Paulo Aokuso retains former Comanchero boss Fidel Tukel as advisor after NSW boxing ban
Star boxer Paulo Aokuso is backing in his advisor Fidel Tukel, despite the NSW Combat Sports Authority banning him over previous links to a bikie gang.
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Boxing star Paulo Aokuso is standing by his advisor Fidel Tukel, who has been banned by the NSW Combat Sports Authority over previous links to the Comanchero bikie gang.
Tukel had fought the ban with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) but they upheld the ruling last Wednesday, which means he can’t be in Aokuso’s corner when the undefeated fighter takes on Renold Quinlan in Sydney on Wednesday night.
A one-time president of the Comanchero, Tukel gave up his patch in 2016 to focus on his family and sporting endeavours.
However, NSW Police presented secret evidence – which Tukel and his legal team were not allowed to see or defend – to claim that he was not a “fit and proper” person to hold a registration as a fight trainer in the state.
Tukel can continue to train fighters elsewhere, including his new home in Queensland, and attend events in NSW, but not as a trainer.
Aokuso was not perturbed over the tribunal decision last week.
“Nothing changes, it’s business as usual,” Aokuso said.
“Fidel will continue to be part of my team, he will continue to do what he’s been doing for me.
“Our relationship is still the same, I’m training hard, the camp goes on.
“I’ve got my coach Lincoln Hudson with me on fight night, I’ve got my team around me, nothing really changes.”
References from sporting identities including Jeff Fenech, Danny Green, Johnny Lewis and Jim Dymock praising Tukel’s character were not enough to sway NCAT member Theresa Simon from upholding CSA’s ruling.
Tukel is expected to attend Aokuso’s fight at Moore Park, however he will not be allowed at ringside under CSA’s orders.
But the Olympian light-heavyweight, undefeated with a 4-0 (3KO) record, says that won’t affect his performance or the outcome against upset king Quinlan (16-12, 11KO).
“You’re going to see the best Sweet P yet, I’m going to retire him,” Aokuso said.
“I’m definitely going to stop him.
“When I was still in the amateurs I called out Renold, I called out the top three because I wanted to show Australia that as an amateur starting his pro career that I want to be the best, and I’ll fight the best, Renold was in the top three.
“This is the name I wanted. Now I’ve got it in my fourth fight, I’m No.27 in the world, and I will make a statement.”
However, 34-year-old Quinlan defeated Daniel Geale in 2016 for the IBO super-middleweight title and produced the upset of the year in 2022 by knocking out previously unbeaten Jack Bowen.
“The same mentality I had for Geale, the same mentality I had for Bowen, I’ve got for Aokuso,” Quinlan said.
“He’s been calling me out but he’s made a mistake. This ain’t going the distance, once I land on his chin he’ll be sleeping.”
The four-fight No Limit Boxing card will be televised live on Wednesday from 8pm on Fox Sports and Kayo.
HOW BRONCOS SNUB KICK-STARTED AOKUSO’S CAREER
Like many Western Sydney kids, Paulo Aokuso’s earliest sporting dream was to play in the NRL.
Growing up in Mt Druitt, he made plenty of rep teams and even ran out for Parramatta’s Harold Matts side.
Those first grade aspirations didn’t change when the Aokuso family moved to Brisbane and Paulo transferred to the Broncos’ development squad.
Admittedly though, he was, “A pretty big boy” and only lasted two training sessions before receiving the call.
“Coach rang me and was like, ‘Sorry, mate, we can’t have you back’,” Aokuso tells this masthead. “I was like, ‘You know what, this dream ain’t happening’.
“I was probably unfit or something. I might not have passed a test or something and as soon as I got that call, it was like a sign.
“But look where I am now. It’s pretty crazy.”
That fateful call from the Broncos set in motion a series of events that would see Aokuso turn to boxing, win his first amateur fight at super heavyweight after just six weeks of training and eventually head to the Olympics in Tokyo.
It’s been a rocky road at times, but this Wednesday, in the most telling sign that the call from Brisbane was the right one, Aokuso will headline his first fight card in just his fifth bout as a professional.
“It’s pretty crazy I’m the main event already in just my fifth fight,” he says. “Now all the NRL boys all support me, it’s hectic.
“They always get around it, wishing me luck. Heaps of the boys were at my last fight, even Jarome Luai, so it’s great to have all their support.”
It’s been a rapid rise for the kid from Mt Druitt, but Aokuso says he feels at home under the bright lights.
He just needs to think back to the eerie quiet of the Olympics in front of near-empty stands for a reminder.
“I walked out and it was very quiet, and I was like, ‘Am I even experiencing the Olympics, or am I here for sparring?’” he says. “It was so quiet.
“If I landed a punch, you couldn’t hear anything, there was no cheering.”
Aokuso lost his round of 16 fight in a razor-thin split decision, and immediately moved into the professional ranks.
“When my fight didn’t go my way, I was embarrassed. I was so sad,” he says. “I was down, going through a lot of emotions. I was done with the amateur game, I didn’t want to do it anymore.
“I just wanted to do me. I wanted to go pro. If anything, I was never fighting to go to the Olympics anyway, I just wanted to be the best in Australia and win the national title.
“But then I made the Olympics and thought I could go the whole way.”
Since turning pro in April last year, Aokuso has done it all his own way. On his terms.
“As a person, I like to have fun, and muck around a lot,” he says. “I know I get annoying, but that’s the person I am.
“I like to live my life. There’s no tomorrow, so I like to be active, show off a little bit. That’s the person I am.
“I put that into my boxing as well. People think it’s cocky, but if anything, it’s me having fun, doing what I love and being me.”
His last fight, on the undercard to Tim Tszyu’s world title blockbuster against Tony Harrison in Sydney, was another chance for Aokuso to showcase what he’s all about.
“Being on that card, with the massive atmosphere, people all over the world watching, it was pretty hectic,” he says. “But it felt like I’d been there before, if that makes sense.
“It felt like I was made for the bigger crowd. I felt used to it already.”
Like some of the footy players he grew up with who now sit ringside at his fights, Aokuso knows his approach won’t be for everyone.
“I see comments and stuff about me being too confident or cocky or moving up too fast, but I’m all good with it,” he says. “People are going to hate at the end of the day.
“As long as they’re still watching me, that’s all that matters.”
Aokuso fights wily veteran Renold Quinlan in this Wednesday’s headline fight in Sydney, and the 26-year-old says it’s the next step in his ultimate objective in the sport.
“My goal is if my mum or dad wants something, I want to be the person to say, ‘Yep, I’ll get that’,” he says. “That’s the number one goal I want to have.
“Just to buy anything my parents want. Anything. They worked hard to pay for anything we wanted as kids. It was tough, mum worked two jobs, dad worked in the mines and was away three weeks on, one week off.
“At the end of the day, we’re doing our best to give back to them.”
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Originally published as Paulo Aokuso retains former Comanchero boss Fidel Tukel as advisor after NSW boxing ban
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