Guido Vianello: The Italian out to build an empire and become the heavyweight answer to Vasyl Lomachenko

Guido Vianello is a long way from Rome but is still out to build an empire.

The Italian heavyweight, a police officer in his homeland before turning professional, left Italy in 2018 to pursue his dreams of becoming a world champion, leaving behind what he says were the more tranquil settings of his home city of Rome to pitch up in the wilder world of Las Vegas.

At 26, he is one of the youngest prospects in his division, having made his pro debut in December 2018. That night, he marched down to the ring at Madison Square Garden cloaked in a Roman soldier's mask in a proud celebration of his roots.

It's a long way from home for Vianello - now more than ever. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, 6000 miles separate 'The Gladiator' and his family who he has not seen since January.

"My sister's daughter is eight months old now - I am looking at her growing up on Whatsaspp. It is hard," he told Standard Sport. "Hopefully I can see her soon.

"I came back here to Vegas after Christmas and have not been back since. It's a crazy situation. I can't go back to Italy now. But my family are strong, we are a sporting family so everyone is healthy and everyone is fighting."

Born into a family of tennis players with a local club back home in Rome bearing the Vianello name, Guido decided to take a different route. Understandable, given his 6ft 6 frame at the age of 15.

After excelling at national level, he was selected to represent his country at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, while still a serving police officer. After suffering defeat in his first fight of the tournament on what he admits was a 'very emotional' night representing his country, he had set his sights on Tokyo 2020. However, a meeting in London with Sam Jones altered his course towards turning professional.

In his short career, he has already sparred alongside WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and frequently puts in the rounds with another Olympian in Joe Joyce, a good friend of his also managed by Jones.

Signed with American promoter Top Rank, he is 6-0, now working under the guidance of Kevin Barry having parted company with Abel Sanchez last year, admitting working in the high altitude of Big Bear in California did not agree with him. It's a close relationship, with Vianello currently living under Barry's roof with his trainer and his family, 20 minutes from a very surreal Vegas strip which is still shutdown as part of Covid-19 measures.

"The first time I came here [to Vegas], I didn’t trust this city, because it was totally different. After one year I am used to it but the start was difficult for everything. I like the American people - Italian people are different, we like to take a day slow, have a day in the bar to have a coffee. Here, the people are faster, doing things quickly. It was hard. But I am okay now."

Vianello is chasing an American dream but acknowledges there is plenty of work to do. Another eye-catching KO win over Colby Madison last November maintained his momentum and he is content for Jones and Top Rank to continue to put together a three-year plan he hopes will elevate him towards world title contention.

"Sam is exceptional, he knows what I want to do. He understood everything when we met in London. He understands that I want to become world champion. But now I need to build myself. I can't think about that yet - my moment will come. I think after three years in my career I can start thinking about those big fights.

"Now we are thinking about building the perfect heavyweight. I work with Tyson Fury, I work with Joe Joyce, I work with Joseph Parker, I look at everybody because I want to become a mix of all of them."

Vianello, developing a reputation as a knock-out artist, has also been praised for his speed in the ring for a man of his considerable size and also takes inspiration from the fleet-footed pound-for-pound great Vasyl Lomachenko.

"I love watching Lomachenko. I try to make his movements in the ring." The heavyweight Lomachenko, maybe? "We try", he said.

Like any fighter, winning a world title is the end game. But above all else, Vianello wants to raise the profile of boxing in his homeland and dreams of one day returning to fight at the Stadio Olimpico, the spiritual home of AS Roma legend and a hero of his in Francesco Totti.

"In Italy, we have the army and the police. I left the police to come here because you cannot have a professional career if you are a police officer. I hope with me, we can restart everything. Italy has very good stories in boxing. I want to try to create new stories."

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