One of the secrets behind the success of British boxing is the habit of making rising talents fight each other before launching the best ones onto the international stage. The winner climbs to the next level, the loser licks their wounds and uses the experience to be better prepared for the next opportunity. The talented boxer from Salerno, Francesco De Rosa, would need the same system, but things don’t work like that in Italy, and his heartfelt appeal to the Italian Boxing Federation (FPI), posted yesterday, sheds light on one of the major flaws in our boxing scene.
Last summer, De Rosa made us all proud. With only eight professional fights on his record, he went to England and knocked out local prospect Nyall Berry, delivering a superb performance. But while his opponent, despite the loss, has returned to the ring three more times—most recently winning the English Title—De Rosa hasn’t had the same luck.
The boxer from Salerno was inactive for eight months and only one month ago managed to shake off some rust in a tune-up fight scheduled for eight rounds, which he won by KO in the seventh. Meanwhile, the long-awaited shot at the Italian Title has, for one reason or another, continued to be postponed indefinitely.
Because that’s how it goes in Italy: few are willing to take the risk of an early career loss, and if the opponent for the national belt is too dangerous, alternative routes are chosen—meaningless minor titles and tailor-made opposition. This way, fighters climb the rankings of various organizations and pretend to be invincible in front of their fans, only to suffer brutal defeats when the big opportunity finally comes.
Frustrated with the situation, Francesco De Rosa decided to put into words what’s been weighing on his mind and heart. He posted the following message on social media, which we report in full:
“Today I speak as an athlete, but above all, as a man. I’ve been ranked number one in the Super Bantamweight division for two years now. Two years of waiting, with determination and sacrifice, for an opportunity that should be rightfully mine: to fight for the Italian Title.
Every time an opponent is lined up, something happens. He pulls out. He disappears. And I’m left—ready, trained, hurt—because behind every training camp are months of hard work, money invested, punches taken, equipment, travel, sacrifices. Behind me stands a city, Salerno, that deserves to be represented in the ring with dignity.
It’s not directly the Federation’s fault, I know. But doing nothing about it is, in practice, allowing it to happen. And I can’t stay in this limbo any longer.
This isn’t a rant, it’s not a controversy—it’s a call to be heard. I’m asking for respect—for my career, my time, and everything I put on the line every single day. I’m ready, I always have been. Now it’s time for someone to be ready for me.”
It’s not our place to dictate what measures the FPI should take to improve the current situation. But it’s clear that something needs to change, because it’s unacceptable for a worthy boxer, capable of representing our nation with pride abroad, to be denied national recognition due to a lack of opponents willing to face him.
Just as unacceptable is allowing many of our fighters to build inflated, misleading records through shortcuts and handpicked matches, only to fall flat when the level rises and they’re totally unprepared for the big stage.
It’s time to sit down and develop an incentive-based system so that the Italian Title regains the central role, prestige, and significance it once held, becoming a mandatory milestone for anyone with ambitions to represent Italy on the international stage.
The request for recognition from Francesco De Rosa—fully endorsed and amplified by Boxe Punch—must not fall on deaf ears. On the contrary, we hope it serves as a spark that will move those in charge to take the steps needed to bring about real change.