Italian Matteo Signani and Uruguayan Rafael Sosa Pintos face off Saturday, August 8, over a scheduled 12 rounds at PalaG in Gatteo-a-Mare, Emilia Romagna, Italy. Up for grabs, the vacant WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title.
Thirty-six-year-old Signani is an eight-year pro (21-4-3, 6 KOs) who won Italy’s middleweight title in January 2010 by stopping Gaetano Nespro via eighth-round TKO. Following three successful defenses, “Il Giaguaro” lost his title in March 2012, stopped by Simone Rotolo via 10th-round TKO. Signani regained the vacant title in July 2013 by decisioning Stefano Loriga. In his most recent fight, in December 2014, the Italian won the vacant EBU-EU (European Union) middleweight title by decisioning Ahmed Rifaie. Thus far, Signani has only been stopped by Rotolo.
Pintos is a warhorse. In his 11 years as a pro, the 34-year-old has had 60 bouts (49-11, 19 KOs). “La Locomotora Saltena” won Uruguay’s vacant welterweight title in November 2005 by retiring Julio Cesar Faguaga in the second. He won that country’s vacant super welterweight title in August 2009 by knocking out Wilson Enrique Galli in the seventh, a title he lost in September 2010, decisioned by Cesar Adrian Sastre Silva. Pintos scored the vacant WBA Fedecentro middleweight title in November 2012 by decisioning Crispulo Javier Andino. The Uruguayan most recently fought in December 2014, decisioning Genaro Quiroga.
On the same date, at the Radisson in Victoria Plaza, Montevideo, Uruguay, Panamanian Azael Cosio defends his WBA Fedebol welterweight title against Argentine Guillermo de Jesus Paz over a scheduled eight rounds.
A nine-year pro, 33-year-old Cosio (19-3-2, 16 KOs, 1 NC) won Panama’s vacant welterweight title in September 2014 by knocking out Miguel Callist in the fourth. In his most recent bout, in April of this year, “Turbo” won the vacant WBA Fedebol welterweight title by kayoing Aristides Quintero in the first.
A southpaw, 34-year-old Paz is a 14-year pro (24-26-4, 1 KO, 1 NC). The remarkably feather-fisted “Wilson” last fought just a few days ago, on July 24, decisioning Paulo Marcelo Milla.
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.
