Boxing news 2024: Trainer’s explosive claims following wild post-fight melee
The fallout continues after one of the wildest moments in Australian boxing. With the trainer who was struck by Michael Zerafa’s brother opening up in an exclusive interview with BRENDAN BRADFORD.
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The 60-year-old trainer who was punched in the jaw by Michael Zerafa’s brother on Wednesday hasn’t been able to eat properly due to ulcers in his mouth brought on by issues stemming from lymphoma.
Tommy Mercuri plans to quit the sport after being made to look like the “bad guy” in the ugly post-fight melee between Zerafa and his fighter Tommy Browne.
He also said Browne required surgery after tearing his biceps off the bone and hit back at claims the boxer took an injury into the fight.
THE FALLOUT
In an explosive hour-long interview, Mercuri said he must keep on top of his health after beating lymphoma.
“I had stage four lymphoma 12 years ago and I’m in remission but I’ve always had LPD (Lymphoproliferative disorders) – it’s a b-cell leukaemia – so it’s in your blood,” Mercuri said.
“I’ve always got to have blood tests done because your white blood cells are a bit higher.
“I bruise up straight away, I’ve got medication and they’ve had to take my spleen out.
“So, a lot of infections come.”
Mercuri had scans on his jaw last week after he was punched by Zerafa’s brother Jason in a wild post-fight brawl at the ICC Sydney Theatre.
“I haven’t been able to eat properly for four days because of the ulcers in my mouth,” he said.
“I’m not scared of any man. I nearly died from cancer so I’m not going to be scared of that little piss-weak idiot or Zerafa.
“What’s pissed me off is that I can’t eat because of this little rat. And for what? What did you get out of it?”
Jason was immediately taken out of the ring by security personnel and removed from the venue.
Police have since charged him with assault and No Limit immediately issued him a lifetime ban from all its shows.
After the fight, Zerafa was taken to a different hotel due to fears about his safety.
Zerafa called Mercuri to apologise but the trainer wants harsh penalties dished out.
“He apologised but then goes back and gets on social media and says the opposite,” Mercuri said.
“I don’t want his apology. They’re rats and they’re no good for the sport.
“I don’t care about him. They’re irrelevant to me and all I hear about the whole lot of them is bad things.
“He should be banned. Not only his brother but he should be banned.”
SURGERY
Browne’s arm was badly bruised on Sunday morning and he believes the injury happened when he tried to escape a clinch late in the first round.
Mercuri was furious that some pundits speculated that Browne took an injury into the fight.
“Shawn Porter, that idiot – and I’ll say that in public – he was saying it was an existing injury,” Mercuri said of the two-time world champion, who was commentating.
“We had no injuries. Nothing. It was just a freak thing.
“But him saying that, it makes it look like Tommy’s just come in for a cash grab.
“Now he’s going to be out of pocket $15,000 to pay for his surgery.
Browne said Zerafa stepped over the mark by mentioning his divorce in the build-up.
“Talking about my things outside of boxing, that could have been left out,” he said.
“Say whatever you want about my boxing career but you don’t bring family into it.”
‘I’VE NEVER ATTACKED ANYONE’
Mercuri said he had received support from the boxing community but had also been criticised for his role in the blow-up.
He doesn’t deny he got in Zerafa’s face but said “The Pretty Boy’s” actions kicked it off.
“He came over to our corner and said, ‘You dogged it, you quit’,” Mercuri said.
“He even told Tommy to get back up. The guy’s arm is dangling down by his side, what do you mean get up?
“You’ve won the fight, go over and console the other fighter like a sportsman.
“There’s a video on social media and it looks like me attacking him, and making out that I’m the bad guy.
“I’ve never attacked anybody. I’ve been in this sport for 28 years and anybody that knows me knows I’ve always diffused the situation.
“I’ve never hit anyone and I wasn’t touching him.”
Mercuri didn’t think Zerafa’s brother would punch him.
“I knew he was there but I wasn’t worried about the scumbag little brother,” he said. “I thought he was just going off his head.
“But to hit me? That’s never happened to me in 28 years of being in a corner.
“We’ve had fiascos, we’ve had dramas, but for a person to come out of the corner and clock somebody, it’s not right.
“His brother knew exactly what he was doing. They’re scumbags, that’s all they are.”
TSZYU V ZERAFA?
Zerafa’s win likely sets up a blockbuster domestic showdown against Nikita Tszyu, who beat Koen Mazoudier in a fight-of-the-year contender in the main event last Wednesday.
However, Mercury doesn’t want a bar of it or Zerafa.
“He doesn’t care about nobody,” he said. “I just wanted him to stop with the verbal abuse because he’d been abusing Tommy for how long?
“And he’s been attacking the Tszyus for how many years? Those poor people taking it from him.
“He’s got no right to message people telling them this and that just because he wants a fight.
“He’s just wrong for boxing.”
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