Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech has been rushed to hospital for emergency heart tests and fears he may need surgery to combat a “mystery infection” that has been battling for a week.
Fenech was supposed to be in Wollongong tonight to commentate the No Limit Pay-Per-View headliner between Australia’s undefeated rising star Sam Goodman and brash Melburnian Mark Schleibs.
Instead, the 59-year-old has been admitted to Strathfield private hospital where he is undergoing a range of tests and struggling with high temperatures.
There are concerns the issues, which initially saw him hospitalised on Tuesday, could be related to emergency heart surgery the four-time world champ had in Bangkok back in 2019.
Fenech was also supposed to have double hernia operation on the Monday of this week but fell so ill over the weekend that doctors decided to postpone.
The champ is also battling a severely swollen wrist, the cause of which is also unknown.
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“I feel s…house,” Fenech The Daily Telegraph.
“I’m as sick as a dog, a mystery infection … they think it has something to do with my heart and valves.
“They’ve done heaps of tests, (but) I don’t yet know what the results are.
“I came to hospital on Tuesday.
“I’ve had a high temperature for more than 12 days now. It was 39.8.
“I also have a really bad infection in my wrist and they think it could be heart related.
“If you see my wrist you’d die.
“It’s massive. It’s red, inflamed, swollen and sore.
“It could be an infection coming from the valves which has spread through my body. They don’t know yet.”
Five years ago, Fenech underwent life-saving heart surgery in Bangkok to replace an infected valve.
He was taken to hospital by his fighters after coughing up blood during a training session.
In a five-hour operation, Thai surgeons replaced the heart valve and drained fluid from his lungs.
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Main Event commentator Ben Damon has also spoken with Fenech several times in recent days and again shortly before he underwent more testing on Wednesday afternoon.
“Clearly, Jeff is very unwell,” he said.
“But he at least now seems to be quite comfortable and they’re conducting a barrage of tests which will hopefully sort out the issue as soon as possible.
“And if anyone is going to fight something like this, there’s nobody stronger than the best to ever do it from this side of the world.”
Wednesday night’s card will be the culmination of weeks of growing bad blood between the undefeated Goodman and Schleibs.
The event also sees Queensland’s Issac Hardman look to continue his rise into the middleweight division’s top 10 against Venezuelan fighter Endry Saavedra, while exiled NRL star Curtis Scott makes his professional debut against Joey Leilua.
Australia’s Sam Goodman has officially sworn off the drink until he wins a world title – although mum Roxanne could be excused for needing a drink or three after personally handing out over 600 tickets for her son’s hyped Wollongong headliner.
While he may already be the mandatory for Japanese megastar Naoya Inoue, Goodman has decided to adopt the Tim Tszyu playbook by staying busy, and fighting regularly, until his championship showdown arrives.
As a result, the undefeated 25-year-old Albion Park product is tonight risking his world No.1 super bantamweight ranking against brash Melburnian Mark Schleibs at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on fight eve, Goodman revealed that while he excited about his first headliner at home, mum is “a little stressed” after having personally sorted – and handed out — over 600 tickets to family members and close friends.
Thousands more are set to descend on the venue as part of his supporter crew, The Mad Bunch, with the big talking Schleibs set to be given a hostile reception.
And in a twist to his world title push, Goodman also revealed he has now sworn off all alcohol until he achieves his dream of winning gold.
Which is no small promise given he’s picked his first ever Wollongong headliner to start.
“So, no, it won’t be easy,” he laughed.
“And obviously there’s going to be a lot of pressure on me first up if I win at home in Wollongong.
“It’s no secret I like a few beers with the Mad Bunch after wins.
“But I feel this is something I should do.
“Not because I have to do it, but because I want to.
“For me this year I want to keep stacking camps back-to-back, really create some consistency.
“Being in camp for so much of last year, my growth was massive.
“So now I want to continue that.
“And even just living that right lifestyle, you go from strength to strength.”
BOXING: Goodman v Schleibs, Hardman v Saavedra and Scott v Leilua | WED 13 MAR | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
Leilua laughs at Scott’s body bag insult | 00:32
While Goodman and Schleibs have had several physical run ins throughout the fight build, the rising star stressed there is nothing personal between the pair.
“Or not for me,” he said.
“Maybe it is for Mark, I’m not sure.
“Although I don’t know why it would be because I haven’t said anything to warrant that.
“Yes, the guy is an absolute punish.
“And if you were going for a beer at the pub, you wouldn’t go with Mark Schleibs.
“But for me, there has never been anything personal about this, Really, it’s just like you’re tolerating a whinging child.
“He’s just annoying.”
Asked about Schleibs’ claims that he has got to the world No.1 this week, Goodman continued: “Mate, he’s not in my head.
“And he’s definitely not going to put me off the way I fight.
“If anything, Mark is just looking for a million different ways to talk himself into believing he can win.
“That’s why he is saying I’m struggling with weight, that he’s in my head.
“He says I haven’t slept anyone.
“He hasn’t fought anyone.
“He’s just trying to trick his mind into thinking he can really win.”
Goodman v Schleibs – Press Conference | 32:36
Asked how many family and friends will be in the crowd for his emotional Pay-Per-View headliner, Goodman said mum Roxanne has personally sorted over 600 tickets.
“And physically handed them out herself, too,” he revealed.
“Mum’s an absolute workhorse.
“She’s sorted all those tickets which still doesn’t include all the others who just went and got tickets online, through the different links and whatever.
“So the week has stressed her out a bit, but she’s done great.
“The joint will be rocking.”
Given Inoue’s popularity in Japan, there is a strong chance Goodman could find himself headlining a venue like the Tokyo Dome — where the superstar is set to face Mexican Luis Nery in May — later this year.
So as for this being his sole ‘Gong experience, especially given things are about to get real big, real quick?
“I know it could get real big really quick,” Goodman agreed.
“But I’d never say that I won’t fight in Wollongong ever again.
“I’d like to be able to do something here.
“And if it is a world title fight maybe we go next door to WIN Stadium.
“I’ll never be too big for my hometown.
“But I’ve got to get through this fight first and I’m going to do that.
“This is something I’ve been asking for a long time and now that it’s finally here, I’m going to enjoy it.”
FULL FIGHT CARD
Sam Goodman vs. Mark Schleibs; super bantamweight
Issac Hardman vs. Endry Saavedra; middleweight
Curtis Scott vs. Joey Leilua; heavyweight
Kiki Toa Leutele vs. Arsene Fosso; heavyweight
Koen Mazoudier vs. Travis Druce; super welterweight
Zeke Campbell vs. Laban Stringer; super welterweight
UNDERCARD
Chloe Grech vs. Connie Brown; super flyweight
Charlie Kazzi vs. Roy Gavera; lightweight
Campbell Somerville def Sandeep Kumar via TKO in Round 1
Follow the card in our live blog below!
BOXING: Goodman v Schleibs, Hardman v Saavedra and Scott v Leilua | WED 13 MAR | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
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