Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – Think, dare, believe. And, why not, even dream. Clemente Russo, 44, decided to retire from boxing a few years ago after a string of successes in the ring. Then, something changed, and he returned to throwing hooks and uppercuts for one last dance. On November 21st, he will fight at the Allianz Cloud in Milan against Momo Elmaghraby, Italian light heavyweight champion, for his professional debut against a fighter 16 years his junior.
“Whoever is born a champion, dies a champion” 'Tatanka', world gold medalist in 2007 and 2013 and Olympic silver medalist in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, tells Adnkronos.
“The decision came almost as a joke, when Edoardo Germani of Taf, The Art of Fighting, approached me. I said, 'Come on, you're joking. Stop it.' I thought it was just the usual barroom chatter, then I stopped to think and became more serious: 'I'm in, but I'm not interested in money or anything else.
I just need to see if I can keep up the pace, the rounds, the stamina, the eye. I wanted to know if I was still me."
And what was the response? Is Clemente Russo still Clemente Russo?
“After a month of training, at the end of July, I called him: 'I'm here.' And here we are.”
What should fans expect?
"I'm very good.
And then, as I coach the boys, I see that everything is working out for me. This will be a tougher test, of course, but I expected worse. I'll be honest."
When he retired, he said he was "full." What has changed compared to a few years ago?
“I quit after the 2016 Rio Olympics. I felt I'd done enough with boxing. Then a journalist called me some time later: 'Do you know that if you fight at Tokyo 2020, you'll become the only boxer in history to have competed in five Olympics?' That was the spark. I got back into it, from 2016 to 2021. I scraped the bottom of the barrel and then I didn't even manage to reach my goal because I contracted Covid just before the qualifiers. I had run out of reserves and felt the need for a break, so I hung up my gloves for a year and a half. Without even teaching. At the beginning of 2023, I realized I missed boxing.”
What did your family tell you?
“Everyone's happy. A little worried, but happy. And then I received so many good-luck messages, even joking ones. The sweetest one was 'You're crazy.' Someone else said to me, 'Why would you do this?'. For me, anyone who is born a champion dies a champion. There's nothing you can do about it.”
Many champions often return to compete for their children. You, however, have already said you don't want to see your daughters at the arena on match day. Why?
I think the same for all three of my daughters. One of them is a boxer and is very good. But they can watch me at home, on TV. Over the years, I've seen so many scenes of champions with their children in their arms before and after matches, but I have a different concept of sports ethics. When I enter the arena, I'm in an arena. I don't want distractions, I shouldn't have them. The girls would soften me up, I'd only be looking at them, and that wouldn't be good for me. It also happens when I play soccer; imagine what the effect would be in the ring.
Who is helping her prepare?
"Daniele Cecchi, a trainer from Rome, is working on my physical and organizational preparation today. I'm currently building my physique, and I'll gradually start working on my technique again towards the match. Some of my national teammates are helping me: Giovanni De Carolis, Roberto Cammarelle, Giuseppe Perugino, and Tommaso Rossano. When we finish working with the boys, we close the doors and do our training. Some people try to sneak a peek; they're curious, and I think that's normal. But it's top secret (smiles)."
Who will be in his corner?
"It'll be a corner I trust and have a great connection with. I want people I've shared many battles with. I want to wait a little longer to name names, though."
Since 2025, you've been the head coach of the Italian national boxing team, as well as the coach of the Elite National Team. In this regard, some have raised concerns about a conflict of interest. How do you respond?
I've read a lot of bullshit about this topic, especially on social media. I'll just say one thing. I know the rules. Do you expect me to sign a contract like this without knowing the rules? I remember I became an aspirant in 2009. Until 2008, you could only have one affiliation, either as a coach or as an athlete. In 2009, however, the rules changed, allowing athletes to also be coaches. I took my first course in 2009, 17 years ago, and I was affiliated for a period as both a coach and an athlete. Then I retired and affiliated only as a coach. Today I will affiliate again as a coach and a boxer. There is no conflict of interest.
Did he start fighting again just for this last match or is he already looking beyond?
"Let's see how this fight goes. My humility dictates that if we're having fun, we'll talk about it again. But I won't deny that part of me is already thinking about July 27, 2027. That day I'll turn 45, so it would be nice to finish with an important match."
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