Italy’s Piccirillo wants old foe Forrest

By Paul Upham: Italy’s Michele Piccirillo (pictured left after beating former champ Frankie Randall) was out jogging in New York on Tuesday morning in preparation for his IBF welterweight eliminator with Rafael Pineda on the Bernard Hopkins v Felix Trinidad undercard when the first hijacked plane hit the World Trade Centre.
“I came back to the hotel and saw the smoke coming out of the windows,” said Piccirillo, who arrived in New York on September 7. “I saw thick smoke and fire and didn’t realise that a plane had crashed into it. I assumed that it was a building fire. I then went to my room and saw on the television that two planes had been forced into the towers.”

He continued: “At first, even though I understood it was an act of terrorism, it didn’t effect me totally as I was focused on the fight. But then watching the TV I could see how bad it was.”

Married with two daughters, Piccirillo’s wife was very worried about him being in New York. “My wife was very worried when it happened and she is still worried because she does not know when I am going back home,” he said.

“I feel terrible because all of these innocent people had nothing to do with this but paid with their lives. I was concentrating to fight on the 15th, but after what has happened, it is only right that the fight be delayed in respect.”

Piccirillo, 35-1-0-1 (23), finished with an amateur career record of 143-7 after his father first took him to a local boxing gym in his home-town of Bari in Southern Italy at the age of four.

“At five years old I had my first belt,” said Piccirillo, who competed in the 1991 World Amateur Championships in Sydney losing to current IBF world champion Vernon Forrest on points.

“I feel I lost that fight more than Forrest winning the fight. I had an injury on my left hand, which affected me during the fight.”

Piccirillo turned professional in December after competing in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, making it through to the second round. Currently rated No.4 by the IBF, Piccirillo will face former champion and IBF No.3 Rafael Pineda, 34-3 (29), on the Hopkins-Trinidad undercard to determine the mandatory contender for IBF champion Vernon Forrest.

“Even though I have to face Pineda first who is an excellent fighter, I am looking forward to facing Vernon Forrest for the world title and bring closure to our rivalry. I am focusing on Pineda first, but beating Vernon Forrest for the IBF world title is my goal,” said Piccirillo.

“I am going into the ring to win,” he added.

Piccirillo’s only professional loss was to Soren Sondergaard in April 1996 on points over twelve rounds for the European junior welterweight title.

“It was a very tough fight, even for him, because after that fight, he never really ever fought anyone after that. I was having problems making the weight which affected my performance,” he said.

Piccirillo decided to move up to welterweight in 1997 and won the European title with a 9th round TKO over Geoff McCreesh.

“Six years have passed and now it is even hard to make welterweight, but I am comfortable here,” said Piccirillo, who feels that his training regime will give him to edge in winning the world title. “I am always in training. It is my way of life and my fitness will help me become world champion.”

Piccirillo last fought on the Trinidad-Joppy undercard on May 12 where he had a four round no contest with Elio Ortiz after suffering a cut to his eye from an accidental head clash. He has two wins over Alessandro Duran (w rsf 5, w pts 12) and victories over former world champions Juan Martin Coggi (w pts 12) and Frankie Randall (w pts 12).

The Italian enjoys coming to the USA despite this week’s tragedy and particularly likes being on Don King’s big cards. “Yes, I like it very much. It is very different over here in the USA on a Don King card. He really is big time boxing,” said Piccirillo.

Maintaining his training while he awaits a decision on the rescheduling of the Hopkins-Trinidad card, Piccirillo will not let the interruption prevent him from reaching his goal of becoming IBF world champion.

“I am going to get that IBF belt and maybe I will not fight any more. It has been so many years that I have been boxing. I have been boxing since I was four years old. I will look at all the options for me,” said Piccirillo.

What about a bout with WBC champion Sugar Shane Mosley?

“If I could fight Shane Mosley that would be beautiful,” he said.

“Not only would it be an achievement to defeat a great boxer such as him, I already have a win over him as an amateur.”

Paul Upham
Contributing Editor