Vianello Knocks Out Barriere in Great Fight

Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello was fighting to maintain his renown.

The 31-year-old Italian heavyweight had lost two of his last three fights before facing the 30-year-old southpaw Canadian Alexis Barrière in a crucial 10-round bout on Saturday night.

After a slow start, Vianello secured the biggest victory of his professional career, conquering the WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight title by stopping the previously undefeated Barrière in the fifth round of the co-main event on the Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs. Uisma Lima card, held at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Referee Ricky González stopped the fight at 26 seconds of the fifth round, awarding the victory to Vianello (14-3-1, 12 KOs).

“I want Anthony Joshua next,” the Italian proclaimed after his triumph. “This was the biggest win of my career.”

Vianello was coming off a split decision loss to Efe Ajagba in April 2024 and a clear points loss to US Olympian Richard Torrez Jr. a year later. He needed redemption… and he got it in the fourth round, when he dropped Barrière (12-1, 10 KOs) for the first time in his career with a flurry of punches.

Until that moment, Barrière was dominating the fight. In the first two rounds, the Canadian repeatedly landed his straight left, with Vianello unable to find an answer. But in the fourth, the Italian changed the story with the decisive knockdown.

Barrière managed to survive the round, only to be finished in the fifth, when Vianello dropped him again with a straight right that did not even seem to fully connect. Regardless, Barrière was already visibly hurt after receiving a powerful left to the forehead seconds before hitting the canvas.