Michael Zerafa ready to cause ‘boilover’ on the Tszyu-Fundora undercard having faced death threats and dealing with cancer in his family
Melburnian middleweight Michael Zerafa has “gone through some dark days” dealing with the unacceptable fallout from his decision not to fight Tim Tszyu in 2021 and then learning his sister had cancer. He is using the emotion to steel him to upset Erislandy Lara.
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Michael Zerafa says facing death threats and his sister’s battle with cancer has steeled him for the biggest fight of his life on Sunday.
The Melbourne mauler has vowed to shock the boxing world when he faces champion Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight strap on the undercard of the Tim Tszyu-Sebastian Fundora blockbuster in Las Vegas.
Zerafa (31-4, 19KO) will start as a raging outsider against Lara (29-3-3, 17KO), a classy Cuban-born stylist who has never been stopped and gone the distance with Mexican legend Canelo Alvarez.
But with Lara on the cusp of his 41st birthday, Zerafa says he is primed to pull off a monster boilover and finally become a world champion after 13 years of professional toil.
“I feel amazing,” said the 32-year-old Zerafa, who weighed in at 71.9kg compared to Lara’s 72.5kg.
“I am going in there to shock the world.
“As a seven-year-old kid, the dream was to be a world champion and now it’s within touching distance.
“To finally work my way up against all the animosity and all the things that have gone against me, to win a world title would be a fairytale story and a happy ending for me.”
The animosity stemmed from the Zerafa camp’s decision to pull out of his scheduled Australian super fight against Tim Tszyu in July 2021.
Amid the fallout, Zerafa copped hate mail, death threats and there was even a contract hit put out on his life, prompting Australia’s No. 1 middleweight to file a report with Victorian police.
To compound his plight, Zerafa’s older sister Michelle was diagnosed with cancer last June. She underwent surgery to have her breast removed and Zerafa says he will dedicate a world-title win to the mother of three.
“I’ve gone through some dark days,” Zerafa said.
“My sister is still fighting. I am in her corner and she’s in mine and we are sticking together. This fight is for her, I am putting everything on the line against Lara.
“I have overcome the lowest of lows. I had death threats after all the Tszyu drama. I have had the worst thrown at me. There were days where I didn’t leave the house because I didn’t feel safe.
“The lack of support and the lies have been hard to take at times. It was a shit period of my life to be honest, but I just stayed close to the people I love and they helped get me through it.
“Now I’m fighting for a world title and this is my time.”
Lara has threatened to knockout Zerafa within six rounds. The ‘Pretty Boy’ hasn’t fought in 16 months, but dismissed concerns of ring rust and the suggestion he lacks the mental toughness to deliver under pressure.
“Mentally, I’m fine,” he said.
“The only people who question my mindset are the ones who don’t know me. I don’t shy away from any challenge. I went to America and fought Peter Quillin as a 22-year-old kid.
“How can people say I don’t have the balls or mindset? It baffles me.
“I’m hoping this fight helps Aussie fans see the other side of me. It would be great for me and Tim Tszyu to fly the flag for Australian boxing and win world titles on the same day in Vegas.
“I’ve left nothing in the tank for this. There’s no excuses with injuries. Winning a world title would fulfil a boyhood dream.”
Originally published as Michael Zerafa ready to cause ‘boilover’ on the Tszyu-Fundora undercard having faced death threats and dealing with cancer in his family
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