AUSTRALIAN boxing great Jeff Fenech has been hospitalised in Thailand, and may need to undergo heart surgery.
The three-time world title winner was training Sydney fighter Jack Brubaker and other boxers in Bangkok, but after coughing up blood was forced by his students to seek medical attention.
In a video from his hospital bed, an emotional Fenech, 55, said he had an infection on a valve near his heart and he felt he had let down his young charge.
A film crew from Boxing Epicentre have been following Fenech as he trained Brubaker and some other young fighters.
“I’ve got some pretty bad news, I’ve got an infected valve that’s connected to my heart,” Fenech said.
“Which means for the next few days they will try to get rid of the infection then I’ll need to have surgery. I feel really bad towards Jack and the rest of the team. I love you guys.”
Fenech was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002 and in recent years has helped train a range of different fighters while still maintaining his own fitness, which adds to the shock of this health scare.
Fenech’s long time trainer Johnny Lewis said while he and his former charge didn’t see much of each other these days, he knew Fenech lived a healthy lifestyle and would bounce back.
“I’m deeply shocked to hear this,” Lewis said.
“For someone who has kept himself at such a great level of fitness and lived a healthy lifestyle, it doesn’t seem right this would happen to him.
“My prayers are with Jeff and all his family. He’s a fighter and I’m sure he will win this battle.” – The Sunday Morning Herald
