Michael Zerafa made the decision early in life that he was going to be the best boxer to ever grace the sport in Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It doesn't stop there, he is determined to be a world champion.
The 28-year-old is rising the ranks of the sport and has made a name for himself in recent years not just in the country but on the world's stage.
He now has a fight on the cards which he's been waiting decades to get the gloves on for, a bout with former world champion and fellow Australian Anthony Mundine.
"He has dominated two sports and put Australian boxing on the map for many years," Zerafa said of his opponent at a press conference.
"But I truly believe it's my time and he will pass the torch on to me."
Zerafa has credited Mundine as being a "big reason" as to what drove him to become a professional boxer.
One thing which time brings in life is change, and Zerafa is no longer an aspiring boxer with a dream to fight the best.
He's now well on his way to his goal, isn't slowing and will fight just about anyone who is ready to step into the ring.
"I am a fan of Mundine and he was someone I watched while I was growing up, like I said, he put the sport on the map," Zerafa reiterated.
"But come fight night there's no friends in boxing.
"I am coming with bad intentions and I will knock him out."
Zerafa's promoter Jake Ellis said the 28-year-old was one of his most dedicated fighters.
"Keeping Michael fit and hungry is the easy part," he said at the press conference held at the Bendigo Stadium.
"Making him take a day off, that's the hard part.
"He is one of those kids that we need to constantly come up with innovative ways so he will take a day off, he just goes and goes and goes."
Ellis has been around the sport his whole life and is the son of five-time world boxing champion Lester Ellis.
Part of Team Ellis' goal is to produce the best athletes out of their Keilor East base where he and Zerafa will be spending plenty of time between now and March 13.
"This fight kept getting knocked back, and each time we would get close, it would then get knocked back again," Ellis said.
"We've been fit and ready to fight the whole way through.
"Mundine has said this is an all or nothing fight for himself, the same goes for us.
"We can't afford to take a loss here and we're not taking it lightly.
"We will be ready."
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
