Michele Piccirillo
# Michele Piccirillo

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.

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. 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 | 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 | |
