Australian boxer of Maltese descent, nicknamed ‘Brick Top,’ who was an Olympics competitor in the sport in 1984 in Los Angeles. He began his professional career later that same year. Two years later, he was rated top Bantamweight by the International Boxing Federation. In 1987, with a little more heft on his body, he competed in the junior featherweight class and became a two-time world champion. By 1988, Fenech had grown into a Featherweight, became a three time world champion, becoming one of very few boxers who won titled in three or more divisions. In 1991, now in the junior lightweight division, he tried for his fourth division title but did not succeed. He retired from the ring in 1996 and owns a sports clothing brand in Australia.
Fenech was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2002 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. He was the 2003 Inductee for the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Moderns category and the 4th person to be elevated to Legend status in 2013.
He was the victim of violence on 5 January 2004, when he was attacked and stabbed in Sydney and required plastic surgery to repair the damage to his face. In June that year, seven shots were fired into his home. Police suspect that the assaults stemmed from a fight he had had with a gang member in 2003.
In March 2005, Fenech became the trainer for former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, in an effort to relaunch Tyson’s career.
Fenech pleaded guilty to his role in the 2005 theft of 3 gold watches worth a total of $327 from a Gold Coast, Queensland boutique store.
In March 2008, Fenech, aged 43, announced a comeback to professional boxing and lost 22 kilos in preparation for the fight. On 24 June 2008, Fenech won the grudge match against Azumah Nelson by a majority decision, one judge scoring the fight a draw and the last two judges scoring it in favour of Fenech.
In June 2008, Fenech won the Shane Warne 888 Poker World Series of Poker Celebrity Bounty Event at Crown Casino. Fenech now appears at poker events around the world including the Aussie Millions and the World Series of Poker.
On the night of 8 October 2019, Fenech underwent 6-hour successful surgery on a blocked heart valve in a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, while battling pneumonia.
Link to Wikipedia biography