It’s January, and January in Australia means a couple of things, hot summer days and a month build up to celebrating our nations birth, January 26th -Australia Day.
With things a little slow in the boxing scene at the moment with the cricket and tennis in full swing, it’s a perfect opportunity to build on my top ten Aussie champs with the top ten world title fights featuring Aussies. All these title fights were significant fights and victories for the Aussies involved, dominating wins, unification bouts, one of the biggest robberies and upsets in the history of the sport, the list has it all.
10. Jeff Fenech v Azmah Nelson – WBC Super-Featherweight title, June 28, 1991.
This one hard for me as it’s easily the biggest robberies of all time for an Aussie fighter, but Fenech didn’t win the fight either, Every other World title challenge that Fenech had, he won by KO, this was the only world title fight that Fenech had that went the distance, win or lose. After returning to the ring after retiring as an undefeated three division world champion, Fenech challenged Nelson for his WBC Super-Featherweight title. Fenech was looking to add Nelson’s title to his IBF Bantamweight, WBC Super-Bantam and Featherweight titles, to become the first boxer ever to win four world championships in four different divisions.
With Fenech dominating the fight from the get go, Nelson was clearly in trouble but Fenech was unable to get a knockdown or knockout, the result lead to the fight being declared a draw with Fenech being robbed and his career falling apart from there.
Its still remains one of the best fights from an Aussie despite the controversial decision.
9. Danny Green v Roy Jones Jr-IBO Cruiserweight title, December 2, 2009.
This fight was the best of Danny Green’s career, without doubt. The story behind the fight is an achievement in itself. In August in 2009, Jones Jr defended his WBO NABO Light-Heavyweight title against Jeff Lacy, with Danny Green on the undercard competing for the vacant IBO Cruiserweight title. Both Jones Jr and Green won their bouts. Jones being that impressed with Green’s victory, challenged Green to a bout for his new title, Green agreed and brought the boxer of the decade for the 1990’s to Sydney for the bout. In the upset of the year, Green knocked out Green in the first round with a punch to the temple that Green recovered from to a barrage of unanswered punches causing the referee to stop the fight. It remains Jones’s fastest ever knockout loss and it was the biggest win for a Aussie for 2009. It still holds the record for Payper view buys for an Australian fight.
8, Jeff Harding v Dennis Andries – WBC Light-Heavyweight title, June 24 1989.
Jeff ‘Hitman’ Harding remains Australia’s most successful ever Light-Heavyweight, and its this fight that started that success. Harding traveled to the States to challenge WBC champ Dennis Andries for his Light-Heavyweight title. After a hard fought battle, Harding knocked down Andries and gained the TKO victory in the twelve round. Harding became the first ever Aussie to win a world title in America and a title in the Light-Heavyweight division. Harding would enter into a trilogy of fights with Andries and come out of top 2-1.
7. Sam Soliman v Felix Sturm – IBF Middleweight title, May 31, 2014.
At 40 years of age, Sam Soliman would become the oldest man to ever win the IBF Middleweight title, in the performance of his career. After beating Sturm once the previous year in a non-title bout, Soliman returned to Germany to do was his Aussie predecessor Daniel Geale did, defeat the German on home soil for his world title. Soliman dominated the fight and was given the unanimous decision victory to make boxing history. An incredible bout for Soliman after several attempts at a world title.
6. Lester Ellis v Barry Michael -IBF Super-Featherweight title, July 15, 1985.
At the time of this fight, it was the first time that two Australian fighters would compete for a world title. It wouldn’t happen again for 22 years when Anthony Mundine took on Sam Soliman for the WBA Super-Middleweight title in 2007. The fight saw champ Ellis put his title on the line against old sparring partner and mentor Barry Michael, with Michael being ten years the senior to Ellis. The fight was an epic battle that would be remembered for decades and make the career for both men. Michael would get so what of an upset to win the title via unanimous decision.
5. Daniel Geale v Anthony Mundine-IBO Middleweight title, May 27, 2009.
This was the fight of the year for 2009 and is still today considered the best Aussie v Aussie World title fight. The undefeated yet unknown Geale versus the former champ looking for another title in Mundine. For the opening bell the epic battle was tic for tac, Mundine did land a knockdown seconds into the second round, but Geale recovered and the bout was on for young and old. A technical display of boxing purity would go on for the next ten rounds, with Mundine getting the split decision victory. Simply one of the best.
4. Daniel Geale v Felix Sturm- IBF/WBA (Super) Middleweight titles. September 1, 2012.
For the second time on this list, Daniel Geale and Felix Sturm feature. Before Sturm fell to Soliman and after Geale fell to Mundine, the pair would meet in Germany for a massive unification bout not seen in years for the middleweight division. Geale put his IBF title up against Sturm’s WBA (Super) title, in a winner take all bout. After twelve rounds of action, Geale was given the decision to become the first unified world boxing champion since Vic Darchinyan. Easily Geale’s best bout and one of our best wins.
3. Vic Darchinyan v Cristian Mijares IBF/WBA/WBC Super-Flyweight titles. November 1, 2008.
Darchinyan biggest fight of his career in the undisputed Super-Flyweight title fight. Darchinyan put up his IBF title against Mijares’ WBC and WBA titles. Matching Kostya Tszyu’s same feat almost seven years to the day, Darchinyan won the bout via epic ninth round knockout to become only the second Australian fighter to be undisputed champion and the only in the Super-Flyweight division.
2. Jeff Horn v Manny Pacquaio-WBO Welterweight title, July 2, 2017.
This is the upset of the 21st century… so far. School teacher v Philippine Senator. The Battle of Brisbane is the biggest fight in the history of Australian boxing. An attendance of over 51000 people witnessed eight division, eleven time world champion Manny Pacquaio put his WBO Welterweight title against Jeff Horn. Horn was given little chance of victory as many thought this was just an easy trip down under for Pacquaio before his next bout.
But from the beginning Horn bullied Pacquaio using his height and reach advantage to beat Pacquaio up like never before. Both men where in a bloody battle with both men suffering cuts. Pacquaio almost ended it in round 9 but Horn finished the fight strong. Horn was given the unanimous decision and the biggest upset since Tyson v Douglas. Many internationals were not happy with the decision, including Teddy Altas infamous child like rant but Horn was crowned the new champ and a national hero, with the biggest boxing win for a Aussie since Kostya Tszyu v Zab Jadah, which is my number one.,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=luVNczJRSuQ
1. Kostya Tszyu v Zab Jadah-WBC/WBA/IBF and Ring Super-Lightweight titles November 3, 2001.
For pretty much any Aussie boxing fan and purists, this is always the number one championship fight win for an Aussie. Kostya put up his WBA/ WBC Super-Lightweight title against Zab Jadah’s IBF and Ring titles that Tszyu previously had. In the closing seconds of round two Tszyu hit Jadah with a punch that could of knocked over a barn sending Jadah down but his foolishly got back up to quick. After an awkward attempt to regain his composure, Jadah fell over again and the fight was called off. Tszyu became Australia’s first ever undisputed champion and the first for the Super-Lightweight division for 33 years.
It will forever be the best Aussie world title fight ever.