Big victory in the debut against American Joshua, next up is German Tiafack. The last survivor of an expedition of 8 boxers, the heavyweight from Bologna wants to equal Cammarelle
All hopes of Italian boxing rest in the hands of Diego Lenzi. The heavyweight will face German Nelvie Raman Tiafack in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Olympics: they are vying for a medal – in boxing, the bronze goes to both losing semi-finalists. Lenzi is the last survivor of an expedition that set out with great fanfare, which according to President Giovanni Malagò is the strongest ever. Eight boxers, five female and three male, with shining stars Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine and Irma Testa already eliminated in the first round. Only “Diegone” remains.
Born in Bologna in 2001, he stands 185 centimeters tall and weighs 100 kilograms. He started boxing at 16 and soon after joined the national team. He grew up in the Alto Reno gym in Castel di Casio, in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. His career faced a sudden halt. “I was nineteen, I stopped for a year. I worked as a cook, then in a factory. One day I looked at myself in the mirror: ‘But in ten years, do you want to look like this?’. I took my life back in hand,” he told Il Corriere dello Sport. Today, he is an athlete of the Army.
He got back on track in 2022. He secured his place in the Games at the qualification tournament in Busto Arsizio in 2023. His boxing idol is world boxing superstar Santos Saúl Álvarez Barragán known as Canelo, from Mexico. Lenzi is a powerful and resilient boxer, performing best at close and medium range, especially since his opponents in the category are usually taller. He boxes with his hands high and always moves forward, unlike those who prefer a more technical and defensive style with lower hands.
In the round of 16, Lenzi defeated American Edwards Joshua, who was favored to win. He had a great first round, both in strikes and pace. Excellent left hooks and right jabs. He physically declined in the second round. 3-1. Tiafack is a tough opponent, a Cameroonian who has settled in Germany, in Cologne. He is one of the best in the category, even though he was not seeded. At 24 years old, he is a few centimeters taller than Lenzi. No heavyweight has stood on the Olympic podium since Roberto Cammarelle‘s silver in London 2012.