By Alexey Sukachev
MORE LIVE RESULTS TO COME......................
In a major upset, rising Italian kayo artist Luca Giacon (21-1, 19 KOs) suffered his first career loss in a thrilling shootout with fellow compatriot Emiliano Marsili (26-0-1, 11 KOs), who stopped his young opponent in the second round and captured the vacant EBU lightweight title. The contest lasted just four minutes but there were four knockdowns, and both fighters hit the canvas in a wild brawl.
WBC #7, IBF #11 and WBO #12 Giacon, 24 and nicknamed "The Black Mamba", came into the ring as the favorite, having scored knockout wins in Italy, Panama and his native Spain. Marsili, twelve years his senior, wasn't your usual underdog, as he was the Italian national champion and scored an upset TKO over Derry Matthews for the IBO lightweight title last January. However, there was only one fighter in the ring, and it was Marsili. The veteran Italian started to time Giacon with his left hook from the starting moments of the first round. Soon the younger challenger was floored with the very same punch in a heated exchange. He got up only to be dropped (also by the left hook) moments later.
The brawl continued in the second stanza. Giacon, still not fully recovered after the drubbing he took in the first, was the first to deal the damage as he dropped Marsili with one of his left counters. It was big but not big enough to prevent Marsili from coming back with a right hand of his own in just 10-15 seconds. Giacon wobbled to the ropes, and referee Guiseppe Quartarone saw enough and saved him from more punishment - maybe a little bit too early. Huge win for Marsili, who looks fit to challenge one of the major titleholders after this fast victory.
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In a battle of two durables, welterweight Daniele Petrucci (30-1-2, 10 KOs) got a spirited, workmanlike unanimous decision against Belarussian Evgueny Abdrazakov over eight rounds. Both boxers have never been stopped in their careers.
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