PHILADELPHIA – The up-and-down career of Italian heavyweight Guido Vianello has changed directions once more, this time thanks to his serious punching power.
The 31-year-old Vianello scored the most impressive victory of his career Saturday, knocking out previously unbeaten Alexis Barriere in the fifth round of their scheduled 10-round bout at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The end of the fight came at the 26-second mark in Round 5, as a 1-2 combo from Vianello put the Quebecois prospect Barriere down for the 10-count, sending the back of his head crashing worryingly into the bottom rope.
The win resurrected Vianello’s career once more following a streak in which he lost two of three by decision against heavyweights Efe Ajagba and Richard Torrez Jnr.
“This was my best performance,” said Vianello, who improved to 14-3-1 (12 KOs). “My last fight, it wasn’t me, so I went right back in the gym after one week. We waited in the gym for six months.”
The loss is a significant setback for Barriere, a southpaw from Quebec City, Canada, who was fighting for just the second time in the United States and for the first time since signing a co-promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing, plus Groupe Yvon Michel and Goldstar Promotions. He dropped to 12-1 (10 KOs).
Vianello, who had a two-inch height edge at 6ft 6ins, brought a size advantage to the ring, though Barriere had quicker hands and feet. Vianello made a key adjustment in the second round, cutting off the southpaw’s escape route by stepping to his left and lining Barriere up for a right hand down the middle. Barriere shook it off and was able to close the round with a combination of straight punches that caught Vianello’s attention.
Vianello was rocked again in the third as Barriere regained his tactical advantage of stepping to his right, making it hard for Vianello to see the straight lefts coming. Still, even as Vianello was landing with partial connects, he was able to get the attention of Barriere.
Vianello made another adjustment in the fourth by dispensing with the pretense of boxing and seeking to walk forward and throw hard shots. That approach paid off as he rocked Barriere with a right hand that had full extension on it in the final 30 seconds of the round. Vianello followed up with a flurry that included a short right uppercut and a series of rights that sent Barriere down for the first time. Barriere survived the round but was unsteady on his feet as he returned to his corner.
Vianello didn’t allow Barriere to recover, as he jumped right on him at the bell in the following round, finishing what he started in spectacular fashion.
Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ryansongalia.
