Australian boxing star Michael Zerafa vows to win a world title after revealing his sister has been diagnosed with cancer

He is the bad boy of Australian boxing. But Michael Zerafa shows his softer side after revealing his sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer, giving him added motivation to win a world title.

Boxer Michael Zerafa training at his gym ahead of fight with Tim Tsuzu. Picture: Tony Gough

Michael Zerafa thought his most dangerous opponent was in the boxing ring.

Then the champion Melbourne middleweight discovered his sister, Michelle, was fighting cancer.

He may be regarded as the bad boy of Australian boxing, but Zerafa shows his softer, human side as he opens up about the family ordeal that is providing further motivation in his bid to become the nation’s next world champion.

In June, Michelle Zerafa was diagnosed with breast cancer. Last month, the 36-year-old mother of three underwent surgery to have her breast removed.

Michael Zerafa says his sister’s battle with breast cancer is heartbreaking.

Next month, Michelle will begin radiation treatment, just weeks before Zerafa returns to the ring in America in November in what shapes as his final hitout before he fights for the WBA world title next year.

The 31-year-old is just two wins away from conquering the world and rather than derail him, Michelle’s brave battle is driving ‘Pretty Boy’ to scale the summit after 13 years of professional toil.

“It’s pretty heartbreaking,” Zerafa says of his older sister’s cancer diagnosis.

“It’s been the worst thing in the world.

“My whole life I’ve been a fighter and one day she wakes up and she is fighting for her life.

“It‘s sad to see and also hard to see.

“My sister was always very bright and out and about, now she is bedridden, 24-7, with no energy … mentally and physically it’s been very draining.

Michael Zerafa is on the cusp of a world-title shot after his defeat of Danilo Creati last November.

“I saw a completely different change in her and her appearance with her weight loss.

“To find out she wasn’t well, it changes your outlook on life.

“Breast cancer is beating her at the moment, she’s had surgery to have the breast removed.

“It‘s a s***show at the moment, but I’m trying to be strong around her so she takes some power and motivation from me and her loved ones to keep fighting.”

Zerafa is finalising his next opponent, but he will feature on the undercard of the Erislandy Lara-Danny Garcia world-title blockbusters, scheduled for early November.

Contracts have been signed for the winner of the Garcia-Lara fight to take on Zerafa (31-4, 19KO) for the WBA middleweight world title.

Zerafa, the No. 1 mandatory with the WBA, must win his next fight to seal a world-title showdown that he will dedicate to his sick sister.

Michelle Zerafa while undergoing treatment for breast cancer

“In my next fight, I’ll be wearing pink gloves with my sister’s name on them,” he said.

“I will also have the cancer symbol on my shorts as a tribute to her and all cancer sufferers.

“I’m not only fighting for my legacy, but I’m fighting for my sister as well and, for that matter, anyone who is going through breast cancer.

“To see people battling cancer and what they have to go through, it’s really traumatic and I just want to send a message not to give up.

“I’ll be fighting for a world title very soon and if I can win it, this will be for my sister and all my supporters.

Michael Zerafa and sister Michelle

“I’m just a local kid from Craigieburn who had a dream and now I’m on the verge of fighting for a world title.

“That was all because I never gave up.

“I would never try to compare boxing to cancer, but hopefully my sister can keep fighting, get over this hurdle, and finds light at the end of the tunnel.”

Zerafa was criticised earlier this year for taking ‘step-aside’ money to allow the Lara-Garcia fight to take place, but the world-title hopeful scoffed at suggestions he was running scared from reigning WBA champion Lara.

“The truth is I didn’t have a say in the scheduling,” he said.

Zerafa will wear pink gloves in his next fight in November as a tribute to his sister.

“PBC (promoters Premier Boxing Champions) rang me and said Michael, ‘Congratulations, you are the mandatory, but we’re making the Garcia and Lara fight, so respectfully you have to wait one more fight and you will be paid step-aside money.

“I had no say really.

“I’m hardly going to take the WBA and PBC to court.

“They treated me with respect and the positive is I get another good fight to prep for the biggest fight of my life.

“Lara and Garcia have signed a contract that the winner of their fight will fight me next for the world title.

“It’s all locked in, it’s showtime very soon and I’ll be bringing the world title back to Australia for me, my fans and my sister.”

Originally published as Australian boxing star Michael Zerafa vows to win a world title after revealing his sister has been diagnosed with cancer