Michael Zerafa set to take on the world after rock bottom, ‘death threats’

Australian boxing star Michael Zerafa has revealed how he had to overcome “death threats” and a gangland-style contract hit on his life in his bid to conquer the world.

Australian boxing star Michael Zerafa has revealed how he had to overcome “death threats” and a gangland-style contract hit on his life in his bid to conquer the world.

The nation’s No.1 middleweight, Zerafa flew out of Melbourne on Saturday as he ramps-up preparations for his WBA middleweight world-title blockbuster against Erislandy Lara in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 31 (AEST).

Zerafa will be a key part of the biggest weekend in Australian boxing history.

The Melbourne mauler will fight on the same card as his fierce foe Tim Tszyu, who will make history when he headlines the first Amazon Prime show in his main event bout with Keith Thurman at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Michael Zerafa has revealed he overcame death threats on his way to fighting for a world title. Picture: Getty Images

Just 24 hours before Zerafa and Tszyu fly the Australian flag in Sin City, Queensland super featherweight sensation Liam Wilson will take on Oscar Valdez in a world-title eliminator in Arizona.

Australian boxing has never seen anything like it - and Zerafa is just relieved to be alive to get his shot at glory.

As he jetted out of Australia, Zerafa spoke of the hardship he had to endure in his quest to live out his boyhood dream of winning a world title, including threats on his life three years ago.

Zerafa had controversially withdrawn from his Australian super fight against Tszyu in July 2021. The Zerafa camp cited the Covid crisis, which had most of Australia in lockdown, as a key reason.

That didn’t satisfy Zerafa’s detractors. He was slammed as a coward. Broadcasters threatened to blacklist him from future events.

At rock bottom, Zerafa admits he couldn’t sleep at night, fearing someone would kill him.

Michael Zerafa revealed how he has to fight back from rock bottom. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“I have overcome the lowest of lows,” Zerafa said.

“I have had death threats. I have had the worst thrown at me.

“There were days where I didn’t leave the house because I didn’t feel safe. It felt like I had my state and my country go against me.

“I’ve had all sorts of abuse. The lack of support and the lies have been hard to take at times.

“It was a shit period of my life to be honest, but I just stayed close to the people I love and that helped get me through it.

“That’s why this fight means so much. I have been at rock bottom before and realised it’s not the end of the world.

“Win, lose or draw, I am going to go in there and give 100 per cent.

“I am going in there to shock the world.”

Amid the death threats, Zerafa was also rocked by information a contract had been taken out on his life.

Michael Zerafa throws a punch in the middleweight fight against Danilo Creati. Picture: Getty Images

He escalated the matter to Victorian police and met with authorities. They suggested he move house and adjust his usual schedule on a daily basis.

Zerafa suspects he knows who was behind the contract-killer threats, but cannot comment publicly for legal reasons.

To compound his plight, the 31-year-old’s older sister Michelle was diagnosed with cancer last June. The mother of three underwent surgery to have her breast removed.

For those reasons, Zerafa does not fear stepping into the ring with Lara. Off-field threats and setbacks have steeled him for his career-defining moment at boxing’s Mecca in Vegas.

“All the hate started after I pulled out of the Tszyu fight,” Zerafa said.

“So many people took it personally.

“In the days after the fight was off, I had thousands of messages in my in-boxes on social media. I had people saying they had my address and they were coming to my house.

“I found it hard to sleep some nights.

“I met with the police and they suggested I change my movements and move house.

“In the end, I felt like telling my partner, you move house and I will leave the door open.

“I thought, ‘F*** them, if they want to come after me, let these people come and face me’.

“It was very hard to deal with. I was getting all this hate and no-one knew the real story (for pulling out of the Tszyu fight).

“Fights get changed and rescheduled all the time. I just had to muscle through it.

“Walking around was uncomfortable, you didn’t know who was around you, but I never lost the motivation to keep fighting.

“I stayed positive to myself.”

Danilo Creati throws a punch in the middleweight fight against Michael Zerafa in 2022, Zerafa’s last fight. Picture: Getty Images

Zerafa’s self-belief has paid dividends. The death threats have dissipated. Once reviled as the bad boy of Australian boxing, Zerafa can win a sporting nation’s hearts if he upsets Lara to become the country’s newest world champion.

The kid from Craigieburn hasn’t fought in 16 months, but after 35 professional bouts, 31 of which have ended in victory, ‘Pretty Boy’ Zerafa isn’t concerned about ring rust.

Lara (29-3-3) will start heavy favourite, even at age 40, but Zerafa believes it is his time to shine.

“I’m exactly where I need to be right now, there’s no excuses,” said Zerafa, who last fought against Danilo Creati in Sydney in November 2022.

“There’s no ring rust.

“As soon as I beat Creati, the next day I was in the gym and I haven’t had a day off since.

“I have always been ready. I have been waiting for more than a year. If anything, the time out has put more fire in the belly and made me hungrier to win a world title.

“It would mean the world to me to achieve it.

“As a seven-year-old kid, the dream was to be a world champion and now it’s within touching distance.

“To finally work my way up against all the animosity and all the things that have gone against me ... to win a world title would be a fairytale story and a happy ending for me.”

Originally published as Michael Zerafa set to take on the world after rock bottom, ‘death threats’