By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Australian boxing’s activity was stopped for several months because of Covid-19 during the year but the high point of 2021 came when George “Ferocious” Kambosos captured the IBF, WBA, WBO, and WBC franchise lightweight crown by outpointing Teofimo Lopez in Madison Square Garden on November 17. He will make his first defense of the championship in Australia, probably against WBC champion Devin Haney or former world champion Vasiliy Lomanchenko

Kambosos received global exposure on Fightnews.com® in 2016 first with several video interviews later. Fightnews.com congratulates George on a great victory.

HEAVYWEIGHT

Australia’s only rated heavyweight WBO #11, IBF #12 Demsey McKean (20-0, 13 KOs) has been based in England for several weeks working as sparring partner to former world champion Anthony Joshua and WBC #1 Dillian Whyte, who both praised McKean’s ability to perform in camp giving them good sparring sessions. McKean traveled to the USA and stopped Don Haynesworth in six rounds in November. He is under contract to Eddie Hearn and managed by Angelo DiCarlo

Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni (5-0, 4 KOs) is a 2019 world amateur bronze medalist who is scheduled to clash with unbeaten Joseph Goodall (7-0-1, 6 KOs) in what should be his toughest fight. Huni has been in the USA training with Justin Fortune with Joseph Goodall training with Kevin Barry in Las Vegas. Huni is promoted by Dean Lonergan.

CRUISERWEIGHT

IBF#3 Jai Opetaia (21-0, 17 KOs) is the IBF mandatory challenger to IBF cruiserweight champion Maris Breidis and they are expected to clash in March in Sydney. Opetaia is promoted by Dean Lonergan and trained by Martin Opetaia.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

WBA #8, IBF #11, WBO #15 Faris Chevallier (13-1, 7 KOs) scored the biggest win of his career in March when he outscored former world title challenger Blake Capparello. Chevalier also outpointed former IBO world champion Renold Quinlan in December. Chevalier’s manager Peter Maniatis would welcome an IBF opportunity against world champion Artur Beterbiev.

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Australia’s only two world-ranked middleweights, WBO #11, IBF #15 Issac Hardman (12-0, 10 KOs) and WBA #8 Michael Zerafa (29-4, 18 KOs), are scheduled to clash on April 6, 2022, in what will be nationally televised promotion.

SUPER WELTERWEIGHT

WBO #1, IBF #3 Tim Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) is the mandatory WBO challenger and should meet the winner of the Brian Castano v Jermell Charlo in 2022 for the WBO, WBC, WBA, IBF belts. Tszyu scored a one-sided twelve round decision over WBO #7 Takeshi Inoue in November. Tszyu is promoted by George Rose and managed by Glen Jennings

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT

Australia’s only rated 140 pounder WBO #3, IBF #3 Liam Paro (22-0, 13 KOs) scored the biggest victory of his career on December 18 in Tampa, Florida on the Paul-Woodley undercard. In front of a massive viewership, Paro climbed off the canvas in round one to be awarded a split decision over WBO #8 Yomar Alamo. Josh Taylor is rumored to vacate his 140-pound belts if he defeats WBO #1 Jack Catterall in February. Paro could be in the mix for a vacant title challenge. He is managed by Angelo DiCarlo.

LIGHTWEIGHT

WBO, WBA, IBF champion George Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) covered himself in glory when he outpointed Teofimo Lopez and is now rated one of Australia’s all-time greatest boxers and the only Australian to capture all the belts along with former world bantamweight champion Lionel Rose, who captured the WBA and WBC belts (the only belts available) with a fifteen round decision over Fighting Harada in Tokyo in 1968.

WBO #5, IBF #9 Jacob Ng (15-0, 11 KOs) outscored Blake Minto in his only bout for 2021. Jacob has victories over several importations.

2021 Tokyo Olympic lightweight bronze Medalist Harry Garside was victorious in his professional debut, stopping Fijian champion Sachin Mudaliar in round one. He is training under Hall of Famer Johnny Lewis and promoted by George and Matt Rose.

SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT

IBF #5 Bruno Tarimo (26-3-2, 5 KOs) lost to IBF #4 Zelfa Barrett in an IBF elimination bout in December but gave a credible performance in a tough fight over twelve rounds. Tarimo, born in Tanzania but based in Australia, trains in the same gym as the Moloney brothers. Managed by Tony Tolj.

FEATHERWEIGHT

WBO #9 Brock Jarvis (20-0, 18 KOs) scored a fifth round knockout over Alejandro Frias after being in trouble in Fresno, California, during October 2021. Jarvis is under contract to Eddie Hearn and trained by Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech

BANTAMWEIGHT

WBC #2, IBF #5, WBO #5 Jason Moloney (22-2, 18 KOs) was unsuccessful in a WBA/IBF challenge against Naoya Inoue in 2020, but rebounded in 2021 outpointing the highly regarded Joshua Greer Jr in August 2021. He is promoted by Top Rank and managed by Tony Tolj

SUPER FLYWEIGHT

Former world champion and currently rated WBA #8, WBC #10 Andrew Moloney (22-2, 14 KOs) lost a WBA title challenge in 2021. World champion Joshua Franco outpointed the Australian in Las Vegas but Moloney rebounded with a one-sided ten round victory over Froilan Saludar in December. Promoted by Top Rank and managed by Tony Tolj.

PAUL GALLEN BIGGEST PPV ATTRACTION

Football legend and Australian heavyweight contender Paul Gallen (12-1-1, 7 KOs) reportedly was paid AUD $1.2 million for his one round knockout over former WBA heavyweight champion Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne and had another massive payday of AUD$1.5 million when he unsuccessfully challenged Justis Huni. It was reported that Eddie Hearn has offered Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams AUD$4 million each to fight twice in 2022. Paul Gallen trained by Graham Shaw.

PROSPECTS

Cruiserweight Floyd Masson (11-0, 7 KOs) recently outpointed two-time world title challenger Mark Flanagan in one of the best Aussie bouts of the year.

Welterweight Youseff Dib (15-0, 7 KOs) is brother of former world champion Billy Dib and holds an amateur victory over world welterweight contender Conor Benn but lost to undisputed super lightweight champion Josh Taylor in the amateur ranks.

Heavyweight Willis Meehan (11-0, 9 KOs) is the son of former WBO heavyweight challenger Kali Meehan and has the skills to advance in 2022. Willis scored a knockout over former national champion Hunter Sam, who previously went the distance with Kali Meehan, Demsey McKean, and Solomon Haumona.

EDDIE HEARN SIGNS AUSSIE BOXERS

Eddie Hearn has signed Aussie boxers who could feature on the undercard of a George Kambosos undercard in Australia.

Demsey McKean (WBO #11 heavyweight)
Brock Jarvis (WBO #9 featherweight)
Ebanie Bridges (WBA #8 bantamweight)

LEADING PROMOTERS

Matt and George Rose
Dean Lonergan
Angelo DiCarlo
Brian Amatruda
Paul Nasari
Peter Maniatis

LEADING MANAGERS

Jimmy Kambosos (George Kambosos)
Peter Kahn (George Kambosos)
Glen Jennings (Tim Tszyu)
Angelo DiCarlo (Liam Paro, Demsey McKean
Tony Tolj (Andrew and Jason Moloney)
Steven Ng (Jacob Ng)
Jeff Fenech (Brock Jarvis)

LEADING TRAINERS

Johnny Lewis (Harry Garside)
Jeff Fenech (Brock Jarvis)
Igor Goloubev (Tim Tszyu)
Graham Shaw (Paul Gallen)
Michael Akkawy (George Kambosos)
Nathan DiCarlo (Liam Paro)
Steven Ng (Jacob Ng)
Angelo Hyder (Jason and Andrew Moloney)
Rocki Huni (Justis Huni)
Martin Opetaia (Jai Opetaia)

LEADING REFEREES

Brad Vocale
Philip Holiday
Les Fear
Ignatius Missailidis
Tony Marretta
Allan McColl
Chris Condon
Will Soulos
Wayne Douglas
Kevin Hogan
Phil Austin
Paul Tapley
John Gauchi
Steve Marshall
Tony Kettlewell
Gary Dean
Allan Simpson
Gary Ingraham
Jeffrey Eddy

DEATHS

Bill Treacy ( Promoter of world champions)

Bill promoted world champions Daniel Geale, Lovemore Ndou, Billy Dib, and Rob Medley in promotions in Australia and the USA. Bill was the owner of Grange Gym in Sydney that produced several champions, managed by Garrie Francisco with head trainer Graham Shaw.

Charlie Gergan (trainer of champions)

Charlie boxed as a professional and later trained Tony Mundine, Jeff Malcolm, and Troy Waters. Charlie also trained WBO super lightweight champion Sammy Fuentes at a Redondo Beach, California gym in the USA where he lived for several years before moving back to Australia.

John McColl (boxer, promoter and trainer)

John was an amateur middleweight and light heavyweight who boxed in Victoria and New South Wales in the 1960s. He trained several Australian and NSW champions including Wally Carr, John Layton, and Steve Dennis at the Glebe Estate Gym. John promoted early fights of Jeff Fenech and Jeff Harding at Marrickville RSL.

Craig Waller (Combat Sports Secretary)

Craig became a judge and referee in 1997 and was one of Australia’s leading officials until 2007 when he retired. Craig was appointed to Secretary of the New South Wales Boxing Authority and later the Combat Sports Secretary. He worked as an inspector and supervisor also until he retired in 2017.