BoxRec

AP wrote wrote: Drive-by shooting at home of former world champion boxer

June 18, 2004

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A gunman fired shots at the home of retired world champion boxer Jeff Fenech before fleeing in a car Friday.

Fenech was on his way home from a trip to the United States at the time of the shooting late Thursday night that left seven bullet holes in his house. No one was injured in the drive-by attack, police said.

``I've no idea who did it,'' Fenech said Friday morning. ``I just hope they can wake up to themselves. It's a crazy thing to do, they'll end up in jail doing this and they should just learn to appreciate their family and their life outside.''

Fenech was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002. He won the IBF bantamweight title in 1985, followed by the WBC junior featherweight crown in 1987 and the WBC featherweight title in 1988.

He retired in 1996 with a 28-3-1 record, including 21 knockouts.

Earlier this year, Fenech underwent plastic surgery after being stabbed in the face with a broken bottle.

Fenech, who now manages several boxers, said while ``somebody is not happy with me for some reason,'' he thought the shooting was unconnected to the January attack, for which two people have been charged.

bennie wrote: Nothing face-to-face.

Fenech plans to leave Australia

June 21, 2004

BOXING great Jeff Fenech today announced he was considering moving his family overseas after his Sydney home was targeted in a drive-by shooting.

Last week's attack, which happened when the family was out, was the second apparently targeting Fenech in the past six months.

"I will do whatever it takes for me to look after my family," Fenech told the Nine network's A Current Affair.

"If the police aren't going to help me, I might have to go elsewhere to get help."

He and wife Suzee would decide this week if the family should leave Australia.

Asked if it would hurt him to leave the country, he replied: "Not as much as a bullet would".

"When they start putting my family in jeopardy I've got to do something about it," Fenech said of the attackers.

The Fenech family was not at home when shots were fired into their two-storey townhouse in Justin Street at Lilyfield in Sydney about 11.15pm (AEST) on June 17.

Seven bullet holes were found in the house, including two in an upstairs bedroom window, which a police spokeswoman said were fired from a high-powered firearm.

In the wake of the shooting, the shaken family reportedly fled to the Gold Coast's luxury Versace Hotel.

Meanwhile, detectives are investigating whether the incident was linked to a brawl in which Fenech was stabbed with a broken bottle outside a Brighton-le-Sands restaurant on January 4.

Fenech told Nine he was "pretty close to working out who the organiser" of the attacks was.

But telling the police would put him in greater danger, he said.

"I'll get 70 bullets put in the house instead of seven," he said.

Fenech said he did not know what had sparked the attacks and warned the perpetrator to stay away from his family.

"Just ring me up and I'll come and meet you," he said. It won't be a problem."

Leave it to us, police tell Fenech

22jun04

POLICE have warned former boxing champion Jeff Fenech not to take the law into his own hands over a drive-by shooting at his Sydney home last week.

The Fenech family was not home when shots were fired into the two-storey townhouse in inner west Sydney about 11.15pm on Thursday.

Seven bullet holes were found in the Lilyfield house, including two in an upstairs bedroom window, all apparently fired from a high-powered firearm.

Police were "keeping an open mind" about a possible link with a brawl on January 4 in which Fenech was stabbed with a broken bottle outside a Brighton le Sands restaurant.

Two brothers were charged over the attack in which Fenech suffered a 7cm gash in his head.

Fenech has moved his family to the Gold Coast following the shooting and is contemplating moving overseas to protect his wife and two children.

He believed a Lebanese crime gang has targeted him after a probe into his bashing led police to make at least one arrest on heroin trafficking charges.

NSW Police Minister John Watkins today said he was concerned Fenech had told the media he was considering buying a gun or hiring armed security.

He said Fenech should speak to police if he needed protection.

"I would urge him to co-operate fully with the gangs squad and local police who are investigating this incident," Mr Watkins said.

"These are not matters that should be taken into people's own hands, they are matters for the police.

"Police will act on any information provided in relation to this matter."

A spokesperson for Mr Watkins said that in NSW the Firearms Act banned concealed firearms for personal protection.