FIGHTING BACK
Leapai hopes ring return starts rapid rise
BOXING: Alex Leapai is determined to get back to the top of world boxing.
You only have to look at the work he has put in to prepare to take on Thomas Peato in his return bout at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on October 14 to see how determined he is.
The Tenthill-trained heavyweight fought Wladimir Klitschko for the world heavyweight championship back in 2014 before retiring after three-straight losses.
Leapai (30-7-3, 24KO) steps back in the ring after more than two years between fights and takes on New Zealander Peato (2-5-0).
It has taken a lot of work just to get back to this point.
”It was really hard. I had to ask myself, ‘is this what I want to do?’,” Leapai said.
“I was over 150kg, but when I went and saw my trainer Noel Thornberry I was down to 142kg. He was in a bit of shock, he didn’t know what to say.
“But I thank God for Noel because he didn’t think twice. We started training again and now I’ve lost thirty-something kilos. But it was really bad at one stage.”
The 37-year-old is determined to get back to the top echelon of the sport.
“When you’ve still got that fire burning inside you, it’s telling you you’ve got to get back,” Leapai said. “It’s also the passing on my dad too. It’s just put more determination in me.
“I had a dream that I had a talk to my dad that I would win a world title. And I got there and even though my dad has passed away, the dream still lives on and I want to fulfil it.
“I want to do it for myself. It was always about doing it for my dad, but I want to do it for myself, for my kids.”
Leapai thinks he can mix it with the current heavyweight contenders.
“I believe I can beat a lot of the heavyweights out there,” he said.
“Because now Wladimir Klitschko is retired, we’ve got three or four world champions out there. It’s been spread around.
“There’s only one Klitschko and a lot of these guys who are world champions, they’re very lucky they haven’t fought him.
“I had to fight the best fighter of this era, and I believe I can beat all these champions.
“It’s just about getting back in there and getting back on top again. And it won’t take long.”