Ahead of Jeff Horn’s world title elimination bout against Michael Zerafa in Bendigo on Saturday, The Courier-Mail’s Grantlee Kieza – elected to the Australian Boxing Hall of Fame last year – rates Australia’s best 50 fighters.
Picking from men and women, amateur and pro boxers, the list is an incredible mix of different backgrounds and styles.
Today we reveal numbers 20 to 11, before counting down each day until the best of the best is revealed on Friday.
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50. WILLIS MEEHAN
The son of world heavyweight title challenger Kali Meehan, he was sacked by the Sydney Roosters for disciplinary reasons but has been the one handing out the punishment as a 195cm man-mountain in pro boxing.
He is a former Australian amateur super-heavyweight champion.
Resides in Sydney after being born in Auckland and holds an 8-0 record as a pro boxer.
49. JACK BRUBAKER
One of the most exciting boxers in Australia, and a fan favourite on Main Event telecasts.
The Sydney welterweight lost a thrilling Commonwealth title fight with Toowoomba’s now retired Kris George and his last two battles with Ty Telford and Danny Kennedy have been crackers.
The 27-year-old, based out of Cronulla, holds a 16-2-2 record.
48. TRENT BROADHURST
Was riding high after 13 consecutive wins but suffered back-to-back defeats against Russian world light-heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol and Melbourne’s Blake Caparello.
The 31-year-old Brisbane fighter – based in Slacks Creek – has a 22-3 win/loss record.
47. WES CAPPER
A former kickboxer and MMA champion, he held former world middleweight titleholder Sam Soliman to a draw last year.
Based out of Perth, the 31-year-old Capper is known for his signature dance after each victory.
Holds a 20-3-1 record after debuting in 2011.
46. DANIEL LEWIS
Rio Olympian rated by Jeff Fenech as one of Australia’s best prospects.
A heavy punching Sydney middleweight with an aggressive style, the 25-year-old holds a 3-0 record in pro boxing since debuting in March this year.
45. NATHANIEL MAY
Brilliant featherweight from Bunbury, WA.
He won 17 straight but the death of trainer Pete Stokes from cancer has stalled his career and he lost his last fight in England last month.
The 24-year-old holds a 21-2 record since debuting 2013.
44. APRIL ADAMS
Tough and determined, the Brisbane fighter went the distance in a world title bout with Danish super-bantamweight Dina Thorsland in her last start in June.
The 31-year-old holds an 11-2-1 record since her pro debut in 2015.
43. BRANDON OGILVIE
The Perth fighter has won five straight since dropping a decision to rampaging lightweight George Kambosos in 2016.
Made his pro debut in 2012 and holds a record of 22-2-1. The 25-year-old is based out of Perth.
42. KAYE SCOTT
A silver medallist at the 2016 World Championships and a bronze medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, she is coached by Olympian Jamie Pittman.
Based out of Sydney, the 35-year-old also captained the 2014 Commonwealth Games boxing team.
41. MARK FLANAGAN
A devastating puncher from Townsville, he went 12 rounds in a world title fight with Russian great Denis Lebedev in 2017. The 29-year-old holds a 24-7 record since debuting in 2009, with 17 knockouts to his name.
40. TY TELFORD
Rising welterweight star who drew with Jack Brubaker in a fight many thought Telford won. Has only had six pro fights but is already making waves.
39. RENOLD QUINLAN
A former IBO world champion who sensationally knocked out former world middleweight titleholder Daniel Geale but has now lost three in a row.
38. JOEL CAMILLERI
Tough former Australian champ, who lost his last start against Tim Tszyu. Has moved from Melbourne to spar with Jeff Horn in Brisbane.
37. REAGAN DESSAIX
Rising star who won the Australian light-heavyweight title in his last bout. A stylish Brisbane boxer with plenty of power.
36. JUSTIS HUNI
A big hope for the Tokyo Olympics, the young Logan giant won the world youth super-heavyweight title in St Petersburg, Russia in 2016 beating fighters from Olympic boxing powerhouses Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia before nailing American Richard Torrez in the semi-final and outclassing Giorgi Tchigladze of Georgia to win gold.
35. BILLEL DIB
A Gold Coast accountant, he is a two-time Australian super-featherweight champion and is ranked No. 7 in the world by the WBO.
34. ANJA STRIDSMAN
The Swedish-born fighter from the NSW Central Coast, won the women’s 60kg gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while fighting with her dodgy knee strengthened by an achilles tendon taken from a cadaver.
33. DEMSEY MCKEAN
A former MMA fighter, the 198cm Tower of Terror now holds the Australian heavyweight boxing title and is unbeaten in 15 pro bouts.
32. HARRY GARSIDE
Gold medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, he is ranked No. 12 in the world at 64kg.
31. TEJ PRATAP SINGH
A slick, awkward southpaw from Melbourne, he has staged great performances against Sam Soliman, Wes Capper and Jake Carr in recent years.
30. SKYE NICHOLSON
Gold medallist at 57 kg at her home Commonwealth Games in 2018 on the Gold Coast, she also won bronze at the 2016 World Championships
29. PAUL FLEMING
Brilliant 57kg 2008 Olympian from Tully who is undefeated in 26 pro fights. At age 31 he is still to step up to the top shelf of competition.
28. JACOB NG
Tough and flamboyant, the pink attired showman from the Gold Coast is a world youth champion now ranked the No. 15 contender for the world lightweight title. He is unbeaten in 11 fights
27. BILLY DIB
A former world featherweight champion with a 45-6 win/loss record, he went the distance in a world super-featherweight title bout last year before being stopped by the much bigger Brit Amir Khan in Saudi Arabia last month.
26. SHANNON O’CONNELL
The Logan mother of three, has held world titles at super-bantamweight and featherweight. At 36, she is tough, aggressive and determined and dedicates every fight to her late father Kevin who was killed in a motorcycle speedway accident when she was just two. Faces a tough test against long-time rival Bianca Elmir in Bendigo on the Horn-Zerafa card.
25. RIVAN CESAIRE
A Cameroon-born boxer from Melbourne, he has beaten top Aussies Paddy Murphy and Todd Kidd but came off second best against Jeff Horn. Fast, clever and tough.
24. CESAR MATEO TAPIA
A Mexican-born Sydney prospect at super-middleweight, he is now unbeaten in 11 fights, having outboxed Renold Quinlan and Jeff Horn cornerman Adam Copland in recent fights.
23. DWIGHT RITCHIE
Lost a tough battle against Tim Tszyu in his last fight but this Shepparton middleweight remains a world-class performer. Would be more dangerous if he had KO power.
22. DEANHA HOBBS
The Jimboomba super-lightweight has an 8-1 pro record. When not punching on as one of the country’s most exciting boxers she works in a car wrecking yard and cares for lost animals and injured wildlife in her spare time.
21. JAYDE MITCHELL
The polished super-middleweight from Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula has beaten tough Aussie Kerry Foley and Dane Kim Poulsen in his last two fights and is ranked No. 8 in the world by the WBC.
20. JOE GODDALL
In the top 20 on potential. A silver medallist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medallist at the world championships, the 193cm gentle giant is unbeaten in six pro fights with five KO wins.
19. ANTHONY MUNDINE
The former rugby league star won his first world title in 2003 and was dynamic more than a decade ago as WBA super-middleweight champ. He has lost three of his last four fights.
18. BILAL AKKAWY
The 26-year-old Sydney power puncher is a sparring partner for world champ Canelo Alvarez but came up short in his own title shot against English southpaw John Ryder.
17. ZAC DUNN
The Melbourne super-middleweight has 29 wins in 30 fights and has won six in a row since losing his Commonwealth title to Scot body-puncher David Brophy.
16. SUSIE RAMADAN
A Melbourne boxer with Turkish and Albanian heritage, she has held both the IBF and WBC world bantamweight titles and has 27 wins in 30 pro fights.
15. LUCAS BROWNE
Enjoyed one of the great moments in Australian boxing when he climbed from the floor to beat world champ Ruslan Chagaev in Grozny in 2016. The years since have been clouded by supplements scandals and two KO losses.
14. ALEX LEAPAI
Fought for the world heavyweight title in 2014 and subsequently went the distance with leading contenders Malik Scott and Manuel Charr. In his last fight lasted into the 10th round against former WBO world heavyweight champ Joseph Parker.
13. TIM TSZYU
Not yet in the class of father Kostya but has done amazing things in his 14 pro fights, beating Joel Camilleri and Dwight Ritchie in his last two starts. Has a lightning jab and right hand and holds the Australian super-welterweight title.
12. JAI OPETAIA
A world junior champion, he was named for the 2012 Olympic team when just 16 years of age. As a pro he is now unbeaten in 18 fights and ranked No. 11 in the WBA’s cruiserweight division.
11. BROCK JARVIS
Trained by Jeff Fenech, he is ranked the No. 15 world super-bantamweight by the IBF and is undefeated in 16 pro fights. He fights former world title challenger Ernesto Saulong on the Horn-Zerafa undercard in Bendigo.
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