Michele Piccirillo vs. Rafael Pineda

Michele Piccirillo 147 lbs beat Rafael Pineda 147 lbs by UD in round 12 of 12

• Date: 2001-09-29
• Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA
• Referee: Wayne Kelly
• Judge: Don O'Neill 113-112
• Judge: Tony Giorgio 117-108
• Judge: Tony Paolillo 115-111

Michele Piccirillo fought strongly in the tenth and eleventh rounds to clinch a decision victory over Rafael Pineda and grab the IBF's top rating in the 147 pound division. It was a close fight despite judge Tony Giorgio's indefensible 117-108 scorecard in Piccirillo's favor. The remaining scores were 113-112, 115-111. Pineda was credited with an undeserved knockdown of Piccirillo at the end of the second round. Piccirillo was against the ropes and as he was ducking under a Pineda punch, he slipped and went down on one knee. Piccirillo argued referee Wayne Kelly's ruling but to no avail. In the fifth round, Piccirillo floored Pineda with a right, but foolishly hit Pineda while the Colombian was down on one knee. In the sixth, Pineda became more aggressive and landed a wide hook from the outside that appeared to momentarily stun Picirrillo. In the seventh, Pineda began to find the range with his jab, and Piccirillo became visibly frustrated. By the ninth, Piccirillo had cuts around both eyes, but he seemed stronger than Pineda and began to take over. Piccirillo hurt Pineda and dominated throughout the tenth round and also convincingly won the eleventh. Pineda's eyes began to puff up towards the end of the bout, but he still pressed the action in the twelfth. Piccirillo, correctly believing he had the fight won, danced away from Pineda and clutched whenever he couldn't get away.

Sources: HBO-PPV
FightNews: 09/24/2001
ProBoxing Update 10/10/2001 p.3