Former world champion boxer Michael Katsidis fighting in Fred Brophy Boxing Tent

He fought the world’s greatest boxers before the death of his brother almost destroyed his life. Now Michael Katsidis is ready to step back into the ring. Find out why here.

Former world champion Michael Katsidis will fight in the Fred Brophy Boxing Tent this Saturday – raising funds to support at risk youth. Picture: Liam Kidston

From the dizzying lights of Las Vegas and world title fights to soul destroying time behind bars, Michael Katsidis has experienced every emotion life has to offer.

From the highest high to the lowest low he has survived and now he is helping others the only way he knows how – by fighting.

The former two-time interim WBO lightweight champion will step into the famous Fred Brophy Boxing Tent this Saturday to raise money for a number of not-for-profits helping at risk youth.

“I feel like Fred Brophy has been a part of my life forever,” Katsidis said.

“I remember first seeing it at the Toowoomba Show in 1996 or 1997 and I thought this is absolutely amazing, look at these blokes (boxers), I loved what I was seeing.”

The famed boxing tent tours Queensland, pitting boxers travelling with the troupe against keen locals with Brophy OAM officiating the bouts.

More than 20 years later in 2019, Katsidis stepped into the Brophy tent as a ‘keen local’ and a very different man to the that teenage boy from the mid-’90s.

“I was driving home from Toowoomba to the Gold Coast when I saw the tent at the Gem Hotel,” he said.

“I stopped, went in they introduced me to Fred, he recognised me straight and I asked him if I could fight.

“I told him I’d fight as many people as he could line up. I think he was a bit shocked but I fought two or three people that night.

“Things were a lot different then, I was a lot different. It’s no secret I was drinking heavily and doing a lot of bad stuff then still struggling with the death of Stathi (his brother).”

Michael Katsidis drops Graham Earl during their world title fight in 2007.

Katsidis steps into the tent again this Saturday at the Walloon Hotel fighting for a new cause.

“I’m back this weekend and I’m pretty excited,” he said.

“It’s different this time. It’s not about me, it’s not an ego this about me helping others one of the only ways I know how – boxing.

“It (boxing) gave me purpose, changed my life and took me all over the world.

“When everything went wrong, when it (Katsidis life) all crashed down and after prison it (boxing) helped me rebuild, helped me fight back take control of my life by looking after my physical and mental health – including training and helping others.

“I want to show people you can rise all the way high, crash to the bottom of the earth and come back.

“Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.”

Part of Katsidis’ return to the ring includes a fundraising campaign from the now 45-year-old.

Proceeds from his campaign will go to Everything Suarve and other not-for-profits.

“They (Everything Suarve) are an amazing organisation giving at risk youth purpose, drive and skills for life,” he said.

“Studies have shown that jail time doesn’t help solve the problem, it only makes it worse for those kids.

“We need programs like this to help our kids.”

Originally published as Former world champion boxer Michael Katsidis fighting in Fred Brophy Boxing Tent