Napolitano back on track
After starting his pro career in September 2018, Antonio Napolitano will fight Ryan Young March 30 at the Hamilton Convention Centre for the National Championships of Canada middleweight title.
“The lockdowns led to more than two years of inactivity and before that I was really out to conquer the world. I felt like I was really on a roll and during the lockdowns I didn’t know if I would ever fight again and you get caught up in life too,” the 30-year-old St. Catharines native said. “It was odd because I didn’t come back take a couple of fights and get back in the swing of things. I jumped right into a WBC title fight main event and I had a couple of tuneup fights since then. This is my second title I am fighting for as a pro and you could say it has been interesting. I did a good job of getting back on track after the lockdown.”
His last title fight came March 19, 2022 when he battled veteran Brandon Brewer (27-3-2, 11 KOs) for the WBC USNBC title. The bout ended in a split decision draw with one judge scoring the fight for Napolitano, one scoring it for Brewer and the third judge calling it a draw.
“I have never had much luck on the scorecard growing up in the amateurs. I fought for the Canadian amateur gold medal and I lost a split decision. As soon as they said the word split decision, it sent a chill up my spine but it ended up being a split decision draw which I didn’t mind.
“It was at the Hamilton Convention Centre. I loved it and now I get to do it again.”
Napolitano will put up his 8-0-1 record against Young. The 39-year-old Oakville native has a pro record of 15-5 with 11 knockouts. He last fought in May 2023 when he lost an unanimous decision to Shakeel Phinn for the IBO Americas super middleweight title.
Napolitano’s last bout was Sept. 30, 2023 in Hamilton where he recorded a technical knockout of Edwin Villarreal Flores (3-1-1).
He feels Young is the perfect opponent for him.
“He is not too sloppy and reckless and he is a boxer/puncher like me so it is really good in terms of our boxing styles,” he said. “He won a couple of titles back in the day so he has a name and we are both entertaining fighters. It will be a good fight for the crowd.”
Napolitano is confident.
“It is the best training camp I ever had where everything clicked.”
To prepare for the fight, Napolitano has been training everywhere including the Niagara Falls Boxing Club, the St. Catharines Boxing Club, Niagara Top Team and in the home gym of trainer Bronson Morris. Also helping with the training is Napolitano’s cousin, Stephen Ryan.
Lucas Bahdi was also involved in the process but he had to step away to prepare for a title fight of his own.
“He watched me spar, he gave me pointers and he really laid down the game plan.”
The training involved plenty of sparring which Napolitano has been able to navigate without getting injured.
“If you are doing a lot of hard crashing and banging, sometimes you pick up little nagging injuries, bumps, bruises, cuts or swelling and there has been none of that so far.”
Thankfully, Napolitano has a great boss who gives him time off when it’s required. He has been working on the hydro dam on the Niagara River for GDB Construction under boss Tyler Liscum.
“He is so supportive as is everyone around me and it makes it easy because I can zone out and do my own thing while people take care of whatever is needed at work or at home.”
Napolitano is taking his boxing career one fight at a time.
“With the politics of boxing, it is so sporadic. You just never know when a phone call is going to come in and that’s why you stay in shape.”
Winning the Canadian title will boost his ranking.
“It will get some eyes on me but it is not going to catapult me into anything crazy but it his definitely a great step on the ladder. I have to keep focusing on the fight it front of me.”
In the meantime, his game continues to evolve.
“I’ve trained under so many coaches at so many different clubs. I’ve sparred in Buffalo, Philadelphia, Syracuse, Rochester, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dominican Republic and United Kingdom and you pick up so many different things. I have more tools and, for me, it is knowing when to utilize them.”
