Theater Carré, Amsterdam – Ringside Report
A night of celebration for Italian boxing in Amsterdam: the magnificent setting of the Theater Carré witnessed a triumph for our adopted Italian fighter Angelo Morejon, who needed just three rounds to defeat local favorite Willy Kyakonye and become the new WBC Silver bridgerweight champion. The fight brought to a close a wonderful event dedicated to the memory of Dutch Jewish boxer and international referee Ben Bril, organized by Mr. Hans de Brujin, who kindly granted Boxe Punch press accreditation.
Morejon’s trainer, “Lele” Orlando, expected his opponent to come out swinging, and his prediction proved accurate. Kyakonye charged forward with his head down from the opening bell, driving Angelo against the ropes and looking to land heavy punches.
These chaotic assaults produced the first scare of the evening when “El Terrible” suddenly collapsed to the canvas after being caught by an uppercut from his opponent. Fortunately, the referee, who was well positioned, saw that the punch had landed well below the belt and therefore gave Morejon all the time he needed to recover, without administering a count.
When the action resumed, Kyakonye continued to press forward, taking advantage of his opponent’s need to catch his breath after the illegal blow. Morejon, however, gradually regained his composure and clarity of mind, and toward the end of the opening round he paid the Dutchman back with interest, without breaking any rules.
Kyakonye had left himself completely exposed after a particularly reckless attack, and Morejon’s right hook landed with devastating precision and power on his left temple, sending him crashing to the canvas. The hometown fighter got back to his feet, visibly shaken, but was saved by the bell.
The impression that Kyakonye had not fully recovered was reinforced by the behavior of his cornermen, who cleverly delayed the resumption of the fight by remaining in the ring longer than permitted. This little trick, however, did nothing to halt Morejon’s momentum. He controlled the second round with tremendous authority, landing the cleaner and more effective punches while brilliantly managing the distance.
By the third round, “El Terrible” realized the time had come to go for the finish and unleashed the very best of his offensive arsenal. Kyakonye’s guard was first pierced by a beautiful left uppercut that knocked him off balance. Then Angelo’s trusty right hook began doing damage once again, forcing his opponent into a hasty retreat toward the ropes, where another right hand produced a second knockdown.
The Dutchman managed to get back to his feet, but the look in his eyes betrayed his confusion, and his legs appeared extremely unsteady. When Morejon began bombarding him relentlessly, the corner of the unfortunate Ugandan-born fighter threw in the towel, but the referee, focused on watching the two boxers, failed to notice it.
This oversight caused a brief misunderstanding because, in an attempt to attract the referee’s attention, someone rang the bell, giving everyone the impression that the round had ended well before the regulation three minutes had elapsed. Fortunately, the confusion was immediately cleared up, and the angry expression on coach Orlando’s face turned into a huge smile, shared by every member of his team.
There will be time to analyze this victorious trip in detail and discuss the future plans for this gem of a fighter, born and raised in Cuba but truly blossoming in Italy, where he is now reaching the peak of his potential. For now, however, it is time to celebrate and rejoice, because this victory belongs not only to Angelo Morejon, but to all of us.
Emanuele Orlando and his trusted assistants have won, reaping the rewards of their tireless work. Riccardo and Leonardo Bizzo, through their Italian Ringside Promotion, have won, having believed in this young man and invested in him. Italian boxing has won, having given a tremendous talent the opportunity to express himself and reach great heights.
And this is only the beginning.