January 16, 2026 will see one of the biggest grudge matches in recent Australian boxing history take place, when Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa finally throw down and settle their differences.
The fight, hosted at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, brings to a head years of personal insults, broken promises and one infamous walkout.
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This isn’t just a boxing match – it’s the culmination of a feud. The kind that has defined the sport in this country for well over a century.
Here are eight more Aussie clashes that captured our imagination and often gave new meaning to the term “bad blood”.
Anthony Mundine vs Danny Green
One of the most famous rivalries in Aussie sports history, Green and Mundine finally traded blows in 2006 in a bout that would shatter domestic pay-per-view and attendance records for the “sweet science” Down Under.
More than 30,000 fans packed into the Sydney Football Stadium, while many more watched from pubs and clubs around the country to see former footy star Mundine win a unanimous points decision – and bragging rights for several years.
However, the pair clashed again in 2017, with Green getting revenge via a majority-decision victory at the Adelaide Oval.
And while the two never faced off in the ring a third time, there has been talk of a possible fight between their sons.
“As fighters we are naturally competitive,” Green told Fox Sports Australia. “To go to my grave knowing that the pay-per-view will never be beaten, to be one half of a moment in history that captured so much attention, makes me very proud.”
Barry Michael vs Lester Ellis
Ellis and Michael started off as friends before the “love turned to hate” after Ellis won the IBF world title.
The pair eventually went to war over 15 brutal rounds at Melbourne’s Festival Hall in 1985, in what was dubbed “The Australian Fight Of The Century”.
“I hated him that bad on the night, I just wanted to knock his block off,” Ellis told Star Weekly.
“I wasn’t thinking about boxing him and trying to get the points.”
In fact, what unfolded went beyond a mere fight: it was a moment of grand theatre that captivated this sporting nation and saw Michael emerge the victor to claim the title belt.
In recent years, the once-bitter rivals have become great mates again, and in 2025 they celebrated the 40th anniversary of their famous battle.
“I think I am indebted to Lester for the rest of my life for the opportunity to fight him,” said Michael.
Michael v Ellis: Full Fight Highlights | 03:11
Ron Richards vs Fred Henneberry
Hailed as one of the most entertaining rivalries in local pugilism history, Richards and Henneberry fought each other an astonishing 10 times between 1931 and 1941.
Richards, a world-class boxer from the fighting tents in Queensland, won six of the bouts, with the fiery Henneberry being disqualified five times for illegal shots.
“I gave no quarter and I asked none,” said Henneberry. “I offer no apologies.”
“The big fat man referee didn’t like me very much — I was always a goer and they couldn’t handle me.”
Their legendarily ugly encounters drew sell-out crowds at Sydney Stadium in the pre-war years and sometimes left ringside reporters lost for words.
Whatever rivalry existed between them in the ring was put to bed after they retired, with Henneberry later acting as a pallbearer at Richards’ funeral.
Jeff Horn vs Michael Zerafa 2
The build-up to the second stoush between Horn and Zerafa, in late 2019, was spiteful and insulting, transforming what could have been a straightforward sequel into a heated grudge match.
Zerafa claimed the rematch clause had cost him the chance at bigger paydays overseas, declaring he wanted to end the career of “The Hornet”. Horn fired back calling Zerafa arrogant and disrespectful.
The hostility translated into a bruising contest, with each man refusing to back down for 10 brutal rounds and Horn eventually being awarded a somewhat controversial decision victory, squaring the ledger after his loss to Zerafa four months earlier.
“There was a lot of animosity going into that fight and it branched out into the teams,” Zerafa said in 2024.
“We’re on good terms now and he was a great athlete.”
Horn v Zerafa 2: Full Fight Highlights | 03:20
Bill Lang vs Bill Squires
Lang and Squires were two of Australia’s best heavyweights in the early 20th century, clashing on four occasions between 1909-1911.
Despite Squires being initially regarded as the better fighter, Lang managed to win by knockout every time.
This didn’t stop their ongoing contest for heavyweight dominance from remaining big news, with pundits constantly speculating on if and when Squires might earn his revenge.
Lang, who also played 54 games for the Richmond Tigers, would also have notable fights with boxing greats Bob Fitzsimmons, Jack Johnson and Sam Langford.
Paul Gallen vs Sonny Bill Williams
The rivalry between Gallen and SBW extended beyond the rugby-league field into the boxing arena, making it arguably one of the country’s most high-profile sports feuds.
The animosity simmered for 10 years before the pair finally stepped into the squared circle in 2025, with both men promising to settle things once and for all with their fists.
After eight intense rounds, Gallen was awarded the split-decision victory, while SBW stormed out of the ring believing he’d done enough to get his hand raised.
“I’m not going to talk about this fight anymore because it’s over,” Gallen said after the fight.
“Sonny came up to me then and he actually seems like a decent bloke. Some of the things said leading into this were not great and we spoke about that. I’m happy to sit down with him and have a coffee and end the whole thing.
“I don’t want to feud anymore.”
Bobby Delaney vs Bobby Blay
Lightweights Delaney and Blay had four bloody fights in Sydney between 1932 and 1933 that had fight fans lining up for tickets.
The first, for the Aussie title, was won by Delaney, with the second a draw and the remainder won by Blay.
A newspaper at the time described their third fight as “one of the most grim, stubborn, and at times, brillant fights ever seen in Sydney”.
Delaney was from Queensland and Blay from Victoria and, later, New South Wales – which might go some way to explain their animosity towards each other.
Ebanie Bridges vs Shannon O’Connell
The only fight on this list that didn’t take place in Australia, Bridges and O’Connell share one of the fiercest rivalries in women’s boxing.
Their feud kicked off after O’Connell criticised the “Blonde Bomber’s” racy self-promotion style, while Bridges called out “Shotgun” for disrespect.
The tension erupted in 2022 when the pair fought for the IBF bantamweight title in the UK, with Bridges eventually stopping O’Connell in the eighth round.
Bridges v O’Connell: Full Highlights | 02:01
“I’m not usually disrespectful to my opponent but she was so disrespectful to me the whole time,” Bridges said afterwards.
“I’m very satisfied with that win. I hope the world, I hope Australia is proud of me now.”