The Warrior From Down Under

He always was willing to take two to return one, and his return shots were malefic, designed to stop matters at any time. However, the wars and head-snapping shots and especially the deep cuts finally caught up with him and he proclaimed “enough was enough.” But this man who began and ended his boxing career as a super lightweight, defined what “warrior” meant.

Now here is the rub. This is not about Michael “The Great” Katsidis (33-8), another super lightweight from Australia who also appears to have finally retired after a career that spanned 16 years and included a classic against Graham Earl in 2007, a savage encounter months later with Czar Amonsot, losses in 2008 to Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz, and then four consecutive wins against top-tier opposition before being stopped by Juan Manuel Marquez in November 2010. After being stopped by Tommy Coyle in Hull, England, the writing was on the wall for this warrior of Greek heritage from Toowoomba in Queensland, although Michael went on to win three of his next four bouts.

Katsidis’s all-action incoming style virtually guaranteed thrilling fights; he was rarely in a boring bout. However, whether he paid a price for his fan-friendly style remains to be seen. Indeed, if our protagonist was willing to take two to deliver one, “The Kat” was willing to take three.

Leonardo “Lenny Z” Zappavigna

Hailing from Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia and of Italian heritage, Lenny’s career began in 2006. He was 25-0 when he met a prime Miguel Vazquez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on March 12, 2011. At stake was Vazquez’s IBF world lightweight Title. Lenny Zappa lost by UD as Vazquez dictated the action throughout, picking his spots very well.

Lenny was then stopped by Panamanian Ammeth Diaz in an IBF title eliminator in a shocking upset, but Z regrouped and ran off ten straight wins before engaging in a bloodbath with future world super lightweight titlist Sergey Lipinets in Los Angeles in 2016.

Going into the eighth, the fight was close but Lenny didn’t survive the round. He had been cut in the right eye from an accidental headbutt in round five and also cut over and under the left eye as a result of punches. Adding to the gruesome scene, Lipinets had been cut on the right side of his upper scalp from an accidental butt. The Eastern Euro boxer-puncher ended the fight with a chilling right cross that left Lenny down and done.

Zappavigna bounced back with two crunching wins before facing off with Alex “Cholo” Saucedo (27-0) at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City in what would become one of the most memorable and savage fights in years.

Bloody Hell

After being decked but not really hurt in the third, Lenny Z came on in the fourth like a madman –like a man who knew that this would be his last chance for glory—urgently throwing punches in bunches that opened up a cut on Saucedo’s face, but Lenny was also bleeding badly as well.

Lenny was determined but home boy Saucedo wasn’t about to give in even though he was badly hurt and hanging on. The prolonged exchange featured Z connecting with hooks from either hand and jarring uppercuts; it was as savage as an exchange can be with blood splattering all over the ring and on ringside observers; some even splattered on one of ESPN’s cameras. This was a car crash that would seemingly leave someone badly injured.

Lenny Z had blown his wad in the fourth and from there on it was all Saucedo. Sean Reed painted a vivid picture: “Saucedo seized control in the 5^th and began peppering Zappavigna with hard 1-2’s, damaging Lenny Z’s facial features even further. Smartly, Saucedo kept his right glove up to block incoming left hooks, and clinched/pivoted his way from harm. Before long, Zappavigna’s face deteriorated into a crimson mask, cuts over the right and under his left eye, bruising under his right and the left completely swollen shut. Unable to penetrate Saucedo’s jab and defense, Zappavigna’s corner smartly halted the bloodbath in the middle of the 7th^.”

When it was over, there was so much blood in the ring that the TV commentators said they were reminded of horror films. Jack Porter made this observation: “‘Slugfest’ is a word that likes to be bandied around quite flippantly, but the junior welterweight fight between Alex Saucedo and Lenny Zappavigna went to Rocky IV levels of intensity last night in quite awe-inspiring scenes.”

Fight of the Year? Maybe.

Round-of-year (the fourth)? Most likely.

Blood and guts warriors to the last drop? Absolutely.

Ted Sares is one of the oldest active full power lifters and Strongman competitors and  recently won the Maine State Champions in his class. He is a member of Ring 10, and Ring 4’s Boxing Hall of Fame.

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