Alex Leapai announces retirement due to issues with his eyes

[Redback Rasta]

Australian heavyweight contender Alex Leapai retires after being told boxing could blind him

Alex Leapai has announced his retirement after being warned he could go blind if he kept fighting.

Leapai became the first Australian to challenge for the heavyweight world title in 106 years when he fought Wladimir Klitschko two years ago.

"I'm finished, I'm gone. You'll never see 'The Lionheart' in the ring again."

He had surgery on both eyes after challenging Klitschko in 2014 and faces another operation after experiencing more problems in his last bout, a unanimous-decision loss to Manuel Charr in Russia.

Leapai said he spoke to a specialist who told him he risked losing sight in his right eye if he continued to fight.

"So I've got to get it fixed and he said that might be the last time," Leapai said.

Long-time trainer and manager Noel Thornberry agreed it was the right move.

"He's a father of six and health is more important than anything else," Thornberry said.

"All the money in the world, all the fame is not going to help you if you're walking on your heels."

"I still feel that my name will echo in the next 100 years. People will still know Alex 'The Lionheart' Leapai," Leapai said.

"I do believe Alex has started to pave the way for a lot of future heavyweights in Australia and Samoa and the whole south pacific," Thornberry said.

"In the not too distant future he will be in the Australian Boxing Hall of Fame as one of our great achievers in boxing," boxing writer Grantlee Kieza said.

"Alex really was the Cinderella Man of Australian boxing he went from driving a truck to fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world within a few months."

"I've got to do what's right and right now my family is really important to me and I want to see my kids play football and I want to see my girls go to their first prom," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-18/a ... im/7182042

[Redback Rasta]

Credit to Alex Leapai for giving boxing a red hot go and not hesitating to take on quality opponents. He fell short against the best. But at least he won't die wondering like others who never bothered to step up and challenge themselves.

[Lairdy]

Credit to Alex Leapai for giving boxing a red hot go and not hesitating to take on quality opponents. He fell short against the best. But at least he won't die wondering like others who never bothered to step up and challenge themselves.

Enjoy retirement Alex!

But is there every going to be a thread on here, where someone ISN'T going to show their jealous streak for Anthony Mundine?...

It's getting pathetic!

[Redback Rasta]

Credit to Alex Leapai for giving boxing a red hot go and not hesitating to take on quality opponents. He fell short against the best. But at least he won't die wondering like others who never bothered to step up and challenge themselves.

Enjoy retirement Alex!

But is there every going to be a thread on here, where someone ISN'T going to show their jealous streak for Anthony Mundine?...

It's getting pathetic!

That barb was aimed fairly and squarely at Mark de Mori. You didn't realize that?

You seem to have some kind of complex about Mundine

[Like a Boss]

Well played Alex Leapai. Hopefully you did well financially out of the Klitschko, Charr, Scott and Boystov fights in particular, and managed to tuck some away. Time to enjoy your family and life after boxing.

[Lairdy]

Credit to Alex Leapai for giving boxing a red hot go and not hesitating to take on quality opponents. He fell short against the best. But at least he won't die wondering like others who never bothered to step up and challenge themselves.

Enjoy retirement Alex!

But is there every going to be a thread on here, where someone ISN'T going to show their jealous streak for Anthony Mundine?...

It's getting pathetic!

That barb was aimed fairly and squarely at Mark de Mori. You didn't realize that?

You seem to have some kind of complex about Mundine

Fair enough. No complex here mate. Just sick of reading rants from keyboard warriors.

[Redback Rasta]

Enjoy retirement Alex!

But is there every going to be a thread on here, where someone ISN'T going to show their jealous streak for Anthony Mundine?...

It's getting pathetic!

That barb was aimed fairly and squarely at Mark de Mori. You didn't realize that?

You seem to have some kind of complex about Mundine

Fair enough. No complex here mate. Just sick of reading rants from keyboard warriors.

[DA GOOSE]

Hope he has built a nice bank for his large family. Will never forget the tears of joy from the big fella when he beat Boystov to become Wlads mando. Well done Alex.

[Beltane]

Fought strong, done good.

[foxdog1923]

Sad to hear about the eye. Not worried about the retirement as hes proved himself a contender with his title shot. Rest up uso.

[Like a Boss]

My eyes hurt just looking at Alex Leapai's in this picture :

[crusader]

Even though he fought a title bout against the legit HW champ and upset a long unbeaten contender before that, the standout moment of his career for me is when he KTFO'd the nearly foot taller Evgeny Orlov with an uppercut....brutal! The war with Travis Walker was also great viewing.

I always liked him and wish him well in retirement.

[campfire]

Good luck to you [Alex] and your family

[ClivePatrickLyons]

He did go places some people never imagined good luck to the Leapai's and lion heart for the future