Heavyweights Richard Torrez Jr. and Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello will clash in a high-stakes 10-round main event on Saturday, April 5th at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Torrez, a U.S. Olympic silver medalist, takes a seismic step up in class against the battle-tested Italian Olympian. Promoted by Top Rank, the entire Torrez-Vianello card will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. Ticket and undercard information will be announced soon. [Vianello is ranked #16 in the world by Boxingtalk (see below), while the up-and-coming Torrez is perhaps undervalued at #34]. “This has all the makings of a heavyweight classic, two athletic big men with power and tremendous determination,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Top Rank has promoted Richard and Guido from the start of their respective professional careers, and I look forward to seeing how the fight unfolds at the Palms Casino Resort.”
Torrez (12-0, 11 KOs), who hails from the farming community of Tulare, California, captured Olympic silver in the super heavyweight division in Tokyo. A southpaw volume puncher, he turned pro the following March with a second-round stoppage of Allen Melson. Torrez, a high school valedictorian who builds model rockets in his spare time, has since rocketed from prospect to contender. Last May, he dismantled fellow unbeaten Brandon Moore in five rounds. His knockout streak ended last September after Joey Dawejko was disqualified for repeatedly spitting out his mouthpiece. Torrez got back on the knockout train in December with a third-round blitzing of Mexico’s Issac Munoz.
“This is something I've been working toward for a long time,” Torrez said. “I want to prove that I’m the best heavyweight out there and show what American heavyweights are made of. When they offered me Guido, I didn’t hesitate. I’m ready to go.”
Born and raised in Rome, Vianello (13-2-1, 11 KOs) had four first-round knockouts in his seven fights before being held to a draw against Kingsley Ibeh. He reignited his career in 2024 with a first-round stoppage of Moses Johnson and a split decision defeat to top contender Efe Ajagba in a Fight of the Year-type scrap. Last August, he traveled to Quebec City, Canada, and beat down local favorite Arslanbek Makhmudov en route to an eighth-round TKO. He now hopes to upend another decorated home country hero.
Vianello said, “I am excited for this fight. After fighting Makhmudov, I showed I was ready for anyone. Richard is a talented young fighter, but he has never faced anyone like me. I will show myself to be Top Rank’s best heavyweight and move on to challenge for world titles.”
Here are Boxingtalk's rankings of the top fifty heavyweights as of Jan. 1, 2025:
1. Oleksandr Usyk – WORLD CHAMPION (WBA/WBC/WBO)
2. Daniel Dubois – (IBF)
3. Tyson Fury
4. Joseph Parker (WBO interim)
5. Zhilei Zhang
6. Martin Bakole
7. Agit Kabayel
8. Anthony Joshua
9. Efe Ajagba
10. Jarrell Miller
11. Filip Hrgovic
12. Derek Chisora
13. Andy Ruiz
14. Jared Anderson
15. Justis Huni
16. Guido Vianello
17. Fabio Wardley
18. Murat Gassiev
19. Moses Itauma
20. Frank Sanchez
21. Kubrat Pulev (WBA regular)
22. Dillian Whyte
23. Bakhodir Jalolov
24. Otto Wallin
25. Lawrence Okolie
26. Luis Ortiz
27. Jermaine Franklin
28. Artem Suslenkov
29. Michael Hunter
30. Deontay Wilder
31. Joe Joyce
32. Kevin Lerena
33. Lenier Pero
34. Richard Torrez
35. Gurgen Hovhannisyan
36. Hughie Fury
37. Frazer Clarke
38. Mourad Aliev
39. Vladislav Sirenko
40. Charles Martin
41. Nelson Hysa
42. Peter Kadiru
43. Manuel Charr
44. Jerry Forrest
45. Damian Knyba
46. David Adeleye
47. Labinot Xhoxhaj
48. George Arias
49. Kacper Meyna
50. Granit Shala
***
*Notes on 2025 results since rankings were published: Chisora beat Wallin; Billy Wright beat Jeremiah Milton; Knyba beat Andrzej Wawrzyk; Kinglsey Ibeh beat Scott Alexander; Kristian Prenga beat Juan Torres; reconsider Bohdan Mayronets.
