Eight months ago, he stunned the UK by knocking out the undefeated Nyall Berry in the eighth round. Now, Francesco De Rosa is finally ready to step back into the ring and breathe new life into his promising professional career. The 27-year-old heavy-handed boxer from Salerno will be in action this Friday (live on RAI Sport) in a tune-up fight scheduled for eight rounds, but he is already eager to seize new title opportunities.
Some fighters adopt a cautious and conservative approach when competing away from home, while others go all in with confidence and boldness. De Rosa has proven with actions that he belongs to the latter category, sending a clear message to the top European contenders in the super bantamweight division.
Despite his limited experience in the professional ranks, the Italian boxer stepped into the ring at the Coventry Skydome last June with the demeanor of a champion. He fought toe-to-toe and broke down both the physical and mental resistance of the unfortunate Berry, who collapsed in the eighth round of an intense and thrilling fight (click here for the full recap).
Two days from now, De Rosa will face Yin Caicedo, a 23-year-old Colombian with an impressive durability, having gone the distance in 39 of his 42 professional fights. The bout will take place on the undercard of the Italian light heavyweight title fight between Federico Gassani and Aleksander Ramo, as part of the event organized by Mario Loreni’s Promo Boxe at the Pala Allende in Livorno.
We reached out to Francesco, who kindly agreed to share his thoughts with us and our readers ahead of his upcoming fight.
Eight months have passed since your unforgettable victory in the UK against local favorite Nyall Berry. Why haven’t you had any official fights since then? Wouldn’t you have preferred to fight more frequently to maintain momentum after that spectacular win?
Of course! I always train hard and give my best. Staying out of the ring wasn’t my choice: I was supposed to fight for the Italian title, but for the past two or three years, no one has stepped up. Also, two events were canceled—one in October and one in February—through no fault of ours, which unfortunately forced me to delay my return. But now, I’m finally ready to put on a great show.
The fight against Berry was a major step up in competition compared to your previous pro bouts, and it surely helped you learn more about yourself. Looking back at that performance, do you think you’ve already reached your full potential? If not, what areas do you need to improve to achieve greater success?
Actually, that fight made me realize the aspects where I was still lacking. That awareness led me to add specialists to my team—people with expertise in different areas, such as nutrition—and it pushed me to fine-tune certain details that I need to improve. So I know I can do much more. I believe the UK only saw 40% of my true potential.
Your next opponent seems to be a durable journeyman, having only been stopped three times in 42 fights. Will you go all out for a KO to boost your reputation, or would you prefer to go the full eight rounds to maximize the experience?
I won’t chase the knockout at all costs because that would mean taking unnecessary risks or losing focus. That said, my fighting style is very aggressive, so an early stoppage is definitely a real possibility.
What are Francesco De Rosa’s next goals? Do you have a clear plan for your career, or do you prefer to take things one step at a time without looking too far ahead?
My ultimate goal is to fight for a world title. In the near future, I’d like to challenge for the Italian title—there might be some movement on that front. Apart from that, I always stay ready for any opportunity that comes my way.
Last year, you surprised everyone with your all-action style and the effectiveness of your punches—qualities we rarely see in Italian boxers. Who is your role model? Is there a past or present champion who inspires you?
I like to think of myself as a hybrid. For every great fighter I admire, I try to identify one specific strength they excel at and incorporate it into my own style. If I had to name a few, some of the champions whose fights I love to watch and rewatch are Floyd Mayweather Jr., Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya, Gennady Golovkin, Mike Tyson, and Roy Jones Jr.