Fenech tipping ‘monster’ performance from Brock Jarvis
SPECTATORS are in for a shock come Friday night.
At least that’s the way legendary Australian boxer come trainer Jeff Fenech sees it.
Fenech’s protege, Brock Jarvis (17-0, 15 KOs) will make his featherweight debut in the nation’s capital when he takes on Mark Schleibs (12-0, 8 KOs) for an IBF affiliated regional title.
The move up in weight for Jarvis has Fenech convinced that the power punching 23-year-old is now an even more formidable fighter than he was at super bantamweight.
“You guys will all get a shock,” Fenech told Aus-Boxing.
“He’s been sparring Luke Jackson and he’s been sparring Hassan (Hamdan) and other guys all in the 70 kilos range and he’s had no problem with them.
“I don’t know what those guys (Schleibs’ team) have looked at but they dont have much brains and it will be proven on fight night.”
The lead up to the clash has been filled with plenty of talk, mainly from the side of Schleibs.
But Fenech himself became a vocal contributor, highlighted by an offer to bet the purse of the fight on Jarvis with Schleibs and his team.
“They’re saying all this crap,” he explained.
“So I told them, if that was the case, then put their purse on it.”
Schleibs and his team declined the bet but continued with the verbal barrage.
But more than the usual pre-fight bravado, it’s the constant demands that have angered Fenech the most.
“These guys wanted the fight at 56 kilos,” he added.
“The thing thats upset me the most is that these guys are trying to make the rules about the fight… it’s between these two young kids and what they need to do.”
Fenech was also quick to underline Schleibs’ talk on social media, and was quick to spotlight the interaction when the two fighters came face-to-face at a recent press conference.
“He (Schleibs) never said nothing when he seen us,” Fenech continued.
“He went straight over and shook his (Jarvis) hand, because if he would’ve said something, Brock would’ve knocked him out prior to the fight as well.”
It’s clear that Fenech believes Schleibs to be more talk than action. Despite claiming that Schleibs has some talent, he can only see the fight ending in one way.
“I’ve watched him a couple of times and he’s skillful, but I dont see anything there that Brock will have a problem with,” he concluded.
“We don’t need the judges, as long as the referee can count to ten or save the kid before he gets hurt.”
Words: Dan Attias/Follow Dan on Twitter
Photo: Marty’s Knockout Photography