Ivan Zucco wins WBC International title in Italy
On April 22, in Verbania, Piemonte region in Italy, former Italian super middleweight champion Ivan Zucco demolished Serbian Marko Nikolic in two rounds to win the vacant WBC International title. Unbeaten Zucco is now (16-0,14KOs) while Nikolic is (28-2, 12KOs).
It was a spectacular fight with Nikolic hitting hard Zucco at the end of the first round and Zucco assaulting Nikolic at the start of second round, dropping him with a straight left to the chin and then again with a right hook to the jaw. After the second knock down, the referee looked Nikolic into the eyes and stopped the fight.
Zucco said, “After Nikolic hit me hard to the face at the end of the first round I went back to my corner and my father/trainer Andrea told me to calm down, to keep my hands up and don’t trade punches immediately, but I was too angry with Nikolic and wanted to hit him hard. After I sent Nikolic to the mat with that straight left to the chin, I realized that he was hurt and that I could try to knock him out. That’s what I did with that right hook to the jaw.”
For Zucco this is an important win that gives him a title that carries a lot of weight in the WBC. Many great fighters won and defended the WBC International title before becoming world champions. The three legendary fights between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales were for the WBC International title. Now Zucco will be rated among the first 15 super middleweights in the world by the WBC and this will open new doors for him. In Verbania, Zucco was supported by his hometown fans who chanted “Ivan, Ivan, Ivan” like fans in Italy do at the football stadium but not so often at boxing events. That’s how popular Ivan Zucco is in his hometown, a beautiful touristic place on Lake Maggiore. The show was promoted by Opi Since 82-Matchroom-DAZN, was streamed live by DAZN and is now avalaible on-demand.
In the main supporting bout, Mirko Natalizi (Rome, now 12-0, 7 KOs) defeated on points Rico Mueller (Germany, now 28-5-1) for the vacant WBC International Silver super welterweight championship after 10 rounds. It’s the first title for Natalizi who is considered one of the most talented Italian fighters. In the featherweight division, former Italian champion Francesco Grandelli (now 16-1-2) beat on points Kane Baker (UK, now 17-9-1) after 10 rounds. The fight was entertaining with Grandelli knocking down Kane in the first round and Kane returning the favor in the second round. In the super welterweight division, talented Samuel Nmomah (now 17-0) defeated on points after 8 rounds former French champion Fouad El Massoudi (now 17-18-1). It’s the second victory against a national champion for Samuel Nmomah who stopped in three rounds Irish champion Craig O’Brien last October in Milan (O’Brien’s seconds threw in the towel).
The other fights: featherweight Mauro Forte defeated Joshua Ocampo, light heavyweight Voldy Toutin beat Jovan Smilic, in the middleweight division Joshua Nmomah defeated Nika Gvajava and Giovanni Sarchioto beat Ognjen Raukovic.
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