From the very beginning, Visioli boxed on his terms. Fighting as a southpaw, he kept lightweight, gave way when necessary, and counterattacked as Howarth marched forward behind the high guard. Howarth showed intent but had trouble reaching his target or landing cleanly.
Visioli quickly showed control. He timed Howarth’s entries and punished them with jabs and single shots. In the third round, swelling appeared around Howarth’s right eye, reflecting how consistently Visioli landed.
In the middle of the fight, nothing changed. Howarth tried to apply pressure but Visioli refused to stand still and stopped the action before it could become physical.
There were brief moments of resistance. In the seventh round, Howarth landed a left to the head and drew blood from Visiola’s nose at the end of the round. This was the only period where Visioli faced constant pressure and it didn’t last long.
Visioli responded by sharpening his work. He repeated his jab in the eighth and ninth rounds, mixing up body shots and continuing to thwart Howarth’s progress. Even when Howarth landed a pristine right hand in the final round, Visioli kept his composure and finished the fight, beating him to the bell.
Judges’ scores 100-91, 98-92, 97-93 reflected a contest in which Visioli won comfortably on all three cards.
What the victory says about Visiola
It wasn’t a performance based on knockdowns or risks. It was something calmer and more fluent.
Visioli stayed on the move, chose his spots and avoided long rallies. He maintained the pace of the fight from start to finish.
This level of scrutiny often separates potential candidates from fighters willing to go further at the national level. Winning the English title is rarely glamorous, but it remains a significant step for a lightweight who is still building his profile.
There are tougher questions ahead, especially against opponents who apply smarter pressure or have more power. These answers can wait. That night, Visioli easily passed the test in front of him.
Under-tab notes
On the undercard, John J. Hedges won by decision over Ellis Zorro in a ponderous cruiserweight fight characterized by repeated clinching. Taylor Bevan recorded a stoppage-time victory over Mickey Ellison after prolonged body work forced Ellison to intervene from a corner.
Several other competitors scored routine victories, but the night belonged to Visiola, who walked away with the national title and had another controlled performance added to his record.
Ken Hissner is an experienced boxing journalist with over 20 years of experience covering the world fight scene. As a senior writer at Boxing News 24, he is well known throughout the boxing community for his in-depth performance coverage, in-depth historical facts and in-ring coverage of major events. His long-term perspective and encyclopedic knowledge of the sport make him one of the most trusted voices in boxing journalism today.