Jeff Fenech

Jeff Fenech (born 28 May 1964) is an Australian former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2008.

From there Fenech had a stellar amateur career, which led to him representing his country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he was selected as the boxing team captain.

At the Olympics, Fenech lost a controversial quarter-final bout to Yugoslavian Redžep Redžepovski.

Fenech was initially given the decision, but after intervention by the Olympic Boxing Committee and a total recount, the decision was reversed with Redžepovski being awarded the win.

Many of the other boxers and those in the press felt that Fenech had been robbed of a chance to win an Olympic medal and most boxing writers noted how political amateur boxing was, especially at the Olympic Games.

It was that decision that led Fenech to turn professional later in 1984, and in his first professional fight he defeated Bobby Williams by a knockout in round two.

Fenech quickly gained a reputation as 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 rounds in Fiji.

He won world titles in three weight divisions, having held the IBF bantamweight title from 1985 to 1987, the WBC super-bantamweight title from 1987 to 1988, the WBC featherweight title from 1988 to 1990.

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's bantamweights by the International Boxing Federation.

However, his early wins by KO had some of the press wondering if he could last the full 15 round distance.

Fenech took only six professional fights to become the number one contender.

He became the eighth-fastest boxer to fight for a world title after beginning his career when he challenged Satoshi Shingaki for the IBF Bantamweight title in only his seventh bout, displacing the second Davey Moore, and trailing Shingaki himself, Leon Spinks, Saensak Muangsurin, Pete Rademacher, Joves De La Puz, Joko Arter 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 front of a packed house at the Horden Pavilion in Sydney.

After two non-title knockout wins, he gave Shingaki a rematch at the State Sports Centre in Sydney and retained the crown with a knockout in three rounds.

After one more non-title knockout win, Fenech had to go the distance for the first time, when he faced American Jerome Coffee at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, 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 WBC bantamweight and future super bantamweight world champion Daniel Zaragoza, and he retained his IBF world championship with a TKO in round 14 over American Steve McCrory in a bout dubbed "Olympic Revenge" by Fenech's then promoter Bill Mordy.

McCrory, like Fenech, had competed in the flyweight division at the Los Angeles Olympics, winning the Gold Medal by defeating Redžep Redžepovski in the final.

After the bout at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, McCrory graciously allowed the Australian to wear his Olympic Gold Medal to show off to the crowd.

During the fight with McCrory, Fenech wore green and red trunks, the colours of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team with their tough forward Mario Fenech (no relation) in his corner.

McCrory was trained out of the Kronk Gym in Detroit.

1987 was a big year for Fenech.

He went up in weight, and in his first fight as a super bantamweight, he defeated Tony Miller by a decision.

Then the WBC super bantamweight champion, Samart Payakaroon, travelled to Australia to defend his belt against Fenech.

Fenech became a two-weight world champion by knocking Payakaroon out in four rounds.

For his next defense, he met future world bantamweight champion Greg Richardson and knocked him out in five.

Next it was former WBC bantamweight champion Carlos Zarate's turn to challenge Fenech.

Fenech retained his crown by a technical decision win in four rounds at the Perth Entertainment Centre, 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 matched him with Puerto Rico's former world super bantamweight champion Victor Luvi Callejas for their vacant featherweight title, once again, in Sydney.

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

He retroactively won a fourth weight division title, the WBC super-featherweight title in 1991, after the WBC recounted his first bout against Azumah Nelson which had been a controversial decision draw.

Fenech was trained by renowned Sydney-based trainer Johnny Lewis.

After that, Fenech took one year off and came back in 1991 as a super featherweight.

After beating Johnny Calhoun by a knockout in four, he tried to become a four division world champion when he met Azumah Nelson.

The fight was fought on the undercard to the Mike Tyson vs Razor Ruddock rematch at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Jeff Fenech was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Moderns category in 2003, and became the 4th person to be elevated to Legend status in 2013.

Fenech was born in St Peters, Sydney and is of Maltese parentage.

After playing junior rugby league and getting into trouble with the police as a child, Fenech was turned onto boxing when he attended the Newtown Police Boys Club in Sydney where he met Johnny Lewis.

Fenech joined boxing's exclusive group of fighters who have been world champs in three or more divisions, by knocking Callejas out in the 11th round.

He retained that title twice before the year was over, knocking out Tyrone Downes and Georgie "Go Go" Navarro, both in the fifth round.