By Charlene Gatt
ZDRAVKO Micevic is not your average 24-year-old.
In 2004, the St Albans resident was thrust under the sporting world’s glare for throwing the punch that felled cricket great David Hookes outside St Kilda’s Beaconsfield hotel, where Micevic worked as a bouncer.
Despite Micevic being acquitted of manslaughter charges the following year, the public at large was not as forgiving.
But it seems all that is set to change.
Micevic received a standing ovation last month when he made his professional boxing debut at Reservoir’s Darebin Community Sports Stadium.
Amid cheers of “Zdravko, Zdravko”, the 1996 Victorian Amateur Champion blitzed opponent and fellow debutant Wes Ryder in a convincing six-round victory, and has now set his sights on the National Light Heavyweight belt.
Micevic’s trainer Louie Korica said there was “no doubt” Micevic would soon hold the Light Heavyweight Australian title.
“It was a good first fight, (Ryder) was a good opponent, tough. It was a good coming out fight,” Korica said. “If he can produce what he possesses, I’ve got no doubt whatsoever. He will be Australian champion – no problem.
“He’s an all-round boxer, he can do a bit of everything – he can box, he can brawl – it depends.
“He adjusts well and he’s a big light heavyweight, so that’s going to be an advantage and strong for his weight.”
Micevic is hesitant to speak to media after reports that the boxer was only in the league for “blood money”.
Korica is similarly tight-lipped about the Hookes’ trial.
“I purely concentrate on his boxing and keep his mind on boxing –that’s my job,” he said.
“He trained, he stopped, he resumed and now hopefully he will continue.
“We just need to nurse him through a few fights and get his timing and positioning slowly back to the top and then we’ll step it up, because ability-wise I think he’s right up there.”
If anyone can get Micevic to the top, it will be Korica.
The martial arts expert has been with Micevic from the start, and coached the former St Albans Secondary College student to be the 1996 runner-up at the Australian Amateur Championships with only three bouts under his belt.
Micevic was then 14.
He then snared a silver medal at the Australian Amateur Boxing League titles in Rockhampton before giving it all up for “cars and girls”.
Korica stood by his former charge during the Hookes trial, where he gave the boxing prodigy a character reference.
He said Micevic considered turning professional after returning to the ring to clear his mind.
“He was training and he asked me ‘What do you think – have I still got it?’ and I basically said to him ‘Yes, you’ve still got it. It will take a bit of time to get in a better condition,’ and it progressed from there,” Korica said.
“I think that’s the main reason he’s decided to box again, because he knew he had the right people around him, the right people in his corner.”
And if his first fight is anything to go by, the world hasn’t heard the last of Micevic, with Korica saying the full-time carpenter may cut back his work to take his boxing career more seriously.
“At this stage he’s been working full-time but I think he’ll go down to part-time and train,” he said.
