Alex Leapai | |
---|---|
Born | Elise Leapai 16 October 1979 |
Nationality | Australian |
Other names | The Lionheart |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | Heavyweight |
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
Reach | 190 cm (75 in) |
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 44 |
Wins | 32 |
Wins by KO | 26 |
Losses | 8 |
Draws | 4 |
Elise Leapai (born 16 October 1979) is a Samoan Australian former professional boxer. His career highlight was a fight against Wladimir Klitschko in 2014, for the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, The Ring magazine and lineal heavyweight titles.
Early life
[edit]Leapai's parents, Faataui and Leitu, moved their family from Laulii, Samoa when he was 7 to New Zealand, where they lived until he was 12. In New Zealand, Leapai attended Owairaka Primary School in Mt Albert and played rugby league for Marist Saints, as did his one-time sparring partner Sonny Bill Williams. Upon moving to Australia, Leapai's family settled in Logan, Queensland. In Logan, Leapai played junior rugby league for Logan Brothers alongside future Australian rugby league and rugby union international Lote Tuqiri. While playing for Brothers, Leapai was offered a scholarship with the National Rugby League side, the North Queensland Cowboys.[1][2]
Leapai has four brothers, Leati, Stefano and Faatni (known as Leroy), who spent four years with the London Broncos in the Super League.[1] His cousin is Australia and Queensland representative Josh Papalii.
Professional career
[edit]Alex Leapai defeated Denis Boytsov on 23 November 2013 in Germany. Boytsov was the WBO's mandatory challenger for Klitschko, but when Leapai defeated Boytsov, Leapai was named mandatory challenger even though the Boytsov-Leapai bout was not an official elimination bout.[3]
Dan Rafael for ESPN.com reported on 3 February 2014 that "Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko will make his 16th title defense when he faces Alex Leapai, one of his mandatory challengers, on 26 April in at the König-Pilsener-Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, as K2 Promotions announced Monday. The Klitschko and Leapai camps had agreed to a deal several weeks ago, which allowed them to avoid a purse bid, but it has now been signed. Leapai (30-4-3, 24 KOs), 34, a native of Samoa living in Australia, came out of nowhere to be appointed as the mandatory challenger by the WBO after scoring a major upset."[4]
Leapai vs. Wladmir Klitschko
[edit]Despite the fact that Klitschko possessed an overwhelming advantage over his challenger, the Ukrainian was quoted as saying the bout was "the most important fight of my career" due to the political backdrop of the encounter from a Ukrainian point of view.[5] Early in 2014 Russia took the Crimea from the Ukraine and consequently, both nations were mobilising for the possibility of war in the short term.[6] Vladmir's brother Vitali Klitschko was preparing to run for the Ukrainian presidency in looming May elections and the 37-year-old title holder admitted boxing was second in his mind to the political upheaval in his homeland.[5] As the fight Klitschko claimed the spectacle would be ever important to "boost the morale" of his countrymen.[7]
Former world heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs interrupted a pre-fight press conference in Germany just days before the anticipated bout.[8] Briggs challenged Klitschko for a fight and accused Leapai of being an unworthy opponent for Klitschko.[8]
Leapai was knocked out by Klitschko in the fifth round of a fight scheduled for 12 rounds.[9] Leapai was knocked down barely more than a minute into the bout.[9] Klitschko retained his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO championship belts and used his height and reach advantage to control the fight with Leapai.[10] Leapai reportedly rattled his opponent once in the fight before Klitschko responded with a flurry of blows that eventually dropped the Australian to the canvas.[10]
Career after world title shot
[edit]In his next fight, Leapai fought Malik Scott. Leapai lost the fight via unanimous decision, losing 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 on the scorecards.[11]
On two weeks notice, Alex Leapai took a fight against former WBO champion Joseph Parker (boxer) after his deal with Eric Molina fell through during the signing stages.[12] Leapai went on to lose after a tenth-round stoppage. Despite protests from Leapai, the referee Ricky Gonzalez stopped the fight after Parker landed seven straight punches to the head of his opponent.[13]
Personal life
[edit]Leapai is married to his high school sweetheart, Theresa, and has six children. Four daughters (Cyanne, Maria, Menime and Ivona) and two sons (Alex and EJ).[2]
In 2005, Leapai spent six months in Queensland's Woodford Correctional Centre on a grievous bodily harm charge after attacking two bouncers.[2]
An avid rugby league fan, Leapai supports the Brisbane Broncos.[14] Leapai's inspiration is fellow Samoan heavyweight boxer David Tua.[15]
Professional boxing record
[edit]43 fights | 31 wins | 8 losses |
---|---|---|
By knockout | 25 | 4 |
By decision | 6 | 4 |
Draws | 4 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
44 | Loss | 31–8–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 10 (12), 2:18 | 29 Jun 2019 | ![]() |
|
42 | Draw | 31–7–4 | ![]() |
TD | 3 (8), 2:26 | 13 Dec 2017 | ![]() |
|
41 | Win | 31–7–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (8), 2:26 | 14 Oct 2017 | ![]() |
|
40 | Loss | 30–7–3 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 22 May 2015 | ![]() |
|
39 | Loss | 30–6–3 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 31 Oct 2014 | ![]() |
|
38 | Loss | 30–5–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (12), 2:05 | 26 Apr 2014 | ![]() |
For WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
37 | Win | 30–4–3 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 23 Nov 2013 | ![]() |
Retained WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title |
36 | Win | 29–4–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 9 (12), 1:15 | 9 Aug 2013 | ![]() |
Retained WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title |
35 | Win | 28–4–3 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (8), 1:18 | 9 May 2013 | ![]() |
|
34 | Win | 27–4–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (8), 2:42 | 8 Feb 2013 | ![]() |
|
33 | Win | 26–4–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (12), 1:27 | 21 Dec 2012 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBO Asia Pacific and WBO Oriental heavyweight titles |
32 | Loss | 25–4–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 9 (12), 2:22 | 1 Apr 2012 | ![]() |
Lost IBF Australasian heavyweight title |
31 | Win | 25-3-3 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (10), 1:56 | 8 Dec 2011 | ![]() |
|
30 | Win | 24–3–3 | ![]() |
KO | 4 (8), 1:37 | 21 Oct 2011 | ![]() |
|
29 | Win | 23–3–3 | ![]() |
KO | 3 (12) | 17 Apr 2011 | ![]() |
Won vacant IBF Australasian heavyweight title |
28 | Win | 22–3–3 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (8), 2:47 | 29 Jan 2011 | ![]() |
|
27 | Win | 21–3–3 | ![]() |
UD | 8 | 4 Dec 2010 | ![]() |
|
26 | Win | 20–3–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 6 (10), 2:50 | 12 Aug 2010 | ![]() |
|
25 | Win | 19–3–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (10), 2:52 | 30 Jun 2010 | ![]() |
|
24 | Win | 18–3–3 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (10), 2:57 | 29 Apr 2010 | ![]() |
|
23 | Win | 17–3–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (6), 1:11 | 4 Sep 2009 | ![]() |
|
22 | Draw | 16–3–3 | ![]() |
MD | 6 | 31 Jul 2009 | ![]() |
|
21 | Win | 16–3–2 | ![]() |
KO | 8 (12), 2:11 | 19 Jun 2009 | ![]() |
Won WBO interim heavyweight title |
20 | Win | 15–3–2 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (4), 0:56 | 27 May 2009 | ![]() |
|
19 | Win | 14–3–2 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (6), 2:49 | 20 Feb 2009 | ![]() |
|
18 | Win | 13–3–2 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 14 Nov 2008 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBF Australasian heavyweight title |
17 | Win | 12–3–2 | ![]() |
KO | 5 (6) | 27 Sep 2008 | ![]() |
|
16 | Win | 11–3–2 | ![]() |
UD | 8 | 5 Sep 2008 | ![]() |
|
15 | Win | 10–3–2 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (8), 1:11 | 1 Aug 2008 | ![]() |
|
14 | Loss | 9–3–2 | ![]() |
SD | 12 | 27 Jun 2008 | ![]() |
Lost OPBF heavyweight title |
13 | Win | 9–2–2 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | 14 Mar 2008 | ![]() |
Retained OPBF heavyweight title |
12 | Win | 8–2–2 | ![]() |
KO | 8 (12), 2:09 | 30 Nov 2007 | ![]() |
Won vacant OPBF heavyweight title |
11 | Win | 7–2–2 | ![]() |
RTD | 2 (4), 3:00 | 7 Sep 2007 | ![]() |
|
10 | Win | 6–2–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6), 2:13 | 29 Jun 2007 | ![]() |
|
9 | Win | 5–2–2 | ![]() |
KO | 5 (6), 1:46 | 23 Feb 2007 | ![]() |
|
8 | Win | 4–2–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (6), 1:46 | 17 Nov 2006 | ![]() |
|
7 | Win | 3–2–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (4), 2:46 | 10 Nov 2006 | ![]() |
|
6 | Loss | 2–2–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (4), 0:51 | 19 Aug 2005 | ![]() |
|
5 | Win | 2–1–2 | ![]() |
UD | 4 | 5 Aug 2005 | ![]() |
|
4 | Draw | 1–1–2 | ![]() |
PTS | 6 | 20 May 2005 | ![]() |
|
3 | Loss | 1–1–1 | ![]() |
UD | 8 | 3 Dec 2004 | ![]() |
|
2 | Win | 1–0–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 8 (8), 2:42 | 17 Sep 2004 | ![]() |
|
1 | Draw | 0–0–1 | ![]() |
MD | 6 | 30 Jul 2004 | ![]() |
Minor titles won
[edit]- WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title
- WBO Oriental heavyweight title
- IBF Australasian heavyweight title
- OPBF heavyweight title
References
[edit]- ^ a b Burgin, Robert (24 April 2014). "Brothers in Arms". Rugby League Week, p. 36.
- ^ a b c "The story of world heavyweight championship contender Alex Leapai - Boxing News". 8 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ^ "Leapai installed as Klitschko Mandatory". ESPN. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ Dan Rafael (2014). ESPN, 3 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Other News | Wladimir Klitschko v Alex Leapai: Title Fight Preview". www.sportal.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ "The Russian Invasion of Ukraine | Foreign Policy Research Institute". www.fpri.org. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ "Wladimir Klitschko in Turmoil and Says Alex Leapai Fight Most Important of his Career". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ a b "Alex Leapai held back as Shannon Briggs gatecrashes world heavyweight boxing title media conference". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ a b "Wladimir Klitschko beats Alex Leapai to keep titles". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Home | Live Scores & Latest News". Fox Sports. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ "Leapai vs Scott - News, Tape, Ringwalk, TV, Streaming & Tickets". Box.Live. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Joseph Parker may fight Alex Leapai, not Eric Molina in next bout". Newshub. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^ "Joseph Parker makes Matchroom debut with tenth round TKO win over Alex Leapai". The Ring. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- ^ "Home | Live Scores & Latest News". Fox Sports. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ Kiwi connection to take on Wladimir Klitschko, Fairfax NZ News, dated 4 February 2014.
External links
[edit]- Boxing record for Alex Leapai from BoxRec (registration required)