NSW Boxing Stars: From Nationals to World Titles – Mateo Tapia Ready to Shine

In 2014, a team from New South Wales made waves at the Perth and Adelaide Nationals with a star-studded lineup including the likes of Tim and Nikita Tszyu, George Kambosos Jr, Jai Opetaia, and Mateo Tapia. Fast forward to 2024, and the legacy of that team continues to shine bright.

Nikita Tszyu, the son of legendary boxer Kostya Tszyu, is set to defend his title against Danilo Creati in his first fight of the year. With Tim Tszyu and Jai Opetaia already world champions in their respective divisions, and George Kambosos Jr a former unified lightweight king, the bar has been set high for Tapia.

Tapia, the remaining member of that talented NSW team, is ready to make his mark in the boxing world. With an unbeaten record of 16-0, including 10 wins by stoppage, Tapia is determined to show Australia his potential.

Having recently moved to the US with his wife, Tapia has been training hard and is now back on home soil to face Keiber Gonzalez for the vacant WBO global middleweight title. A victory in this fight could catapult Tapia into the WBO’s middleweight rankings, putting him one step closer to his dream of becoming a world champion.

Tapia’s journey has been intertwined with the Tszyu brothers since they were kids, with countless rounds of sparring and shared experiences shaping their careers. As Tapia steps into the ring on Wednesday night, he carries with him the lessons learned from his talented teammates and the determination to carve out his own path to success.

With the support of his family, including his older brother Nikita, Tapia is ready to show the world what he’s made of. As he aims to follow in the footsteps of his former teammates and become a world champion, all eyes will be on Tapia as he takes on Gonzalez in what promises to be an exciting and pivotal moment in his career.