Boxing: Alex Leapai Jr doesn’t regret quitting rugby league as he eyes a fourth professional win
It’s been 10 months since Alex Leapai Jr walked away from rugby league and a deal with the Titans. Now he has declared he has no regrets after being compared to boxing legend George Foreman ahead of his next fight.
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10 months on from his decision to walk away from the NRL and pursue boxing, Alex Leapai Jr doesn’t regret a thing.
The teenage sensation had a bright rugby league future ahead of him and three-year deal from the Titans, but is now on the quest to become the heavyweight world champion and complete the quest that his father, Alex Leapai Snr, came agonisingly close to realising.
He’s made a strong start to his professional boxing career with a 3-0 record since his first fight in April.
“I’m happy where I am. There’s a lot of stuff that happened when I left footy but since I left I’ve never turned my head back,” Leapai Jr said.
“My eyes have been on the goal and that’s chasing a world title.
“(Boxing is) exactly what I thought to be honest. I always had this thing where I’d fight three times at the end of the year after footy and my third fight would always be my best.
“My last (professional) fight was my third fight and I think that was my best fight of the year.
“I’m 16 months out of footy and I’ve come a long way, I give myself credit for that. I’m just blessed to have a good team behind me.”
His fourth professional fight is just a fortnight away. He will line up against Hector Tapueluelu - who has a 1-4-1 record - at the Penrith Panthers Leagues Club on November 20.
A fourth win from four bouts would be an “awesome” feat for Leapai Jr, who weighs in at 124kg and has biceps that could be mistaken for tree trunks.
“Every win’s a step closer to the dream, all I can do now is just keep fighting and focus on myself.”
Leapai Jnr’s third professional win came against Manusiu Fe’ao in September, and the power-packed teenager forced a second round stoppage when he pummelled his opponent out of the ring, leaving him bloodied and on the wrong side of the ropes.
“He was an awesome, tough dude, but it was just a matter of time before I caught him. I was just happy to get the job done,” Leapai Jr said.
His confidence has grown in spades since his first fight.
“Just my confidence and knowing my way around the ring,” he said of what he’s learnt so far.
“That’s also from just sparring so much. I’ve found myself in a position where I know what I need to improve on and I know when I’m switched on and switched off, the activity’s the best teacher.”
Last week in Burleigh, Leapai Jr sparred a former sparring partner of his father’s in Demsey McKean, who was tuning up to appear on the Tyson Fury undercard in Saudi Arabia next month.
McKean is a two-time Australian champion, and has also held the WBO Pan African title, Asia Pacific title, and IBF Intercontinental title. He had high praise for Leapai Jr after a gruelling six-round spar in which neither fighter held back.
“He’s a big unit, he comes forward, he’s done a lot of sparring with his father Alex Leapai, he’s just like him,” McKean said.
The famed Noel Thornberry is Leapai Jr’s trainer and he likened him to the great George Foreman. It’s a tag the 18-year-old is happy to embrace.
“It’s pretty cool to be compared to such an inspiration in heavyweight boxing,” Leapai Jr said.
“If there’s a word that could determine George Foreman, it’s power, I believe I can just keep working on my power and hopefully go the same way as George Foreman.
“I’ll give myself credit, 16 months and being compared to George Foreman is cool so I’ll take that.”
Thornberry also has Olympic bronze medallist David Nyika in his stable and took Leapai Snr to a heavyweight world title bout.
Leapai Snr famously fought Wladimir Klitschko for the heavyweight world title in 2014, but came up short.
It’s that loss that drives his son, it sits ever-present in the back of his mind. He believes his destiny is to finish what his father started.
“My mission now is to take boxing further than dad and become a world champion, I’ll do anything in my power to do that,” Leapai Jr said.
“So far, so good.”
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