From Melbourne Cup winners to fighting success, Mitch Leek eyes boxing greatness

Mitch Leek is used to ride horses on the morning of his fights and was prepared to follow in his ancestors racing footsteps, but he’s now all in on his rising professional boxing career.

His ancestors won a Melbourne Cup and a Caulfield Cup, and for years, Mitch Leek held dreams of following their footsteps.

And while he’s still active in racing, the 25-year-old has traded jockeys and horses for jabs and hooks as he sets his sights on greatness in the boxing ring.

The former Australian middleweight champion takes the next step on that journey this Saturday night at the Melbourne Pavilion when he takes on former teammate Theo Dounias for the IBF youth middleweight title.

With an 11-0 record, including five knockout wins, Leek is already looking at the very top of the division in Australia and has spent time sparring Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa.

Mitch Leek swapped jockeys and horses for a chance at boxing greatness. Picture: Supplied

“I want to conquer Australia and get to the top of the tree,” Leek told Code Sports. “Tim Tszyu did that beautifully – he went through all the Australians, and made himself the man here.

“There was no one better than him.

“From there he went to the world stage and that’s where I want to get to once I clean out my own backyard.

“We have the youth world title this weekend, then we’re only getting bigger from there, and there’s some good fights to be made at middleweight for me here.”

Indeed, there are some tantalising match-ups that could be made for Leek, who wouldn’t mind taking part in a proposed Australian middleweight tournament.

Mitch Leek (L) after sparring with Tim Tszyu in Sydney. Picture: Supplied

“We’ve got a very in-depth plan, but if (an Australian middleweight tournament) happens, that’s definitely an option,” he said.

“You’ve got Nikita Tszyu who looks like he might be fighting in it.

“There’s Michael Zerafa, Mateo Tapia – all these big names getting thrown in.

“It’d be fantastic to get my name in there as well, because I think on my day I’m as good, if not better than any of them.”

Leek’s family has a long history of being better than the rest, with success at the best racetracks in Australia dating back 125 years.

“My great-great grandfather won the Melbourne Cup with Colonus, and my great-great-great grandfather won the Caulfield Cup in 1900,” Leeks says.

“That’s how deep racing goes into my background and my blood.”

Colonus led the 1942 Melbourne Cup from pillar to post. Picture: Supplied

His parents, John and Andrea, are both successful trainers too, and Mitch followed them into the family business.

In 2023, it’s believed John, Andrea and Mitch became the first father-mother-son combination to saddle up runners in the same race in a Group 1 day at Flemington.

“I still do all my own track work – I rode about 10 this morning, doing all my own work – I ride every day,” he said. “It’s good to get a feel of your own horses.

“You get on, ride them and build a relationship with each horse to see how they’re feeling. Every horse as a different action, so to have that connection with them is a big bonus.”

These days, Leek won’t ride in the two days before a fight, but that’s only a recent change.

“Up until two fights ago, I was riding all the way through – I was riding on fight day,” he said. “I used to use it as a warm up for the fight.”

Leek leans on his background in racing to describe his sparring sessions with Tszyu as ‘The Soul Taker’ prepared for his comeback fight with Joey Spencer last month.

“It was a real eye-opener having the opportunity to be in the ring and testing myself against someone like him,” he said. “It’s like you’ve got a real good two-year old, and going and putting it up against a (mature horse).

Mitch Leek had hopes to follow in his family footsteps. Picture: Supplied

“You can really see where they’re at, and you learn a lot. I learned a hell of a lot and it was a great experience.

“You can have a lot of confidence knowing that we’re not too far off that level.”

Leek went nine rounds with Tszyu over two days as the Sydneysider was knuckling down for the final stages of fight camp.

“They were great rounds to have with him,” he said. “That win (over Spencer) was probably one of his best performances to date, so it was great to go up there, get the experience with their team and see how it all works.

“I know I’ve got a lot to learn in this sport – I didn’t start properly until I was 18 – so learning and developing from those guys like Tim and Michael Zerafa, world class opponents, it’s a really good grounding.”

Originally published as From Melbourne Cup winners to fighting success, Mitch Leek eyes boxing greatness