Former boxing champion Jeff fenech is awarded a 4th world title after suffering one of boxing’s great injustices following WBC intervention.
Jeff Fenech : World title | Robbery | brother | daughter
Jeff Fenech is an Australian former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2008.
| Real name | Jeff Fenech |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Marrickville Mauler Brick Top |
| Weight(s) |
|
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Reach | 66+1⁄2 in (169 cm) |
He won world titles in four weight divisions, having held the IBF bantamweight title from 1985 to 1987, the WBC super-bantamweight title from 1987 to 1988, and the WBC featherweight title from 1988 to 1990.
He is known for his trilogy with Ghanaian boxer Azumah Nelson. Fenech was trained by renowned Sydney-based trainer Johnny Lewis.
Jeff Fenech world title
Jeff Fenech could not hide his delight after one of boxing’s great injustices was put right on Tuesday in Mexico.
Three-time world champion Fenech has been retroactively awarded a fourth title after the WBC deemed that he won his controversial bout against Azumah Nelson in 1991.
Fenech was awarded the super-featherweight belt by boxing legends Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez and Miguel Cotto at the WBC convention in Acapulco, Mexico, 31 years after the judges deemed his contest against Nelson a draw.
The Australian dominated his rival during their first fight in Las Vegas, however one judge scored the bout a draw while the other two were split, meaning Fenech missed out on the WBC super-featherweight title.
At the time, Fenech was an undefeated three-weight world champion and the result hit him hard, and the Australian appeared devastated as he returned to Sydney after the robbery in Sin City.
While the WBC rules and regulations outline that it cannot affect the ‘final determination of the local boxing commission regarding the decision in the contest’, in this case the Nevada State Athletic Commission, it does have the power ‘to recognise any boxer as a WBC champion’.
It means that the draw cannot be officially overturned but the WBC has the ability to recognise Fenech as the super-featherweight champion.
‘I can’t put it into words. I couldn’t speak when it happened,’ Fenech told the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday.
Jeff Fenech Robbery
Jeff Fenech responds after infamous robbery overturned.
Fenech dominated Nelson in their first fight in Las Vegas for the WBC super-featherweight title, but one judge scored the bout a draw and the other two were split.
The World Boxing Council made the decision to award the bout and belt to Fenech at the WBC convention in Acapulco, Mexico.
Fenech told Ben Fordham it was a “pretty special night”.
“Nelson knows, without doubt, he didn’t win the fight.”
Jeff Fenech admitted a few years ago that he was “never the same fighter” after being robbed of victory against Azumah Nelson for the WBC super-featherweight title in Las Vegas in 1991.
However, now the Australian boxing great has received what he — and most of the boxing world — always believed he deserved.
“All the ring officials from all over the world score the bout in favour of Jeff Fenech,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán said.
Brother
The brother of Australia’s greatest boxer Jeff Fenech has been charged over an alleged sex attack on a 13-year-old boy.
Paul Fenech, has been charged with multiple sex offences against the young teen and one offence against a female child.
Paul Fenech, 65, was charged with sexual assault against the male teenager dating back to 1980, when his younger brother was yet to reach fame as the triple world boxing division champion.
Regarded as Australia’s greatest champion in the boxing ring, Jeff was known affectionately in the boxing ring as ‘the Marrickville Mauler’ and his trademark saying was ‘I love youse all’.
IBF Champion from 1985 to 1987, Jeff Fenech went on to hold the WBC super-bantamweight title from 1987 to 1988, and the WBC featherweight title from 1988 to 1990.
He has been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Jeff’s older brother by seven years, Paul Godfrey Fenech, was arrested in February this year and charged with eight historical offences against a teenage male and one against a female child.
He was granted bail by the NSW Supreme Court in August, and then re-arrested for breaching bail when he left his Marrickville house in Sydney’s inner west to buy fish and chips.
Daughter
Boxing legend Jeff Fenech made a miraculous recovery and managed to walk his daughter down the aisle just weeks after life-saving surgery.
The former triple world champion, 55, was rushed into intensive care in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 4 after he began coughing up blood at a training camp.
He was set to miss his daughter Jessica’s wedding as he recovered from a five-hour operation on an infected heart valve which almost killed him.
However, on Saturday he completed a miracle when he made it back to Sydney in time to walk his daughter down the aisle.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Fenech was was preparing to watch the ceremony on Skype, but shocked family and friends when he walked Jessica down the aisle at St Mary’s Cathedral.
He was pictured wearing a tuxedo and black baseball cap, looking tired as he accompanied his daughter to the front of the church.