SYDNEY — Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech has been hospitalised with breathing difficulties and fatigue, with his family expecting a full recovery. The 62-year-old, who is the trainer of Tim Tszyu, has twice undergone emergency heart surgery, in 2019 and 2024.
“He will be right,” said his son-in-law, Bradman Best. “He’s always a fighter. He’s been in there with a few heart problems and stuff, but he’ll be good.”
Fenech compiled a professional record of 29-3-1 (21 KOs) and won major titles in three weight classes — bantamweight, junior featherweight and featherweight — during an illustrious career. As an amateur he represented Australia at the 1984 Olympics, and he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002.
Fenech is now a highly regarded trainer and had been working with Tszyu ahead of his challenge for WBA middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara’s belt on 12 December. Tszyu and Fenech share a longstanding relationship but officially joined forces in April, and three months later Tszyu ended the career of Errol Spence Jnr in a high-profile bout.