Italian Alessio Lorusso challenges for IBO International super-bantamweight title

Alessio Lorusso vs Mattia Occhinero for the vacant IBO International super-bantamweight belt

Alessio Lorusso (29-5-2, 10 KOs) will lock horns with fellow Italian Mattia Occhinero (13-2-1, 7 KOs) on Friday, October 3rd in Milan, with the vacant IBO International super-bantamweight title on the line.

The Italians headline the stacked Danger Promotions card, promoted by Simone Verdicchio.

Heavily tattooed southpaw, Alessio Lorusso, only won half of his first dozen pro bouts, losing four and drawing two.

But then he went on an incredible 16-fight winning streak between 2019-2023, picking up Italian, European Union and European titles.

It was British boxer Thomas Essomba who stopped his streak in their European bantamweight title fight in May 2023, when the Sheffield man won on a unanimous decision.

29 from Lombardia, Lorusso has won his next eight in a row.

Ancona's Mattia Occhinero is also 29. He reached 10-0 before suffering back-to-back defeats in Italian featherweight title contests in 2022 and 2023. He had won the title in March 2022, but lost the belt in his first defence to Mattia De Bianchi via UD. He attempted to regain the belt in May 2023 but was beaten by Simone Rao via UD again.

Tanked #3 in the Italian super-bantamweight ratings, Occhinero has won his last four on the spin which included picking up the WBC Mediterranean title. This will be his third fight of the year, which is the same for Lorusso, ranked #2.

DID YOU KNOW? The last holder of the IBO International super-bantamweight title was British prospect Hopey Price.