Zdravko Micevic
Encyclopedia
Zdravko Micevic is a Melbourne
-based Australian professional boxer
, but is best known for his involvement in the death of former Australian cricketer
David Hookes
.
, Melbourne
with members of the Victorian and South Australian cricket teams, to celebrate a win by Victoria over South Australia in a one-day match. Shortly after midnight, the party was asked to leave the hotel, though there are conflicting stories as to the reason. It is also unclear whether the party left voluntarily or were forced to leave. The security staff (of which Micevic was a member) continued monitoring the behaviour of the party for a short distance outside the hotel, and there was an altercation in which Micevic physically struck Hookes. Witnesses gave highly conflicting testimony of what occurred and who started the fight, but what is not in doubt is that Hookes fell to the ground, hitting his head in the process, and going into cardiac arrest. He was revived by paramedics but did not regain consciousness. He was taken to Melbourne's Alfred Hospital and placed on life support. Hookes was taken off life support on the evening of 19 January and died shortly afterwards.
Micevic was charged by Victoria Police
with assault on the day of the incident but that charge which was later upgraded to manslaughter
after Hookes' death.
On 12 September 2005, Micevic was acquitted on the charge of Hookes' manslaughter
. The jury
had taken five days to come to its decision, after a two-week trial. An issue in the trial was conflicting statements given by witnesses. Throughout the trial Micevic had maintained that Hookes had without provocation punched him twice, and he felt obliged to defend himself against a further attack. After the trial, Micevic expressed his condolences to Hookes' family and his regret that the incident had ever occurred. A civil suit against Micevic and the Beaconsfield Hotel's owners by Hookes' wife Robyn was withdrawn on 20 February 2007.
.
In 1998, aged 16, he won the Australian amateur junior welterweight title on the Gold Coast
and was talked about as a possible prospect for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney
, however from that point on he lost interest in the sport eventually quitting the sport after his 25th amateur fight.
After the Hookes trial, boxing promoters began pressuring Micevic to fight professionally as soon as two weeks after the verdict was handed down, however it took Micevic 18 months after the verdict to agree to make his professional boxing debut.
Micevic began his professional boxing career with a unanimous points decision in a 6 round "main event" bout against Wes Ryder in a Light Heavyweight
bout at the Darebin
Community Sports Stadium in Reservoir
, Melbourne on 13 April 2007.
Micevic later claimed the vacant Australian Light Heavyweight in a bout with Joel Casey on 14 November 2008 in a ten round unanimous points decision in Coburg
.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
-based Australian professional 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...
, but is best known for his involvement in the death of former Australian cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
David Hookes
David Hookes
David William Hookes was an Australian cricketer, broadcaster and coach of the Victorian cricket team. An aggressive left-handed batsman, Hookes usually batted in the middle order...
.
David Hookes
On the night of 18 January 2004, Hookes went to the Beaconsfield Hotel in St KildaSt Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
with members of the Victorian and South Australian cricket teams, to celebrate a win by Victoria over South Australia in a one-day match. Shortly after midnight, the party was asked to leave the hotel, though there are conflicting stories as to the reason. It is also unclear whether the party left voluntarily or were forced to leave. The security staff (of which Micevic was a member) continued monitoring the behaviour of the party for a short distance outside the hotel, and there was an altercation in which Micevic physically struck Hookes. Witnesses gave highly conflicting testimony of what occurred and who started the fight, but what is not in doubt is that Hookes fell to the ground, hitting his head in the process, and going into cardiac arrest. He was revived by paramedics but did not regain consciousness. He was taken to Melbourne's Alfred Hospital and placed on life support. Hookes was taken off life support on the evening of 19 January and died shortly afterwards.
Micevic was charged by Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
with assault on the day of the incident but that charge which was later upgraded to manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
after Hookes' death.
On 12 September 2005, Micevic was acquitted on the charge of Hookes' manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
. The jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
had taken five days to come to its decision, after a two-week trial. An issue in the trial was conflicting statements given by witnesses. Throughout the trial Micevic had maintained that Hookes had without provocation punched him twice, and he felt obliged to defend himself against a further attack. After the trial, Micevic expressed his condolences to Hookes' family and his regret that the incident had ever occurred. A civil suit against Micevic and the Beaconsfield Hotel's owners by Hookes' wife Robyn was withdrawn on 20 February 2007.
Boxing career
In 1996, at the age of 14, with only three amateur fights under his belt Micevic became the Victorian amateur champion and was the runner-up in the Australian amateur championships. In the same year he also won a silver medal at the Australian Amateur Boxing League titles in RockhamptonRockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
.
In 1998, aged 16, he won the Australian amateur junior welterweight title on the Gold Coast
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...
and was talked about as a possible prospect for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, however from that point on he lost interest in the sport eventually quitting the sport after his 25th amateur fight.
After the Hookes trial, boxing promoters began pressuring Micevic to fight professionally as soon as two weeks after the verdict was handed down, however it took Micevic 18 months after the verdict to agree to make his professional boxing debut.
Micevic began his professional boxing career with a unanimous points decision in a 6 round "main event" bout against Wes Ryder in a Light Heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
bout at the Darebin
City of Darebin
The City of Darebin is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of , and as of 2009, has a population of 139,608...
Community Sports Stadium in Reservoir
Reservoir, Victoria
Reservoir is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin. At the 2006 Census, Reservoir had a population of 45,970....
, Melbourne on 13 April 2007.
Micevic later claimed the vacant Australian Light Heavyweight in a bout with Joel Casey on 14 November 2008 in a ten round unanimous points decision in Coburg
Coburg, Victoria
Coburg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland, although a handful of properties on Coburg's Eastern boundary are located in the City of Darebin...
.