Australian heavyweight star Teremoana Teremoana is not wasting time getting his next fight booked, revealing he is set to feature on the undercard of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s bout.
Teremoana was quick to make his desire to fight on that undercard clear after his second-round knockout win over America’s DeAndre Savage on Wednesday, with the English giants expected to step into the ring in November.
Teremoana and Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. Getty Images
The 121kg juggernaut boasts a professional boxing record of 12-0 – and every one of those wins has come via knockout.
He revealed on the Gold Coast that the next step towards his “final destination of being the world champion” is a heavyweight fight on the Fury-Joshua card.
“That is the old heavyweights giving up their mantle, so it will be so good to get us new generation there and show them that us Aussies got the thunder from Down Under,” he said after his latest win.
That plan was confirmed by boxing promotor Eddie Hearn, who predicted Teremoana would one day bring the heavyweight world championship to Australia.
“(The Fury-Joshua card) is definitely the plan. I mean, we gotta step up the opposition,” Hearn said.
“We did that tonight, supposedly. We pick a guy who went 10 good rounds with a good heavyweight last time out, and Teremoana’s too good.
“You see the fear on Savage’s face. As soon as he landed, his eyes were popping out of his head, and he didn’t land that clean. He didn’t want to get up. I wouldn’t want to get up!
“But we need to find someone that will get up because this is all part of the progression, all part of the journey.
“I’ve been around boxing a long time. When do you ever see a 6′7 giant come out and light up the room like that with a smile on his face, singing and dancing, who can fight like that and can win world heavyweight championships?”
Hearn said Teremoana must face harder opponents if he wanted to develop into one of the world’s best. To secure those fights, he will have to be patient.
But the English promoter did not sugarcoat his belief that Teremoana is Australia’s best heavyweight fighter.
Teremoana punches DeAndre Savage Getty Images.
“I promise you, Australia has the best chance it has ever had to have a heavyweight superstar,” he continued.
“I believe (Teremoana) can bring world heavyweight boxing here. He’s a tremendous fighter, he’s taking his time, the team are doing a great job.
“He punches so hard and as soon as he lands, the fight’s changed. Give him the patience and the time, we’ve got to keep him active.
“But as I said, if there’s ever someone that’s gonna crack the code of boxing in Australia to take it mainstream, I truly believe it’s this man to bring the heavyweight world championship to Australia.”
Andrew Moloney and Ted Cofie agreed with Hearn’s comments that the latter could be “a future heavyweight champion”.
Cofie, a former world cruiserweight champion, labelled the proposed fight on the Fury-Joshua card as a “gigantic” opportunity for Teremoana to showcase his skill.
“They’re putting him on the undercard of the next heavyweights to show that this is the trajectory of the way we’re going to go,” Cofie said on Fox Sports.
“He’s going to do well. I mean, he’s a charismatic guy, a handsome guy, great with the crowd. I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, he’s so relaxed coming out, hugging people, giving high-fives’. That’ll change his career goes on, but credit to him.
“He did what many people expected.”