Fran Zuccala leaves his mark in ISKA
Wolverhampton's Fran Zuccala left his opponent a bloody mess but still couldn't claim a record-breaking third world kickboxing title in Ireland.
Wolverhampton's Fran Zuccala left his opponent a bloody mess but still couldn't claim a record-breaking third world kickboxing title in Ireland.
The 39-year-old could have become the oldest ISKA champion and the only three-time winner of the organisation's light middleweight belt.
And Zuccala taking Vinny Di Ruscio the distance at the O'Loughlins Gaa Club in Kilkenny yesterday afternoon only told half of the story.
Despite him going to hospital with a broken nose and ribs with his face covered in blood, the judges went with the home fighter as the victor.
One judge had the contest as a draw while the other two had Di Ruscio ahead, negating what was a valiant effort from the Black Country veteran.
Zuccala, who owns the Eclipse gym on Tempest Street in Wolverhampton, hadn't fought in four years but had a sound game-plan.
His theory to use his shorter stature to get inside and use punches, negating both men's feet and legs, was effective over 12 rounds.