Michele Piccirillo
Michele Piccirillo
Born (1970-01-29) 29 January 1970
Modugno, Italy
NationalityItalian
Other namesGentleman
Statistics
Weight(s)
Height5 ft 10+12 in (179 cm)
Reach71+12 in (182 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights56
Wins50
Wins by KO29
Losses5
No contests1
Medal record
Men's Boxing
Representing  Italy
European Amateur Championships
Bronze medal – third place1991 GothenburgLight Welterweight

Michele Piccirillo (born 29 January 1970 in Modugno, Italy) is a professional boxer in the welterweight (147 lb [66.7 kg]) division.

Amateur career

Michele Piccirillo was an Italian boxer who earned the nickname “Il Gentleman del Ring” for his elegant fighting style and sportsmanship. He started boxing under the guidance of his father and coach Scipione. As an amateur he fought 112 matches from 1986 to 1992, with 108 victories and 4 losses. The highlight of his amateur career came in 1991 when he won a bronze medal at the European Championship. He was eliminated in his first contest at the same year’s World Championship and also at the 1989 European Championships. Piccirillo turned professional after the Barcelona Games.

Professional career

In his 11th pro contest in 1994 he won the Intercontinental Light-Welterweight title against the Mexican Manuel Hernández, then on 21 July 1995, he became Italian champion against Franco Palmiero. His first defeat came in April 1996, in Denmark, where he lost a bout for the European title against the Dane Soren Sondergaard. After a final defense of the Italian title, he moved up to welterweight. On 29 November 1997, he knocked out the Briton Geoff McCreesh, to win the European welterweight crown.

Piccirillo immediately abandoned the title to challenge for the WBU world title, an organization with minimal recognition around the world. He won this title on 4 May 1998, at Catania in Sicily, against his fellow Italian Alessandro Duran. After 8 successful defences, he relinquished the title to fight for the more prestigious IBF title, which he then won in April 2002 by decision over the American Cory Spinks, the son of Leon Spinks which USA Today newspaper described as one of the most controversial decisions in modern boxing history. He lost the title the following year in a rematch.[1]

After this Piccirillo moved up in weight again, this time to light-middleweights. On 13 August 2005, in Chicago, he was defeated by Ricardo Mayorga (Nicaragua) in a match for the latter’s WBC world crown. He rebounded to win the vacant European light-middleweight title against Lukáš Konečný, then defended it twice against Luca Messi and Michael Jones. On 1 December 2007, at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, he tried again to win the world title, but was knocked out in round 11 by the American Vernon Forrest.[2] His pro record ended at 50 wins (29 by KO), 5 losses (2 by KO), 1 no contest. Piccirillo was awarded the Gold Medal of the Italian Olympic Committee for his athletic achievements.

Professional boxing record

56 fights 50 wins 5 losses
By knockout 29 2
By decision 21 3
No contests 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
56 Loss 50–5 (1) Jamie Moore KO 3 (12) 2009-03-06 Robin Park Arena, Wigan, U.K. For vacant EBU light middleweight title
55 Win 50–4 (1) János Petrovics PTS 6 (6) 2008-07-18 Civitanova Marche, Italy
54 Win 49–4 (1) Patrik Hruska PTS 6 (6) 2008-05-16 PalaRuffini, Torino, Italy
53 Loss 48–4 (1) Vernon Forrest TKO 11 (12) 2007-12-01 Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. For WBC light middleweight title
52 Win 48–3 (1) Sylvain Touzet PTS 6 (6) 2007-07-31 Centro Polivalente, San Genesio ed Uniti, Italy
51 Win 47–3 (1) Michael Jones TKO 12 (12) 2007-01-25 PalaLido, Milan, Italy Retained EBU light middleweight title
50 Win 46–3 (1) Luca Messi TKO 11 (12) 2006-07-27 Velodromo Vigorelli, Milan, Italy Retained EBU light middleweight title
49 Win 45–3 (1) Lukáš Konečný UD 12 (12) 2006-03-10 Palasport, Bergamo, Italy Won vacant EBU light middleweight title
48 Loss 44–3 (1) Ricardo Mayorga UD 12 (12) 2005-08-13 United Center, Chicago, U.S. For vacant WBC light middleweight title
47 Win 44–2 (1) Serge Vigne MD 6 (6) 2004-11-13 PalaBrera, San Martino Siccomario, Italy
46 Win 43–2 (1) Lóránt Szabó KO 1 (10) 2004-09-04 Mede, Italy
45 Win 42–2 (1) Stephane Talliana TKO 3 (10) 2004-07-03 Modugno, Italy
44 Win 41–2 (1) Louis Mimoune PTS 8 (8) 2004-03-27 PalaLottomatica, Roma, Italy
43 Win 40–2 (1) Paulo Alejandro Sanchez UD 8 (8) 2003-12-09 PalaLido, Milan, Italy
42 Win 39–2 (1) Ruben Dario Oliva KO 7 (8) 2003-07-27 Fasano, Italy
41 Win 38–2 (1) Oscar Daniel Veliz RTD 6 (8) 2003-06-14 Modugno, Italy
40 Loss 37–2 (1) Cory Spinks UD 12 (12) 2003-03-22 Casinò di Campione, Campione d'Italia, Italy Lost IBF welterweight title
39 Win 37–1 (1) Cory Spinks UD 12 (12) 2002-04-13 Casinò di Campione, Campione d'Italia, Italy Won vacant IBF welterweight title
38 Win 36–1 (1) Rafael Pineda UD 12 (12) 2001-09-29 Madison Square Garden, New York City, U.S.
37 NC 35–1 (1) Elio Ortiz NC 4 (12) 2001-05-12 Madison Square Garden, New York City, U.S.
36 Win 35–1 Stanley Mabesi KO 3 (8) 2001-03-02 Caltanissetta, Italy
35 Win 34–1 Andrew Murray TKO 9 (12) 2000-08-05 Bari, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
34 Win 33–1 Walter Crucce UD 12 (12) 2000-05-20 Piancavallo, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
33 Win 32–1 Frankie Randall UD 12 (12) 1999-12-18 Padua, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
32 Win 31–1 Felix Victor Vasconcel KO 2 (12) 1999-07-31 Catania, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
31 Win 30–1 Juan Martin Coggi UD 12 (12) 1999-05-29 Bari, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
30 Win 29–1 Sergio Ernesto Acuna UD 12 (12) 1999-03-13 Taranto, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
29 Win 28–1 Alessandro Duran UD 12 (12) 1998-10-19 PalaLaforgia, Bari, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
28 Win 27–1 Walter Fabian Saporiti TKO 7 (12) 1998-07-18 Marina di Ragusa, Italy Retained WBU welterweight title
27 Win 26–1 Alessandro Duran TKO 5 (12) 1998-05-04 PalaCatania, Catania, Italy Won WBU welterweight title
26 Win 25–1 Geoff McCreesh TKO 9 (12) 1997-11-29 Novara, Italy Won vacant EBU welterweight title
25 Win 24–1 Claudiu Rata TKO 4 (12) 1997-09-13 Brindisi, Italy Won WBU Intercontinental welterweight title
24 Win 23–1 Milko Stoikov TKO 2 (?) 1997-08-16 Campobello di Mazara, Italy
23 Win 22–1 Stefan Dimitrov TKO 3 (?) 1997-06-12 Chico-Mendez Park, Giulianova, Italy
22 Win 21–1 Miguel Angel Pena KO 2 (8) 1997-03-12 Altamura, Italy
21 Win 20–1 Jorge Ramirez UD 8 (8) 1996-12-18 Modugno, Italy
20 Win 19–1 Farid Bennecer PTS 8 (8) 1996-10-26 Palaflor Corso Garibaldi, San Remo, Italy
19 Win 18–1 Francesco Cioffi UD 12 (12) 1996-08-24 Favignana, Italy Retained Italian light welterweight title
18 Loss 17–1 Søren Søndergaard UD 12 (12) 1996-04-26 Aalborghallen, Aalborg, Denmark For vacant EBU light welterweight title
17 Win 17–0 Noe Hernandez TKO 4 (8) 1996-01-20 Palasport, Marsala, Italy
16 Win 16–0 Alberto Alicea TKO 4 (12) 1995-09-27 Circolo Citta di Roma, Petrosino, Italy Retained IBF Inter-Continental light welterweight title
15 Win 15–0 Franco Palmiero KO 3 (12) 1995-07-21 Latina, Lazio, Italy Won vacant Italian light welterweight title
14 Win 14–0 Benito Martinez KO 8 (12) 1995-03-24 Grosseto, Italy Retained IBF Inter-Continental light welterweight title
13 Win 13–0 Viktor Baranov UD 12 (12) 1994-12-17 PalaFlorio, Bari, Italy Retained IBF Inter-Continental light welterweight title
12 Win 12–0 Ferenc Szakallas RTD 3 (?) 1994-10-29 Arcidosso, Italy
11 Win 11–0 Manuel Hernandez KO 4 (12) 1994-06-18 Campiglia Marittima, Italy Won IBF Inter-Continental light welterweight title
10 Win 10–0 Luigi La Grasta TKO 5 (?) 1994-03-11 Ponte San Giovanni, Marche, Italy
9 Win 9–0 Vadim Prisyazhnyuk PTS 8 (8) 1993-12-04 Almaty, Kazakhstan
8 Win 8–0 Eduardo Jaquez UD 8 (8) 1993-09-24 Palasport, Roma, Italy
7 Win 7–0 Gyorgy Kincses KO 2 (6) 1993-08-20 Civitavecchia, Italy
6 Win 6–0 Pave Turic KO 2 (?) 1993-05-15 Bari, Italy
5 Win 5–0 Victor Melendez PTS 6 (6) 1993-04-16 PalaEur, Roma, Italy
4 Win 4–0 Tahar Nasri KO 1 (6) 1993-04-09 Gymnase Principiano, Le Cannet, France
3 Win 3–0 Nelson Lakicevic KO 2 (?) 1993-02-05 Bari, Italy
2 Win 2–0 Csaba Olah TKO 3 (6) 1993-01-13 Sanremo, Italy
1 Win 1–0 Valery Monakhov KO 6 (6) 1992-12-18 Ponte San Giovanni, Marche, Italy

See also

References

  1. "Spinks Wins IBF World Welterweight Title". Midland Reporter-Telegram. 22 March 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  2. "Forrest Batters Piccirillo, Scores TKO in Eleven". Boxingscene. December 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
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