The Teremoana Teremoana hype train is starting to attract some famous passengers.
Fresh from another demolition job on the Gold Coast, the unbeaten Aussie heavyweight has caught the eye of Irish boxing icon Barry McGuigan — and he likes what he sees.
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A lot.
And the former world champion isn’t alone.
Former Aussie world champs Lucas Browne and Billy Dib have also been left seriously impressed by the 28-year-old knockout machine, with all three expecting big things as Teremoana begins his charge towards the top of boxing’s glamour division.
McGuigan, one of the most respected voices in British boxing, dedicated his latest column for the Mirror to the 6-foot-6 Aussie after watching him iron out American DeAndre Savage in just two rounds on the Gold Coast last week.
And while McGuigan wants to see Teremoana properly tested before making any grand predictions, he believes Australia has a seriously exciting heavyweight on its hands.
Teremoana Teremoana and Barry McGuiganSource: FOX SPORTS
“Teremoana has the power to take out anyone and looks really organised behind the jab,” McGuigan wrote.
“The fundamentals are excellent.
“I particularly like the way he follows through after landing a big shot. He stays on top of his opponent and throws great combinations.
“We have seen excellent Polynesian fighters before but I’m not sure we have witnessed a heavyweight from the south seas as exciting as this.
“Joseph Parker, a former world champion, of course, has all the tools but never looked as explosive as Teremoana appears.
“David Tua had a decent career, yet he was eight inches shorter and stocky, the opposite of this guy, who stands 6ft 6ins and weighs 19 stones.
“Though there are some terrific athletes from the region, most look to rugby to forge a professional sports career. Teremoana could put a serious dent in that tradition.”
Not bad praise for a bloke only 12 fights into his professional career.
More importantly, it is another sign the noise surrounding Teremoana is starting to travel.
Teremoana improved to 12-0 with 12 knockouts against Savage last week, needing just 82 seconds of the second round to stop an opponent who arrived in Australia with 11 knockouts from his 11 professional wins.
It was one of the few times Teremoana had even been forced into a second round as a pro.
Promoter Hearn certainly believes the rest of the heavyweight world is already paying attention.
The Matchroom boss declared again after the Savage demolition that Teremoana has the potential to become a heavyweight superstar and has already predicted his fighter could be challenging for a world title by the end of next year.
Aussie boxing sensation Teremoana TeremoanaSource: FOX SPORTS
Back home, some local boxing greats have been watching closely, too.
Browne, the first Australian to win a version of the heavyweight world title, has been a fan of Teremoana for some time and previously told Fox Sports Australia he believes the former Olympian already possesses the tools to “easily” win the Australian heavyweight crown.
And nothing he has seen since has changed his mind.
“I love what I have seen so far,” Big Daddy told Fox Sports Australia this week.
“But he needs to be challenged and almost lose.
“Something that will make him show character and make him dig deep.
“That next fight will do it.”
And it is perhaps the biggest question still hanging over Teremoana.
The towering Aussie has spent his pro career flattening everyone put in front of him, meaning we still have little idea how he responds when things don’t go his way.
Savage was supposed to provide some of those answers.
Instead, he was backstage with an icepack in less than five minutes.
Former world champ Dib is similarly convinced Australia has something special on its hands.
“We’ve had some good heavyweights but I definitely think that Teremoana is the one,” Dib told Raw Sports Media.
“He’s the uno.
“He’s the one who can do it.
“He’s got dynamite in his gloves … and he’s only a few fights away from an opportunity and I think he could spring something special for Australian boxing.”
Dib believes Teremoana’s career still needs to be handled carefully as the level of opposition increases, but says the heavyweight possesses the type of power capable of changing any fight in an instant.
“If he hits any of those heavyweights it could be goodnight Irene.”
Dib was equally bullish about Teremoana’s chances on home soil, particularly given the big man has made no secret of his desire to win the Australian heavyweight title.
While Dib believes the national crown may not carry quite the same prestige it once did, he has little doubt about how Teremoana would go against the country’s best.
“The truth is I don’t think anybody in Australian boxing at heavyweight can mix it with Teremoana,” Dib said.
“He’s just too big and too strong.
“He’s a giant.”
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Teremoana Stuns Savage in Two | 00:57
For now, the endorsements continue to pile up.
And Teremoana himself certainly isn’t lacking confidence.
Asked backstage after taking out Savage if he had a message for the rest of the heavyweight division, the 28-year-old grinned.
“The Thunder from Down Under is coming,” he told Fox Sports Australia.
“I don’t care who stands in front of me.”