โI know in my heart heโs going to be better than his dad,โ Leapai Senior said.
โI believe my son is the perfect heavyweight everyone has been waiting for. When I was 18, I donโt know how I wouldโve handled this type of pressure, and this kid has everything โ heโs determined, he wants to reach his goal.
โHeโs mentally strong โ I wouldnโt have even got in the ring. Thereโs going to be some bumps on the road, but thatโs when dad has to be there.
โOnce the world sees what heโs got, everybody will be saying his name.โ
Alex Leapai Senior on his son
Leapai Junior shocked many when he left the Titans, despite being regarded as one of rugby leagueโs most promising forwards.
โItโs funny, it was his last game in Newcastle โฆ and he was just terrorising the front rowers, and then he announces heโs finished. I said โcome on mate, what kind of stuff is that?โโ Leapai Senior laughed, adding that he believed his son would be welcomed back if he chose to return to the NRL.
โAs a father, Iโve just got to support what decision he makes, and Iโm just going to be there to enjoy the journey with my son.โ
After winning his opening four professional bouts โ three by TKO โ the 19-year-old heavyweight has his next fight on Wednesday on the Tyson Pedro undercard, broadcast on Stan Sports.
Leapai Juniorโs preparations were disrupted, with his coach Noel Thornberry revealing the boxerโs initial rival withdrew after experiencing seizures.
Tim Tusa has now stepped up, and Thornberry is adamant Leapai Junior will again make his presence known.
Leapai Junior is expected to fight eight times this year, in a run of contests to include the undercard of George Kambososโ Sydney clash in March.
Having also mentored Leapai Senior, Thornberry said Leapai Junior had a combination of power and natural skill that could make him โone of the leading heavyweights in the worldโ by his mid-20s.
โAlex can fight anybody in the world over one or two rounds, but in eight, 10 or 12 rounds itโs a different story. He hasnโt matured to that stage yet โฆ but the only person who punches anywhere near as hard as him was his father,โ Thornberry said.
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โI donโt like comparing father and son, but his classical boxing skills are far superior. It was extremely hard to beat Alex Senior because he was a thug, and he was very good at being a thug.
โJunior has got the thug, but is also a pug and can box, and when he needs to get in the trenches he can do that … but he needs to get comfortable inside the ring and comfortable inside himself.โ
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