In the co-main event of “The Art of Fighting” (TAF8), held at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Francesco Paparo and Nicola Henchiri faced off for the Italian super featherweight title. Although the young fighter from Rho emerged victorious, the match was marred by a controversial episode.
Paparo, 23, already the Italian champion after his victory over Mohammed Diallo in the previous edition of TAF, stepped into the ring determined to defend his belt against Nicola Henchiri, a 34-year-old boxer from Pisa. Henchiri, a former European Union super featherweight champion in 2021, had won that title by defeating Mario Alfano.
Paparo, a young fighter with excellent technique and timing, found himself up against a more experienced opponent with good mobility and endurance. Henchiri’s style was somewhat unorthodox, not particularly powerful but capable of maintaining a solid pace in the ring.
The 10-round bout was an opportunity for the 23-year-old from Rho to take another step forward in his career or for the 34-year-old from Pisa to redeem himself after some difficult years.
The first round saw Henchiri take the center of the ring but without taking too many risks, acting cautiously and throwing few punches. Meanwhile, Paparo, very mobile, preferred to move along the ropes, launching quick combinations to make his aggressive intentions clear from the start.
In the second round, however, Paparo immediately shifted gears, going on the attack with determination. He set the pace, forcing Henchiri against the ropes where, after landing a solid right hand to the face, he ended the fight with a spectacular left uppercut to the liver.
And this is where the controversy begins. After taking the shot, Henchiri dropped to one knee with a slight delay, as often happens with liver shots, whose effects tend to take a few seconds to manifest. However, Paparo continued to strike, landing at least a couple of right hands to Henchiri’s face while his opponent was already down, with his knee on the canvas. It was a clear foul, though Paparo later justified it as an excess of enthusiasm, claiming he didn’t realize Henchiri had already gone down.
At that point, instead of starting the count, the referee stopped the fight. According to the rules, since Henchiri was unable to continue, Paparo should have been disqualified. However, nothing of the sort happened, and when the decision was announced, the speaker’s preface made it clear what was coming. A visibly frustrated Henchiri walked away in protest.
Paparo was declared the winner by KO, and some loud boos echoed from the stands.
Despite the incident, Paparo’s performance was impressive. The young fighter from Rho displayed excellent technical skills, asserting himself with authority, landing sharp combinations, and delivering fast, powerful punches. Undoubtedly, he was the better fighter in the ring, even if only for two rounds. However, his mistake, though unintentional, nearly invalidated an outstanding performance—one that was ultimately saved only by a controversial ruling.