BOXING'S new hero George Kambosos Jr. has revealed that legends Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali helped him reach the top.
The world was stunned when the Aussie defeated Teofimo Lopez in a split decision to win the title of unified lightweight champion.
Kambosos was a good flyer, dropping Lopez in round one, but was sent crashing to his death in round 10.
The 28-year old recovered his senses and won a remarkable points victory.
It's been a long journey for the Sydney scrapper who revealed how he was bullied as a child.
Kambosos spoke exclusively to SunSport and said: "Look, as a child, I was bullied."
"I was overweight as a child and came last in every activity I took part in.
"But I tried to do everything with 100 percent effort. Multiple bullies were made of me at school. I just kept my eyes on what I wanted to do.
"It was a continuous daily thing, but I prevailed. I stayed strong and am in the position that I am today because I did that."
Kambosos, a 13-year-old boy, told Jim his father that he would one day be a champion. This became a reality on November 27, 2007.
Now he has the opportunity to continue and be undisputed king in the lightweight division, a far cry of the troubled kid who grew up Down Under.
Kambosos is married to Bec and has three children. He said: "I had a vision, once I started boxing it would be to become world champion. I never lost that motivation and I had tunnel vision.
"I worked hard, I sacrificed a lot, and my discipline is unsurpassed. It became a reality because I kept my eyes on the vision.
"It was something I learned early on that you have to be dedicated and sacrifice for your sport to reach your goals.
"Any young child out there, you can achieve anything you want in life as long you have that core belief, that dedication, discipline, and sacrifice.
Kambosos is unbeaten as a professional, and his nickname of "Ferocious" refers to Mike Tyson, who he calls his hero.
Before his victory against Lopez, photos of the ex-heavyweight king hang in Miami's gym Kambosos.
Kambosos studied a variety of boxing legends on his way to the top, including the "Badest Man on the Planet".
He said: "Some fighters like Roberto Duran and Manny Pacquiao Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson. All these guys who are incredible, I looked upto.
"So, I used to watch these guys as a kid when I was an amateur fighter. I was inspired to be a champion like these fighters."
