Saturday night at Baden-Arena in Offenburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Giovanni De Carolis (24-6, 11 KOs), from Rome, Italy, the 31-year-old veteran ranked #14 by the WBA, TKO’d Vincent Feigenbutz (21-1, 19 KOs), the 20-year-old from Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, at 0:32 of round 11 to win the interim WBA World super middleweight title.

At the time of the stoppage De Carolis was leading on all three judges’ scorecards. Jean Robert Laine and Pawel Kardyni both had it 96-94, while Juan Manuel Garcia Reyes had the challenger way ahead by a score of 98-92.

It was the second fight between the two men. Their first fight on October 17 ended with a controversial unanimous decision in favor of Feigenbutz. Although a decade younger than the challenger, Feigenbutz’s limitations were evident in their first meeting. He promised he would be different fighter in the rematch, but he was not.

De Carolis was again the busier fighter. He was also slicker and more seasoned than the very green former champion.

De Carolis controlled the action at the opening bell and took the first half of the fight.

Feigenbutz momentarily snapped out and put some hurt on the challenger in rounds seven and nine, but De Carolis, who was convinced he won the first fight, wasn’t about to leave it to the judges.

De Carolis took charge again in the 10th. He shot from his corner at the start of round 11 and caught Feigenbutz looking. The referee had no choice but to stop it.

It was a huge win for De Carolis, and the vindication he sought wasn’t handed to him, he earned it fair and square.

“I am a fighter,” he said after the bout. “I come here to fight. This is the work of a lifetime. You can always do better, but yes, I am satisfied.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsmdO5ye76k

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.