Boxing legend Mike Tyson will have one eye on Canberra tonight as Jeff Fenech's protege Brock Jarvis continues on the road to a world title shot.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The former heavyweight champion of the world wished Jarvis good luck on social media on Friday afternoon.
The post comes hours before Jarvis (17-0) faces Mark Schleibs (12-0) for the IBF Pan Pacific featherweight title at EPIC's Coorong Pavilion.
"Wishing my friend and champion Jeff Fenech's fighter Brock Jarvis a victory on his fight tonight in Australia," Tyson wrote on social media.
Tyson and Jarvis crossed paths in Los Angeles earlier this year after Fenech arranged a meeting between the rising star and an icon of the squared circle.
MORE BOXING
Fenech became Tyson's trainer in March 2005 when the latter was attempting to relaunch his career, having long been a friend of one of boxing's most devastating punchers.
Now Tyson has one eye on Jarvis' rise through the ranks with the 23-year-old Australian touted as one of the nation's most exciting prospects.
"At the moment he is just on a whole different level," Fenech said.
"He's a good looking kid, he can fight. In his last fight he went the distance with a guy who went the distance with a world champion.
"A couple of fights prior to that, he fought a guy who got knocked out by a world champion in seven rounds, Brock knocked him out in two rounds.
"His preparation and his progress has just been what I wanted. He's getting better and better. Look at the size of him. He's just maturing.
"These guys in here are going to be surprised, the guy they watched fight 16 months ago isn't here. It's a completely different guy, I can't believe it. It's exciting."
NATIONAL BOXING SERIES
Friday: National Boxing Series - Brock Jarvis v Mark Schleibs at Coorong Pavilion at EPIC, 6pm.
Featherweight: IBF Pan Pacific featherweight championship - Brock Jarvis (17-0) v Mark Schleibs (12-0)
Lightweight:IBF International lightweight championship, WBO Oriental lightweight title - Jacob Ng (13-0) v Hunter Ioane (8-0-1)
Super welterweight: Alex Cooper (3-0) v Nathan Robson (2-0)
Super featherweight: Ben Dencio (7-3) v Gerry Zapantis (debut)
Super welterweight: Terry Nickolas (debut) v Krishna Mudaliar (7-9-2)
Super middleweight: Alex Hanan (10-0) v Ray Ingram (2-19-2)
Welterweight: Hassan Hamden (1-0) v Uten Chanavon (0-7)
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
