In 2022, many exciting and vital matches took place, including three fights for the championship title, with the participation of top Australian boxers. In this article, we will remember all those who showed themselves perfectly, strengthening their positions in the world rankings. We recommend that all fans of this male sport continue to follow them closely in 2023.
Top 5 The Best Australian Boxers
Here are five of the most promising Australian boxers.
Jai Opetaia
Last year, Jai Opetaia, who knows no defeats, realized his main dream – about the champion title. This was possible thanks to the victory over Mairis Briedis, the reigning IBF heavyweight champion. The unanimous decision of the judges awarded the win.
The result of this confrontation was also the broken jaw of Opetaia in two places. After the fight, he could not utter a word from pain, going to a hospital bed for the next couple of days. However, between two breaks in the second and final twelfth rounds, the 27-year-old southpaw boxed so well that he earned unanimous approval from the judges and respect from his rival, Mairis Briedis.
The first championship title was given to the Australian at a genuinely high price. After a complex operation to stitch the jaw with metal plates for several months, he ate only through a straw. Therefore, nothing is surprising in that the first fight to defend the newly acquired title is not even in the plans yet: the player has a long way to go before the final restoration.
By the way, this was only the second defeat of Mairis Briedis in his entire 13-year professional boxing career. He received the first from the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning world heavyweight champion, who in 2022 was recognized as the best boxer of the year.
It is no secret that boxing is an incredibly exciting and gambling sport. Therefore, many Australians bet on the results of boxing matches, including fights for championship titles. In addition, no less excitement can be experienced from playing slots, blackjack, or online poker in Australia if no boxing match is suitable for betting yet.
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George Kambosos Jr
At the beginning of last year, Kambosos, an Australian professional boxer with Greek roots, was an undefeated three-belt world lightweight champion. At the end of 2021, thanks to a decision of the judges in his favor, he emerged victorious from the match with Teofimo Lopez, which took place at Madison Square Garden.
Charged to win in the next fight, to defend the title, he chose not the easiest opponent for himself – the American Devin Haney. A victory would guarantee him another missing championship belt in his career. Haney, like Kambosos, was also undefeated before this match. Unfortunately for Kambosos, the win this time was awarded to the American.
In the contract, which was concluded before the fight, Kambosos prudently included a clause on a mandatory rematch in the event of his defeat. So, we may soon continue this story in the form of a rematch. And maybe this time, she will have a happier ending for the Australian.
Tim Tszyu
Another 28-year-old welterweight boxer, Tim Tszyu, who does not know the bitterness of defeat, has every chance to repeat the success of his famous father with Russian roots – Kostya Tszyu. On January 28, 2023, the decisive match of his career was to take place with the American champion Jermell Charlo.
However, just a few days before the scheduled fight in Las Vegas, the American broke his arm during sparring and in two places. This injury has become no less offensive for Tim because he may lose the chance to demonstrate his best fighting qualities at the peak of his form. So in a hurry, they will start looking for a new opponent. The most likely contender for this role is Russian Magomed Kurbanov, who beat Tim Tszyu in the world rankings after an epic victory over Venezuelan Joan Gonzalez.
Liam Wilson
In February 2023, Australian featherweight champion Liam Wilson had an excellent opportunity to win the title against Mexican WBO champion Emanual Navarrete.
In 2022, he had two fights and came out victorious in both. In one of them, he managed to take revenge on Joy Noynay, who, in 2021, inflicted the only defeat on the Australian. Until February of this year, there were 12 fights in his professional career.
In the match with Emanual Navarrete, he also had every chance to increase his winning streak by one more fight. In the 4th round, a series of successful hits sent the Mexican to the platform. However, he managed to recover, and by the 9th round, Navarrete’s advantage turned out to be so evident that the victory was awarded by technical knockout. Despite the disappointing defeat, there is a strong feeling that 26-year-old Liam Wilson has all the primary wins yet to come.
Steve Spark
For Steve Spark, who competes in the super lightweight weight category, 2022 has been quite eventful – the Australian has fought four fights and won all of them. In the last fight he went to the US for, Spark faced local star, Montana Love. If he had won, he would have received the WBA Intercontinental Championship.
Having spent a confident first round, already in the second, the Australian boxer knocked down his opponent. And in the 6th round, something happened that determined the outcome of the dressed-up match – in violation of all the rules, the American pushed Steve Spark out of the ring. The referee did not ignore this and disqualified Montana Love, who did not know of defeats before this match. This is another Aussie to watch for future fights in the ring in 2023.
Other Aussie Fighters on The Rise
There are many more young Australian boxers whose career development will be interesting to watch in the coming years. Sam Goodman, Justis Huni, Cesar Mateo Tapia, Joel Taylor, Jason Moloney, Liam Paro, Michael Zerafa, and much more.