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Team ASN, Sponsored Athlete Jeff discusses his comeback fight . . .
May 2008
Ageing pugilists (Nelson 49 and Fenech 43) are in Brisbane to promote their $1 million-each "Third World War" in Melbourne on June 24.
They first fought in June, 1991, when a controversial draw was the decision in a fight Fenech was certain he'd won. Then nine months later in Melbourne, Nelson stopped Fenech in the eighth round.
"I don't talk much. I'm an action man," Nelson said.
"He thought he won the first fight, and in the second I knocked him out. But he later said he wasn't feeling very well on the night of the fight.
"Now I'm giving him a third chance and will teach him another lesson.
"Jeff Fenech is very strong and keeps coming. It takes a professor to beat Fenech, and that is what I am. Boxing is not about hitting someone . . . it is an art."
Asked why people would pay good money to watch two 40-plus boxers make comebacks 15 years after their prime, Fenech had some answers.
"We're both Hall of Famers and there's a lot of history in our past," he said.
"Everyone likes to watch a good fight and Azumah and me had two great fights. The third will be just as interesting.
"I don't know if two members of Boxing's Hall of Fame have fought before."
Both have traversed the pain barrier in regaining fitness for the fight. Fenech lost nearly 20kg and Nelson shed 11kg to get close to the 66kg limit for June 24.
"It's been damn hard. My body has been very sore from the sparring and some mornings it's very tough to get going," Fenech said.
"But I've been surprised. I saw a video of myself sparring with a bloke who won a world title recently (Gairy St Clair) and I didn't look ring rusty at all - just a bit tired.
"If someone suggested six months ago that I'd get back in the ring I would have laughed.
"Now I'm excited about Azumah giving me another chance. And I believe I've got a fight plan to beat him."
Fenech's only problem is his fragile hands, gnarled from numerous broken bones in bygone years.
Nelson, recognised as a master craftsman in the ring, said the sport was much stronger when he and Fenech were in their prime.
"There's a few good boxers in the world today . . . but nothing like 15 or 20 years ago," he said.
Nelson will return to Ghana this weekend to continue his preparation for the fight. He will arrive in Melbourne 10 days before the contest.
Check out Jeff's Interview on Fox Sports below!
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