Jeff Fenech retroactively awarded super-featherweight world title 30 years after Azumah Nelson fight
Thirty years after he was controversially denied the super-featherweight belt, Jeff Fenech has finally received justice and his fourth world title.
Boxing/MMA
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Thirty years after Jeff Fenech endured the worst robbery in Australian boxing history, the WBC has retroactively awarded him his fourth world title.
At a World Boxing Council convention in Acapulco, Mexico, Fenech was handed the super-featherweight belt he had been denied when judges decided his infamous fight in 1991 against Azumah Nelson was a draw.
The fight at the Mirage hotel and casino, on a Mike Tyson undercard, remains one of the most controversial results in boxing history.
So much so WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman was moved to form a “special committee” to review the fight.
“All the ring officials from all over the world score the bout in favour of Jeff Fenech,” the convention was told. “The WBC board of governors approve the motion to crown Jeff Fenech to become a four-time world champion.”
Fenech joins a select group of boxers, including Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns and ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard, to have won world boxing titles across four weight divisions.
On stage to present Fenech with his belt were boxing greats Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez and Miguel Cotto.
“We are having a big party,” Fenech told News Corp.
“Brother you wouldn’t believe it. Chavez, Duran and Cotto gave me my belt. You want to hear what’s funny? Chavez was on the stage said, ‘the belt’s not gonna fit the fat bastard anymore.
“It’s crazy, brother. It would’ve meant more to me back when I really won the fight.
“But for them, the WBC, to do this is so special — far out it means so much to me.
“I’ve got 20 or 30 Aussies who have flown over with me. It’s an incredibly special night.”
Other legendary boxers celebrating with Fenech included multiple world champions Vinny Pazienza and Antonio Tarver.
“I love Jeff, he’s a bad-ass,” Pazienza said.
“And I’m a bad-ass — we’re both bad-asses.”
“Jeff is a bomb and boxing is a crazy life.”
“He is a fighter that everybody wanted to see, when Jeff was on TV everybody watched his fights.
“Put the story together real good for Jeff.”
On that infamous evening in 1991, the official judges Jerry Roth of Las Vegas had Fenech ahead 115-113, Miguel Donate of Puerto Rico scored it 116-112 for Nelson and Dave Moretti of Las Vegas had it 114-114.
The decision was booed by 15,000 fans at the venue.
“It was total bullcrap – I’ve been robbed,” Fenech said at the time.
“The whole world knows I won.”
Most believe Nelson won three of the first four rounds but Fenech the remaining eight rounds.
Fenech and Nelson fought three times. A year after the Las Vegas fight, Nelson beat Fenech in Melbourne, stopping him in the eighth round.
In March 2008, when both were way past their best and 10kg heavier than in 1992, Fenech, 43 and Nelson, 49, had one final exhibition fight.
The three judges scored the bout 96-94, 96-94 and 95-95 to Fenech.
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