On October 25, at Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy, IBF International super middleweight champion Daniele Scardina (17-0 with 14 KOs) will defend against 2-times Belgian champion Ilias Achergui (13-4-1 with 6 KOs) on the 10 rounds distance.
It will be Scardina’s second defense. He won the IBF belt beating on points Finnish Henri Kekalainen at Superstudio Più in Milan last March 8 and defended it against Alessandro Goddi on June 28 at Allianz Cloud.
The October 25 show is promoted by Opi Since 82, Matchroom Boxing Italy and DAZN which will broadcast it live.
Born in Rozzano, close to Milan, on April 2 1992, pro boxer since September 2015, Daniele Scardina is a resident of Miami Beach (Florida, USA) where he trains at the famous 5th Street Gym under coach Dino Spencer and where he got the opportunity to spar with world champions like WBO middleweight king Demetrius Andrade.
Scardina and Ilias Achergui have an opponent in common: they both defeated on points Henri Kekalainen. Achergui beat him on Semptember 26, 2015 for the WBC Youth middleweight belt. Later, Achergui won the Belgian super middleweight crown. In his last ring performance, he became Belgian light heavyweight champion.
Daniele, when you started training for the October 25 fight?
“Since the second week of August. I didn’t know my opponent’s name, but I knew that I had to fight on October 25 so I started running and doing athletic training alone. I didn’t enter a gym until I came back to Miami Beach. I stayed the entire month in Italy to get a vacation and also to attend Dino Spencer’s wedding in Corleone, the Sicilian town where his ancestors come from.”
What do you think about Ilias Achergui?
“He is a very good boxer. He won the national title in two weight divisions and deserves respect. He is used to fight for a title and win it. He will be a worthy opponent. That said, I will beat him.”
At 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach you always had quality sparring partners and you also had the opportunity to spar with world champions. Who are you training with right now?
“I trained and sparred with two Russians who proved to be much better than expected. When I sparred with world champions like Demetrius Andrade, my coach told me that I performed very well. So I will do it again when some world champion stops at the gym.”
This will be your third fight of the year in Italy. Do you plan to come back for good?
“No, Miami Beach is my hometown now. I miss Italy, but since I signed with Opi Since 82 I go to Milan every 3 or 4 months to fight and then I stay a couple of weeks to join my parents, my friends and this makes everything a lot easier.”
If you win on October 25, you will keep defending the IBF International belt or you’ll go after the European title which is a major step to the world championship.
“I didn’t talk about it with Opi Since 82 yet, but they know that I want to become world champion. Whatever makes me reach my goal is good. Right now, I have to worry only about my opponent as I need to keep the IBF International belt to move forward with my career.”