Last night, at the event held at PalaOltrepo in Voghera, the main event featured Francesco Acatullo defending the Italian lightweight title against Antonio Gualtieri.
“The Tiger of Caivano,” 37, in his first defense after winning the belt against Arblin Kaba, faced challenger “The Brazilian,” 41, both weighing in at the 61.2 kg limit.
The two had already met in the past, back in 2022, when Gualtieri won by decision. This time, fighting at home, Acatullo successfully retained his hard-earned belt with a ninth-round technical knockout.
At the opening bell, the Tiger of Caivano came out aggressively — very aggressively — attacking from the very first second. No feeling-out process: the fight heated up immediately with constant toe-to-toe exchanges. Gualtieri tried to keep him at bay with the jab, but Acatullo kept landing the right hook with dangerous precision.
In the second round, the pace remained high. Gualtieri tried to hold the center of the ring, while Acatullo continued to connect with the right hook; it was a competitive fight, but the champion looked faster.
The third round began with a more focused Gualtieri, landing good combinations and backing Acatullo to the ropes, yet the defending champion kept finding success with his right hook.
After three rounds, the judges had it 30-27 for Acatullo. In the fourth, the challenger pressed forward, leading to intense exchanges at close range. Both fighters showed aggression, though accuracy dipped.
In the fifth, the action stayed fierce, with both boxers trading punches relentlessly. Gualtieri advanced behind the jab to close the distance, while Acatullo kept timing him with the right hook.
In the sixth, the champion kept hammering with the right hook, which repeatedly broke through Gualtieri’s guard. The challenger took heavy shots but responded with violent exchanges, neglecting defense. The same happened in the seventh — arguably the most brutal round of the bout.
The provisional scorecards read 69-64 for the champion entering the eighth, a round where Acatullo boxed cautiously, circling and avoiding risks. But in the ninth, a relentless Gualtieri was finally caught — his chin, which had held all night, gave way under another right hook from Acatullo. He got up, only to be dropped again by a left hook that ended the fight.
It was a courageous, physically demanding fight from both men, though not a technical showcase. Gualtieri absorbed plenty of hard shots, but in the ninth round, “The Tiger of Caivano” finally found the perfect right hook among the many he’d thrown and defended his belt with claws out.