Title fight at the Pala Atlantico in Rome, with the EBU Silver super lightweight belt on the line. The champion Charlemagne “Charly” Metonyekpon faced off against challenger Armando Casamonica. A sort of eliminator for the full European title, the bout ended with Casamonica winning by Split Decision after a very tactical battle, with the following scores: 114-113, 113-114, 114-113.
Charly Metonyekpon, originally from Benin, is now fully Italian. At 29 years old, he came into the ring with a record of 16 wins (1 by KO) and only 1 loss. With a sculpted physique and solid, effective technique, his sharp straight punches were on display in his previous win over Mohamed Kani.
The challenger, 24-year-old Roman boxer Armando Casamonica, had a record of 14 wins (3 by KO) and 1 loss, identical to his rival’s. He was coming off a strong showing in the U.S. against Lucas Bahdi — a fight that sparked some controversy due to the decision in Bahdi’s favor. That loss, however, brought attention to the young Roman fighter. Technically well-schooled, Casamonica features excellent in-and-out movement, good upper body movement, and sharp timing.
Neither fighter is known for knockout power, so the bout was understandably tactical, yet still featured quality exchanges.
Taller and with a longer reach, Charly took the center of the ring early and played the role of pressure fighter, while Armando worked more on the counter, waiting for the right moment to strike.
The opening rounds were fought mostly at mid-range, a sort of dance of feints, jabs, straight punches, slips, and counters. Charly landed the better straights thanks to his reach advantage, while Casamonica was more effective with timing and counterpunching. This balance would remain throughout the fight.
Despite having the longer reach, it was Charly who often tried to close the distance, but Casamonica was always alert and ready to answer.
At the end of the fourth round, a nice counter right hand from Charly caught Armando, who wisely clinched and quickly regained his composure — as proven by a strong fifth round in which he repeatedly countered his opponent. That fifth round was arguably Casamonica’s best. He also looked sharp in the sixth, showing excellent timing and hand speed.
At the halfway point, the dynamic remained the same: Charly kept pressing while Casamonica countered with well-timed shots. A contrast to what one might have expected based on their physical attributes.
In the seventh round, Casamonica was docked a point for losing his mouthguard. He remained composed and returned in the eighth with effective work, following the momentum of previous rounds. Charly landed some clean straights but struggled to sustain attacks. A flurry of exchanges toward the end of the round confirmed the bout’s constant balance. The two shared a respectful gesture at the bell, acknowledging each other’s skill and sportsmanship.
A strong straight right from Charly opened the ninth, as both fighters continued with the same tactics but picked up the pace. Charly remained effective and accurate with his straights, while Casamonica was solid in close range with upper body movement and counters.
Late in the tenth, a sharp right hand from Casamonica at mid-to-close range rocked Charly, who tried to respond immediately. In the final rounds, Casamonica appeared more aggressive, but Charly remained precise and effective with his straight punches.
The final bell rang with Casamonica declared the winner by split decision — a difficult verdict that, in this writer’s opinion, could have gone either way. A draw might have best represented a bout defined by balance and parity.
Praise to both fighters for the moments of great boxing, despite a largely tactical affair, and for the excellent sportsmanship they displayed — truly commendable.