Story behind Anthony Younan, prize fighter nephew of Preston’s slain running mate Nabil Maghnie

A boxer arrested at the scene of Gavin “Capable” Preston’s fatal shooting reportedly assaulted a former rival of the underworld figure in the months leading up to his death.

A boxer arrested at the scene of Gavin “Capable” Preston’s fatal shooting reportedly assaulted a former rival of the underworld figure in the months leading up to his death.

The Herald Sun can reveal that the man placed in handcuffs and pinned to the ground by police in the wake of Preston’s alleged daytime murder was Anthony Younan, the nephew of Preston’s slain accomplice Nabil Maghnie.

Younan, 35, is understood to have unleashed a brutal public assault on Preston’s former rival and veteran gangland figure Tommy Ivanovic, who was housed in the same Barwon Prison unit when Matthew ‘The General’ Johnson beat Carl Williams to death.

Boxer Anthony Younan was arrested by police at the scene of Gavin Preston's shooting.

Younan with his late uncle Nabil Maghnie.

Ivanovic was working at a Spotswood construction site in February this year when Younan, a trained boxer, targeted him on the job.

Talk about a blow-up between the pair was believed to have been rife for days before the boxer launched his assault on Ivanovic after a verbal spat.

“It’s gonna happen in the next week … Anthony’s gonna bash Tommy,” a source recalled.

Younan was seen approaching Ivanovic, known as Little Tommy, at the large-scale work site when he allegedly asked the convicted murderer whether he remained a member of the notorious Prisoners of War gang.

“Mind your business,” Ivanovic could be heard saying.

Younan allegedly replied: “Gavin’s getting out soon” before landing several punches to Ivanovic’s head and upper body.

Younan, a semi-pro cruiserweight fighter, the class between light heavyweight and heavyweight, fought in several rounds at the trouble-plagued Melbourne Pavilion boxing venue in Kensington.

Younan was arrested at the scene of Preston’s shooting. Picture: David Crosling

He had reportedly assaulted an ex associate of Preston in the months leading up to his death. Picture: David Crosling

He knocked out two opponents at the venue between April and June 2019.

In June 2020, Younan was charged for allegedly assaulting a mother in front of her children inside her Craigieburn home.

He was bailed in September that year over the alleged assault, during which he grabbed the woman by her throat and punched her in front of her two young sons.

Ivanovic was paroled in 2018 after serving 15 years behind bars for shooting dead a cyclist in a road rage incident in 2002 and had since picked up work in construction.

It is not known whether Younan was acting on orders from Preston himself when he launched at his former associate, who had a history of interference in the construction industry.

Preston had previously stood over and bashed employees during his time at Delta Construction.

Younan is a semi-pro cruiserweight fighter.

Younan in peak boxing form. Picture: Supplied,

Ivanovic was just one of many who were at odds with Preston.

A senior Melbourne underworld identity was also recently approached by police with concerns about Preston’s interest in him.

Others included the Marrogi family and Matthew Johnson, his former ally who helped form the Prisoners of War gang inside jail in the 1990s before the pair fell out.

Detectives investigating Preston’s death are expected to probe his standover work in a bid to locate his killers, who were captured on CCTV running up to Preston and shooting him dead as he sat relaxed at a Keilor cafe on Saturday.

The killers then fled and torched a black Audi Q5 nearby.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.