Michael is joined each week by Aussie historian, author & entertainer Jim Haynes, for his unique knowledge of the not-so-famous characters from Australia’s history.

This week Jim shines the spotlight on Larry Foley – The Father of Aussie Boxing

Laurence ‘Larry’ Foley was born in 1849 near Bathurst and at fourteen he went to Wollongong as a servant to a priest and almost entered the priesthood himself, but changed his mind at seventeen, moved to Sydney and became a builder’s labourer.

He was a nearly undefeated Australian middleweight championship boxer and an exceptional boxing instructor, with his students including American champions Peter Jackson, and Tommy Burns, the incomparable English-born triple weight class champion Bob Fitzsimmons and Australian champion Mike Dooley.

Due to his success as a boxing champion and internationally acclaimed instructor, and for introducing his country to the modern Queensberry Rules, he is often referred to as the “Father of Australian Boxing”.

Download this podcast here