Jeff Fenech facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeff Fenech
Statistics
Real name	Jeff Fenech
Nickname(s)	Marrickville Mauler Brick Top
Rated at	Super-flyweight Bantamweight Super-bantamweight Featherweight Super-featherweight Lightweight
Height	5 ft 7 in
Reach	66+1/2 in
Born	(1964-05-28) 28 May 1964 (age 61) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	33
Wins	28
Wins by KO	21
Losses	3
Draws	1
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Australia World Cup Bronze 1983 Rome Flyweight Commonwealth Championships Bronze 1983 Belfast Flyweight Oceanian Championships Gold 1984 Taoyuan Flyweight

Jeff Fenech (born May 28, 1964) is an Australian former professional boxer. He competed from 1984 to 2008. Jeff Fenech won world titles in three different weight classes. He held the IBF bantamweight title from 1985 to 1987. He also held the WBC super-bantamweight title from 1987 to 1988. Later, he won the WBC featherweight title from 1988 to 1990.

In 1991, he was given a fourth world title, the WBC super-featherweight title. This happened after the WBC reviewed his first fight against Azumah Nelson. That fight had ended in a controversial draw. Jeff Fenech was trained by the famous Sydney coach Johnny Lewis.

Jeff Fenech was honored in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002. He also joined the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2013, he became the fourth person to be named a "Legend" in the Australian Hall of Fame.

Jeff Fenech's Boxing Journey

Jeff Fenech was born in St Peters, Sydney. His parents were from Malta. As a child, he played junior rugby league. He found boxing when he joined the Newtown Police Boys Club in Sydney. There, he met his future trainer, Johnny Lewis.

Fenech had a great amateur boxing career. He represented Australia at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was chosen as the boxing team captain. At the Olympics, Fenech lost a close quarter-final match to Yugoslavian boxer Redžep Redžepovski. Fenech was first announced as the winner. But after a review by the Olympic Boxing Committee, the decision was changed. Redžepovski was given the win. Many boxers and reporters felt Fenech should have won. They believed he was unfairly stopped from winning an Olympic medal.

This controversial decision led Fenech to become a professional boxer later in 1984. In his first professional fight, he beat Bobby Williams by knockout in the second round. Fenech quickly became known for his powerful starts. He won his first eleven fights by knockout. His fourth professional fight was in Fiji, where he knocked out Iliesa Manila in two rounds.

In early 1985, he won against Wayne Mulholland and Rolando Navarro. Both wins were by knockout in the fifth round. After these wins, he was ranked number one among bantamweights by the International Boxing Federation. Some people wondered if he could last a full 15-round fight because of his many early knockout wins.

Becoming a Bantamweight Champion

It took Jeff Fenech only six professional fights to become the top contender. He fought for a world title in his seventh fight, which was very fast. He challenged Satoshi Shingaki for the IBF Bantamweight title. Fenech became the third fastest boxer to win a world championship. He knocked out Shingaki in nine rounds in front of a large crowd at the Horden Pavilion in Sydney.

After two more non-title knockout wins, he fought Shingaki again. This rematch was at the State Sports Centre in Sydney. Fenech kept his title by knocking out Shingaki in three rounds. After another non-title knockout win, Fenech had his first fight that went the full distance. He faced American Jerome Coffee at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Fenech won by a unanimous decision after 15 rounds, keeping his title.

In 1986, Fenech had two important fights. He won a 10-round non-title fight against Daniel Zaragoza. Zaragoza was a former WBC bantamweight champion and would later become a super bantamweight world champion. Fenech then defended his IBF world championship. He won by TKO in round 14 against American Steve McCrory. This fight was called "Olympic Revenge" by Fenech's promoter. McCrory had won the Gold Medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in the flyweight division. After the fight, McCrory let Fenech wear his Olympic Gold Medal for the crowd.

Winning the Super Bantamweight Title

The year 1987 was a big one for Fenech. He moved up in weight to the super bantamweight division. In his first fight at this new weight, he beat Tony Miller by decision. Then, the WBC super bantamweight champion, Samart Payakaroon, came to Australia to defend his belt against Fenech. Fenech became a two-weight world champion by knocking out Payakaroon in four rounds.

For his next title defense, he fought future world bantamweight champion Greg Richardson. Fenech knocked him out in five rounds. Next, former WBC bantamweight champion Carlos Zarate challenged Fenech. Fenech kept his title with a technical decision win in four rounds at the Perth Entertainment Centre. He ended his year by knocking out Osmar Avila in one round in a non-title fight.

Becoming a Featherweight Champion

By 1988, Fenech had grown into a featherweight. The WBC arranged for him to fight Puerto Rico's former world super bantamweight champion Victor Luvi Callejas for their vacant featherweight title in Sydney. Fenech joined an exclusive group of boxers who had won world titles in three or more divisions. He knocked out Callejas in the 11th round. He defended this title twice before the year ended. He knocked out Tyrone Downes and Georgie "Go Go" Navarro, both in the fifth round.

In 1989, he beat Marcos Villasana and former Julio César Chávez challenger Mario Martinez. Both wins were by decision.

Super Featherweight Title Challenges

After a year off, Fenech returned in 1991 as a super featherweight. After beating Johnny Calhoun by knockout in four rounds, he tried to become a four-division world champion. He met Azumah Nelson in a fight that took place before the Mike Tyson vs Razor Ruddock rematch at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. After 12 intense rounds, the fight was controversially declared a draw. Many boxing reporters and even Mike Tyson believed Fenech had clearly won.

On November 7, 2022, the WBC reviewed the fight and officially declared Fenech the winner. This meant he had won a fourth world title.

Fenech returned to Australia and beat Miguel Francia. Then, Nelson traveled to Melbourne for a second title fight against Fenech. This time, in front of over 30,000 fans at the Princes Park football stadium, Fenech suffered his first loss. He was knocked out in the eighth round, and Nelson kept his world title. This TKO loss was recognized as the Ring Magazine Upset of the Year.

After that fight, he fought less often. In 1993, he lost by knockout in seven rounds to American former IBF featherweight champion Calvin Grove at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. In 1995, he beat Tialano Tovar by knockout in eight rounds in New Jersey.

Lightweight Title Challenge

In 1996, in what was thought to be his last fight, he lost to IBF lightweight champion Phillip Holiday of South Africa. Holiday won by knockout in the second round. Fenech retired after this match.

Jeff Fenech retired with a record of 28 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. He had 21 wins by knockout.

Life After Boxing

Fenech was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986.

After retiring from boxing, Fenech stayed busy. He owns a sports clothing brand in Australia that carries his name. In 2002, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. Fenech also became a boxing trainer. He has trained fighters like Danny Green, Nedal Hussein, Hussein Hussein, Sakio Bika, and former IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan.

In March 2005, Fenech became the trainer for former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. He helped Tyson prepare for his exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.

Boxing Comeback Against Nelson

In March 2008, Jeff Fenech, at 43 years old, announced he would return to professional boxing. He lost 22 kilograms to prepare for the fight. He was set to fight Azumah Nelson, who was 49 years old at the time. This fight was called the "grudge match of the century." They fought on June 24, 2008, in Melbourne, Australia. A reality series about Fenech's life aired before the fight. On June 24, 2008, Fenech won the rematch against Azumah Nelson by a majority decision. One judge scored the fight a draw, but the other two judges scored it for Fenech.

In June 2008, Fenech also won the Shane Warne 888 Poker World Series of Poker Celebrity Bounty Event. Fenech now appears at poker events around the world, including the Aussie Millions and the World Series of Poker.

Amateur Boxing Highlights

• 1983 Oceanic Flyweight champion
• 1983 3rd place at Flyweight in World Championships in Rome, Italy.
  • Defeated Marcelino Diaz (Colombia) by points
  • Lost to Huh Yong-Mo (South Korea) by points
• 1983 3rd place as a Flyweight at Commonwealth Titles in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• 1984 Oceanic Flyweight champion
• 1984 represented Australia as a Flyweight at Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
  • Round of 32: Defeated Rene Centellas (Bolivia) by KO in Round 3
  • Round of 16: Defeated David Mwaba (Tanzania) by points
  • Quarterfinal: Lost to Redzep Redzepovski (Yugoslavia) by points

Professional Boxing Record

Boxing Titles Jeff Fenech Held

Major World Titles

• IBF bantamweight champion (118 lbs)
• WBC super bantamweight champion (122 lbs)
• WBC featherweight champion (126 lbs)
• WBC super featherweight champion (130 lbs)

Regional and International Titles

• Australian super flyweight champion (115 lbs)
• South Pacific bantamweight champion (118 lbs)
• South Seas bantamweight champion (118 lbs)
• Australian featherweight champion (126 lbs)

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• List of WBC world champions