Jeff Fenech
Encyclopedia
Jeff Fenech is a retired Australian boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 and a three-time world champion who is now a boxing trainer.

Boxing career

Fenech had a stellar amateur career, which led to him representing his country at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...

 in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

. It was that year that Fenech began his professional boxing career, beating Bobby Williams
Bobby Williams
- External links :* at RollTide.com...

 by a knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...

 in two in his homeland. Fenech was a fast starter: He won his first eleven bouts by knockout, and held his first fight abroad in only his fourth fight, when he beat Iliesa Manila by a knockout in two at Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

.

He beat fringe contenders Wayne Mulholland and Rolando Navarro, both by a knockout in the fifth round, to start 1985. After those two wins, he was placed number one among the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....

's Bantamweights by the International Boxing Federation
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...

. Fenech only took six professional fights to become the number one contender, and he placed in fifth place all time for the boxer who got to fight for the world title the fastest after beginning his career when he challenged Satoshi Shingaki
Satoshi Shingaki
is a Japanese ex-boxer and former world champion. He along with Nobuo Nashiro are the fastest Japanese boxers to become world champions as they both won a world title in only their 8th professional bout.-Career history:...

 for the world's title in only his seventh bout, displacing the second Davey Moore, and trailing Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks is a former American boxer. He had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and 3 draws as a professional, with 14 knockout wins, and was the former World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion of the world...

, Saensak Muangsurin
Saensak Muangsurin
Saensak Muangsurin was a retired professional boxer from Phetchabun, Thailand. He was a former WBC light welterweight champion, who set a world record by winning the world title in only his 3rd professional fight.- Biography :...

, Pete Rademacher
Pete Rademacher
Thomas Peter Rademacher is a former boxer who made boxing history by being the only man to fight for the world heavyweight championship in his first professional fight.-Amateur career:...

 and Rafael Lovera. Fenech was the third fastest boxer to become a world champion, behind Muangsuring and Spinks, when he knocked out Shingaki in nine rounds in Sydney. After two non title knockout wins, he gave Shingaki a rematch and retained the crown with a knockout in three. After one more non title knockout win, Fenech had to go the distance for the first time, when he faced Jerome Coffee
Jerome Coffee
Jerome Coffee is a former American boxer.-Amateur career:Coffee had an outstanding amateur career and won several national championships, including:...

, retaining the title by a 15 round unanimous decision.

In 1986, Fenech had only two bouts, but they were both major fights: He won a 10 round, non title fight decision over former world Bantamweight and future world Featherweight champion Daniel Zaragoza
Daniel Zaragoza
Daniel Zaragoza was a Mexican professional boxer. Known as "The Mouse," Zaragoza a popular champion in the Super Bantamweight division throughout the 1980s and 1990s.-Amateur career:...

, and he retained the world championship with a knockout in 14 over Steve McCrory
Steve McCrory
Steve McCrory was an American boxer, who won the Flyweight Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics...

.

1987 was a big year for Fenech. He went up in weight, and in his first fight as a Jr. Featherweight, he defeated Tony Miller
Tony Miller
Tony Miller may refer to:* Tony Miller , Secretary of State of California* Tony Miller , Kentucky Congressional candidate* Tony Miller, United States Deputy Secretary of Education...

 by a decision. Then, the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...

's world Jr. Featherweight champion, Samart Payakaroon
Samart Payakaroon
Samart Payakaroon, real name Samart Tiptarmai is a Muaythai boxer.-Thai Boxing career:Samart has an older brother, Kongtoranee Payakaroon, who induced Samart to start training in Muay Thai.Samart started Muaythai training when he was 11...

, traveled to Australia to defend his belt against Fenech. Fenech became a two-time world champion by knocking Payakarum out in four rounds. For his next defense, he met future world Jr. Bantamweight champion Greg Richardson
Greg Richardson
- Amateur career :Richardson had an outstanding amateur career, and was the 1974 National AAU and National Golden Gloves flyweight champion.- Pro career :...

 and knocked him out in five. Then, it was former world Bantamweight champion Carlos Zarate's turn to challenge Fenech. Fenech retained his crown by a technical decision win in four rounds, and then finished his year by knocking out Osmar Avila in one round in a non title affair.

By 1988, Fenech had grown into a Featherweight, and the WBC faced him with Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

's former world Jr. Featherweight champion Victor Luvi Callejas, once again, in Sydney. Fenech became a three-time world champion, joining boxing's exclusive group of fighters who have been world champs in three or more divisions, by knocking Callejas out in the 10th. round. He retained that title twice before the year was over, knocking out Tyrone Downes and Georgie Navarro, both in the fifth round.

In 1989, he beat Marcos Villasana and former Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...

 challenger Mario Martinez
Mario Martinez
Mario Martinez may refer to:*Mario Martinez *Mario Aburto Martínez, Mexican assassin*Mario Martinez *Mario Martinez , Bolivian tennis player*Mario Roberto Martínez , Honduran football midfielder...

, both by decision.

After that, Fenech took one year off and came back in 1991 as a Jr. Lightweight. After beating Johnny Calhoun by a knockout in four, he tried to become a four division world champion when he met Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson , a native of Ghana, is a former professional boxer. He is a three-time world champion in two weight classes.Nelson is the former Lineal and two-time WBC Super Featherweight Champion...

. The fight was fought on the undercard to the Mike Tyson, Razor Ruddock rematch. After 12 ferocious rounds the bout was controversially declared a draw. Jeff returned to Australia and after beating Miguel Francia Nelson travelled to Melbourne to offer Fenech a second title try at Jr. Lightweight. This time, Fenech suffered his first loss, when he was knocked out in the eighth round for Nelson to retain the world title. Fenech's TKO loss on 1 March 1992 to Nelson was recognized as the Ring Magazine Upset of the Year.

After that fight, he fought sporadically. In 1993, he was beaten in seven rounds by knockout by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 former world Featherweight champion Calvin Grove
Calvin Grove
Calvin Grove was a boxer in the Featherweight division. Grove turned pro in 1982 and in 1988 captured the IBF featherweight title with a TKO over Antonio Rivera. He defended the belt once before losing it to Jorge Páez later that same year...

, and in 1995, he beat Tialano Tovar, by a knockout in eight at New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

. Finally, in what was thought to have been both his last title fight and his last fight (he was to fight a rubber match with Nelson 12 years later), he lost to IBF world Lightweight champion Phillip Holiday of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 by a knockout in the second round in 1996. He retired after the bout.

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

Post-retirement career

In retirement, Fenech has kept busy, and now he is the owner of a sports clothing brand that carries his name in Australia. In addition, he was inducted in 2002 into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...

 in Canastota, New York
Canastota, New York
Canastota is a village located inside the Town of Lenox in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 4,425 at the 2000 census.The Village of Canastota is in the south part of the Town of Lenox.- History :...

. Fenech has become a trainer training such fighters as Hussein Hussein
Hussein Hussein
Hussein Hussein is a retired male boxer from Australia. He represented his native country at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was stopped in the second round of the men's flyweight division by Ireland's Damaen Kelly.-References:*...

, Sakio Bika
Sakio Bika
Sakio "The Scorpion" Bika , is a professional boxer in the super middleweight division. He is the former IBO super middleweight world champion.-Amateur career:...

, and former IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...

 flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan
Vic Darchinyan
Vakhtang "Vic" Darchinyan is an Armenian professional boxer discovered by HyeFighters. He is a three-division world champion, having won eight titles in three different weight classes. He is a former IBF Flyweight World Champion and a former Undisputed WBA, WBC & IBF Super Flyweight World...

.

On 5 January 2004, Fenech was attacked and stabbed by four men in Sydney, receiving facial cuts that required plastic surgery.

In June of the same year, the Fenech family home was attacked by shooters; seven bullets were recovered but no one was injured. Australian police believe the two attacks against Fenech are connected, ranging from a bar fight that Fenech had with a gang-member in 2003. The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....

newspaper quoted someone related to a Lebanese gang stating that "they will get him", but Fenech does not believe that the violent events are related.

In March 2005, Fenech signed to train former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...

, in an effort to relaunch Tyson's career.

Despite repeated denials made in the popular press and on his website, Fenech pleaded guilty to his role in the theft of 3 gold watches worth a total of $327 from a Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...

 boutique store. There was clear evidence of his involvement from in-store security cameras, revealing that Fenech actively participated in the incident.

In March 2008, Fenech - at age 43 - announced a comeback to professional boxing and lost 22 kilos in preparation for the fight. He was to fight Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson , a native of Ghana, is a former professional boxer. He is a three-time world champion in two weight classes.Nelson is the former Lineal and two-time WBC Super Featherweight Champion...

 in what was later built up as the grudge match of the century. The two were to do battle on June the 24th 2008 in Melbourne, Australia. A reality series/documentary on Fenech's life aired on channel 9 and fox sports in the weeks leading up to the fight.

On 24 June 2008, Fenech won the grudge match against Azumah Nelson by a majority decision, one judge scoring the fight a draw and the last two judges scoring it in favour of Fenech.

In June 2008, Fenech won the Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...

 888 Poker World Series of Poker Celebrity Bounty Event at Crown Casino sponsored by 888 Poker (owned by 888 Holdings PLC
Cassava Enterprises
888 Holdings plc is a company which operates several high-profile gambling websites. It was founded in 1997 and is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index....

, a public listed company in London). Jeff Fenech now represents 888.com at poker events around the world including the Aussie Millions
Crown Australian Poker Championship
The Australian Poker Championship, commonly known as Aussie Millions, is a series of poker tournaments held at the Crown Casino, in Melbourne, Australia...

 and the World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...

.

On 16 February 2009, Fenech was arrested over an incident in Sydney's south. Police said a 44-year-old Five Dock man was arrested and questioned over an incident at Banksia about 5pm. The police would neither confirm Fenech was involved nor give any details of the incident.

According to reports, there was an altercation between Fenech and an "associate", longtime friend and former boxer Peter Mitrevski, who was allegedly king hit from behind by the "Marrickville Mauler".

Jeff Fenech is currently working on a biographical film project for 2011.

Amateur career

  • 1983 Oceanic Flyweight champion
  • 1983 3rd place at Flyweight in World Championships in Rome, Italy. Results were:
    • Defeated Marcelino Diaz (Colombia) points
    • Lost to Huh Yong-Mo
      Huh Yong-Mo
      Huh Yong-Mo is a retired South Korean amateur boxer.-Career:He won a Light Flyweight bronze medal at the 1982 World Amateur Boxing Championships....

       (South Korea) 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. Results were:
    • Defeated Rene Centellas (Bolivia) KO 3
    • Defeated David Mwaba (Tanzania) points
    • Lost to Redzep Redzepovski
      Redzep Redzepovski
      Redzep Redzepovski is a retired flyweight boxer of Macedonian descent, who won the silver medal for Yugoslavia in the flyweight division Redzep Redzepovski (born December 14, 1962 in Kumanovo) is a retired flyweight boxer of Macedonian descent, who won the silver medal for Yugoslavia in the...

       (Yugoslavia) points

External links

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