Boxing legend Jeff Fenech says he is lucky to be alive after his second bout of open-heart surgery

Nothing can stop Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech. Not even a freak staph infection which forced Fenech to undergo a second bout of open-heart surgery.

Boxing great Jeff Fenech in hospital in March 2024. Photo: Supplied

Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech has opened up about his life-threatening medical condition, revealing he is lucky to be alive.

“I should be dead,” Fenech said.

The 59-year-old Hall of Fame legend admits he is fortunate to be celebrating his 60th birthday next month after undergoing a second bout of open-heart surgery to treat a freak staph infection.

Fenech has returned home in recent days and is still recovering from a six-hour operation to correct a leaking infected heart valve which left him with spiking temperatures for 12 days.

Jeff Fenech on the mend

Australia’s greatest boxer was hoping to work for Fox Sports in commentary on Nikita Tszyu’s fight against Danilo Creati this Wednesday night at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, the scene of his famous world-title win over Satoshi Shingaki in 1985.

But Fenech has opted to rest and watch the Main Event coverage from his Sydney home, admitting he has feared for his life in recent weeks.

“I am back home. This has been the most horrific thing I have ever been through, I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone,” Fenech said.

“I can’t even bring myself to go anywhere. I was hoping to be there on the 24th (for the Tszyu fight), but I’m not up to going.

“I don’t know if it’s luck, but I’m very lucky to be alive and my family is looking after me.

“The doctors said if I wasn’t as tough as I was, I would be dead.”

Fenech has previously had heart issues, undergoing lifesaving heart surgery in Thailand in 2019 to replace an infected heart valve after he was rushed to hospital after coughing up blood.

Jeff Fenech, with his partner Suzee and boxing trainer Fidel Tukel (right), is on the mend.

But the four-time world champion says his most recent episode was more frightening than his health shock in Bangkok.

“This is three times worse than what I went through in Thailand,” Fenech said.

“I’ve gone through hell.

“I had no real signs. For a few days I had pretty high temperatures, I went to the doctor three times and they sent me home.

“Then I started getting a really sore wrist and my calf was sore.

“They did some X-rays and saw something was wrong. I was rushed straight to emergency for surgery.”

Fenech remains under close medical observation and is making hospital visits to drain fluid from his lungs.

“I’ve had major surgeries. They cut two-and-a-half centimetres of infection out of my calf,” Fenech said.

“I was in hospital a few weeks and I’ve been in and out the last week.

“They took 2.5 litres of fluid out of my lungs a week ago and I did another 2.5 litres two days ago, so it’s been really hard.

“It came out of nowhere. I got a bad staph infection. Something got into my skin and went straight to my major organs.

“Thankfully, the infection started to drop down. If the infection rose to my brain, I would be dead, but the infection went to my kidney, my wrist and my calf.

“During surgery, the doctors had to wait for 35 hours because I had almost no oxygen, they didn’t know if I was going to live.

“They ended up operating on me the next day.

“It’s been pretty tough.

Four-time world champion Fenech nearly died in Thailand after a heart scare five years ago.

“I am very lucky to still be here.

Despite his health ordeal, Fenech managed to watch Tim Tszyu’s world-title loss to Sebastian Fundora and was blown away by the Australian’s bravery to fight 10 rounds with blood gushing from a nasty head gash.

“I thought Tim was amazing,” Fenech said.

“If his corner stops the fight in the fourth round, it’s a draw and he keeps his belt.

“No disrespect to them because I love his team, but they didn’t know what to do or how to handle it.

“It’s sad because Tim is such a great fighter.

“He went through a war and he didn’t have to because we know Tim is made of the strongest stuff.

“If I was in his corner, he wouldn’t have gone the 12 rounds. I would have had it stopped in the fourth round and Tim would still be world champion. But his team has done a great job for a long time so I won’t be too critical.

“The doctor should have stopped it but that’s where your corner has to come in and put pressure on the doctor to stop it.

“I feel sorry for Tim, but he will bounce back and he will become world champion again.”

Originally published as Boxing legend Jeff Fenech says he is lucky to be alive after his second bout of open-heart surgery