Australia’s newest boxing world champion, Sam Soliman, dedicated his victory over German Felix Sturm last weekend to Richmond ‘Immortal’, Tommy Hafey, who passed away recently.

Soliman, a long-time, passionate Tiger supporter, scored a unanimous points win to secure the International Boxing Federation’s middleweight title.

The dedicated, determined and daring 40-year-old paid tribute to Hafey following his well-deserved triumph.

Hafey frequently trained with Soliman and, despite his failing health, had turned up at Soliman’s Melbourne gym just days before he died, to wish the boxer well in his world title bid.

“I used to go running with Tommy on the beach and when I felt tired, he’d push me on.  He taught me to find another gear,” Soliman said.

“(Hafey) was a role model to me and I needed that sort of inspiration going into the last few rounds.  I was really feeling it.  It took some words from my trainer Dave Hedgcock before the last round to pick me up and push me over the finish line.

“He said to me, ‘How much do you want it, Sammy?  You’ve been training all your life for this, now go get it’.  It was the most important three minutes of my career and I gave it everything.”