Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech has backed young charge Brock Jarvis to bounce straight back from his shock knock out loss against Liam Paro, declaring: “I’d put him back in with Liam today if I could”.
Ranked among the nation’s hottest young boxing prospects, Fox Sports Australia can reveal Jarvis (20-1) has been hand-picked to headline an exciting Sydney card in the same week Tim Tszyu fights for the WBO world title.
As part of what is being billed as Aussie boxing’s answer to NRL or AFL Grand Final Week, Paro will throw down against tough Filipino contender Marlon Paniamogan (11-2) on Wednesday, March 8 — and atop a card also boasting rising lightweight Kayne Clarke and heavyweight prospect Liam Taliava.
The event, to be staged at Carriageworks, is just one part of a huge build to Tszyu’s WBO interim super welterweight bout against American Tony Harrison at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, March 12.
Watch the return of Tim Tszyu as he faces former world champion Tony Harrison LIVE at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney on Sunday March. BUY TICKETS or ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS >
Importantly for Jarvis, the event also serves as his first fight back since last October, when surprisingly kayoed in the first round of his hyped showdown with fellow super lightweight star Paro.
While both fighters came into the bout undefeated, it was Paro who earned that biggest of homesoil victories – with the Queensland southpaw now ranked No.2 with the WBO, No.5 with IBF and set to face Englishman Robbie Davies Jnr in Liverpool that same week of the Tszyu championship bout.
Jarvis, meanwhile, has spent time training in both Canada and Thailand as part of his comeback, and insists he has no lingering issues from a loss he recounts as “heartbreaking”.
Asked if he had watched back over the Paro finish, where he was dropped late in the first by a big left hand, the 25-year-old replied: “I’ve actually watched it fight few times and realised what I did wrong.
“Not only inside the ring either, but outside of it.
“There was a lot went wrong which I don’t really want to talk about too much.
“But the big thing is, I came out really aggressive in that fight – it was the biggest fight of my career — but I had completely the wrong approach.
“And to lose like that, it was heartbreaking.
“But I’ve learned from it.
“And believe the loss happened for a reason, too.
“So now I’m worker harder, working smarter and ready to get back in the ring.
“You’ll definitely see the improvement in my next fight.”
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Fenech said that while the fighter he trains and promotes had made mistakes against Paro, he remained convinced that Jarvis is the better super lightweight.
He also stressed the Sydneysider would continue to fight with his aggressive, crowd-pleasing style.
“Because Brock is an aggressive fighter — that’s him,” Fenech said.
“But he has to pick and choose those time to be aggressive, while still having his defence there as well.
“He knows he’s big, knows he’s strong.
“Hits you once, hits you 100 times.
“But when he gets in there has to have his defence as well.”
Quizzed on how the loss could impact his charge, Fenech added: “I love Liam Paro and mean absolutely no disrespect saying this … but I’d put Brock back in with him today if I could.
“I still think Brock can beat him every day of the week.
“Yes, he made a mistake. Got caught.
“And we’ve worked hard to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
“Which is why I’ve still got the same confidence in him.
“I’ve seen Brock do things (in sparring) to some of the best guys in the world when we’ve been overseas. We were in Bangkok only recently, sparring a big name fighter from Japan and he did amazing.
“So it’s all good.”
No Limit CEO George Rose described the Jarvis headliner as part of a Tszyu fight build that will carry all the hype of a footy Grand Final week.
“We’ve seen how boxing is treated in America, in the UK … and now Tim Tszyu is allowing us to bring that same (hype) into our own backyard here in Australia,” Rose said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience a few NRL grand finals so I know how big those weeks get, the hype surrounding those events.
“And that’s the same sort of feel we want to create here in Sydney for Tim’s first title fight.
“Which is why we have Brock Jarvis as the entree. And what a great entree he is.
“I actually feel like his career, it really starts with this fight.
“After that loss, I’m keen to see how he responds.
“I know he’s been training in the snow in Canada, then the heat in Thailand … so I can’t wait to see him fight.”
Harrison: Charlo would’ve smashed Tszyu | 01:26
Asked about the week, Fenech added: “It’s going to be a huge week for boxing.
“And for Brock to be headlining only a few days before Tim Tszyu, it shows what the Rose boys think of him as a fighter.
“I’m so happy with No Limit.
“They’re a great family who are doing the best thing for Australian boxing in a long, long time.”
Watch the return of Tim Tszyu as he faces former world champion Tony Harrison LIVE at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney on Sunday March. BUY TICKETS or ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS >
