Italian former world champion boxer Loris Stecca was placed under investigation Friday for attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a woman he runs a Rimini gym with.
The unnamed woman called police Friday morning saying Stecca pushed her down the stairs in the gym but then told them the argument was over. In the afternoon he allegedly stabbed her.
Stecca, 53, has struggled with depression for some years and in March 2008 threatened to throw himself onto a motorway outside Rimini. Stecca, who once captured the EBU featherweight crown, also held the WBA super bantamweight title for three months in 1984. He defeated Leo Cruz to win the title by a twelfth round knockout, then lost it to Victor Callejas by a knockout in round eight.
Stecca then won five fights in a row, all by KO, putting himself in title contention again. In a rematch with Callejas in November 1985 in Rimini he built a strong early lead but lost to a spectacular sixth-round knockout.
Many Italian boxing fans consider Stecca to be one of the country's best-ever boxers.
Stecca's brother Maurizio is also a former boxer.