Jeff Fenech admitted a few years ago that he was “never the same fighter” after being robbed of victory against Azumah Nelson for the WBC super-featherweight title in Las Vegas in 1991.
However, now the Australian boxing great has received what he — and most of the boxing world — always believed he deserved.
Fenech was awarded the WBC super-featherweight belt at the World Boxing Council convention on Tuesday, with ESPN KnockOut sharing footage from the event.
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“All the ring officials from all over the world score the bout in favour of Jeff Fenech,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán said.
“The WBC board of governors approve the motion to crown Jeff Fenech to become a four-time world champion. It is our great pleasure to crown and award the WBC Feather and Super Featherweight Championship to Jeff, the Thunder from Down Under, Fenech.”
Fenech was in attendance, 30 years on from that controversial fight, to accept his belt and was congratulated on stage by Roberto Duran, Julio César Chávez and Miguel Cotto.
Speaking to foxsports.com.au back in 2018, Fenech said he was left “heartbroken and disappointed” by the result, declaring he was “never the same” since.
“I can’t put my finger on it and tell you exactly what it done to me, but I can tell you factually that I was never the same fighter afterwards,” Fenech said.
“I don’t believe that was a hard fight for me, I’d had lots of fights that were similar.
“But after the fight I came back home, obviously heartbroken and disappointed, and I was never the same.”
