Alex Leapai announces retirement due to issues with his eyes
Posted: 18 Feb 2016, 04:50
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
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
That barb was aimed fairly and squarely at Mark de Mori. You didn't realize that?
