before losing her titles to Ireland’s Katie Taylor in two very close fights. At 39, Persoon is the underdog according to the bookmakers.
Sandy Ryan vs Mikaela Mayer – WBO World Female Welterweight Title – Madison Square Garden Theater, New York (USA)
A fascinating and uncertain showdown between two top-tier athletes. Sandy Ryan comes off a dominant performance, having destroyed fellow English fighter Terri Harper in just four rounds on foreign soil. It was a notable comeback after the injustice she suffered in a previous fight against American Jessica McCaskill, who was awarded a generous draw by the judges. Mayer is also frustrated with the judges, having fiercely contested both of her only two losses, which came via split decision. If both fighters go for the KO to avoid another controversial decision, it will be a thrilling match.
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Rhiannon Dixon vs Terri Harper – WBO World Female Lightweight Title – Park Community Arena, Sheffield (UK)
The undefeated 29-year-old Dixon quickly took advantage of the WBO title being stripped from Irish superstar Katie Taylor by claiming it with a deserved points victory over Argentina’s Carabajal. She now looks to build on her momentum. Harper, on the other hand, is trying to rebound from a tough period and has decided to drop down two weight classes, hoping to better handle the physicality of her opponents. With neither fighter possessing above-average power, this could turn into an intriguing technical contest.
Gianmarco Cardillo vs Eduardo Giustini – Italian Heavyweight Title – Scandicci, Florence (Italy)
The undefeated reigning champion Cardillo, coming off two consecutive victories against Damiani and Venturelli, will try to leverage his size advantage to retain his national crown. Giustini, who previously held the Italian title in 2022, will aim to reclaim the belt for a second time, also counting on the support of the local crowd. The match will be broadcast live on the FPI YouTube channel.
Norair Mikaeljan vs Ryan Rozicki – WBC World Cruiserweight Title – Casino Miami Jai Alai, Miami (USA)
This will be the first title defense for 34-year-old Armenian Mikaeljan, who captured the belt with a resounding KO victory over Congolese puncher Ilunga Makabu last November. Mikaeljan is also known for pushing the highly decorated Latvian cruiserweight Mairis Briedis to the limit in 2018, suffering a loss many observers deemed unfair. His Polish challenger Rozicki is an all-out puncher, constantly on the hunt for a KO. Though the underdog, he could make for an entertaining fight.