Jeff
Fenech
In 1987 Fenech met future world bantamweight champion Greg Richardson
and knocked him out if 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.
Featherweight champion
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.
Fenech joined boxing's exclusive group of fighters who have been world
champs in three or more divisions, by knocking Callejas out in the
10th 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.
In 1989, he beat Marcos Villasana and former Julio
Cesar Chavez challenger Mario Martinez, both by decision.
Super
featherweight title challenges
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. After 12 ferocious rounds the bout was controversially
declared a draw with many of the boxing press who were present (as
well as Tyson) claiming that Fenech had been robbed of a clear win.
Fenech returned to Australia and after beating Miguel Francia, Nelson
travelled to Melbourne to offer Fenech a second title try. This time
in front of over 30,000 fans at the Princes Park football stadium,
Fenech suffered his first loss, when he was knocked out in the eighth
round for Nelson to retain the world title. Fenech's TKO loss was
recognized as the Ring Magazine Upset of the Year.
After that
fight, he fought sporadically. In 1993, he was beaten in seven rounds
by knockout by American former IBF featherweight champion Calvin Grove
at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, and in 1995, he beat Tialano
Tovar, by a knockout in eight in New Jersey.
Lightweight title
challenge
In 1996, in what was thought to have been his last fight
(he fought Nelson a third time 12 years later), he lost to IBF lightweight
champion Phillip Holiday of South Africa by a knockout in the second
round. He retired after the bout.
Fenech retired with a record
of 28 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw, with 21 wins by knockout.