GOLD COAST, Australia – Teremoana Teremoana has promised a “patient” performance for the first time in his promising career.
The Paris 2024 Olympian has emerged as not only one of the great hopes of Australian boxing, but of the heavyweight division, and not only because of the abilities he demonstrated when winning a bronze medal, but because he has stopped all eight of his professional opponents inside two rounds.
Six of those opponents were stopped inside the first, but aged 27 and having recognised he has already made a significant statement, Teremoana is determined to focus on honing his craft. If he has the raw athleticism required to realise his potential he will one day need to demonstrate the stamina and tactical awareness to fight for 12 rounds, and on Saturday, against Mexico’s German Garcia Montes on the undercard of Jai Opetaia-Huseyin Cinkara at the Gold Coast Exhibition Centre, he has promised that that progress will start to show.
His compatriot Justis Huni was nearing a world heavyweight title fight until he lost to the recently crowned WBO champion Fabio Wardley, but it is Teremoana, and not the more experienced Huni, who is considered the superior talent.
To that end Teremoana has already fought in Monte Carlo and the US as a professional, and on Saturday fights for the fourth time in 2025. He has also been earmarked for another fight date early in 2026, and therefore knows what, against the 37-year-old Montes, is at stake.
“I’ve got a tough Mexican coming to try and take me out so I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he told BoxingScene. “I’m just excited to show everyone what I’ve learned over this past year.
“In the past 12 months we’ve had a total of four fights – this one will be the fifth. Obviously you’ve got to do your time – you’ve got to get the pro style, me coming from the amateurs, so we’ve just been working away, doing the work in the gym, trying to slow the pace down, set up the shots. I’m excited to show, come this Saturday – I’ve been working on a few things; getting more patient – because people seem to like me fighting because I bring the fight. I get a bit excited and want to take them out. Everyone will see a new Teremoana – cool, calm and composed for a little bit, and then we’ll see how we go.
“I’m going out there with a game plan to fight behind the jab, do what you’re supposed to do, set the shots up – that type of thing. But if I land a shot and I see him weak, I’m definitely going to go for the kill. I’m a fighter. That’s what fighters do. I’m not there to go to a decision. I want to take everyone out – but I’m not there to do that. I’m not trying to take them out – it just happens in the process.
“If you watch a few of my early fights, especially against James Singh [in March], I kind of threw everything out the door when I stepped in the ring. I believe I’m a high-calibre fighter – everyone in the world, I believe I’m better than them. Sometimes I can use my physical prowess – my size – to just overwhelm people, and I really believe I could do the same thing December 6. I really believe I could go out there and overwhelm him if I wanted to, but I’d rather set the shot up and try and get a nice, clean knockout, rather than making it messy.
“He’s one of the most experienced I’ve fought so far. Judging by the record [9-6], he should be my toughest fight. From what I’ve seen he doesn’t have anything too special, but he does know how to handle himself in close and mid-range. So do I. He’s going to have to work to get past my reach to even get to mid and close range – that’ll be a challenge for him. I believe my attributes are stronger than him – I’m stronger, I’m faster, I’m fitter. I’ve got better footwork, and my punches hurt. From what I’ve seen, I’m not worried about anything. He’s a heavyweight – heavyweights do punch hard. Every time I step in the ring I give respect to the opponent, because they could just land one punch and it could be a wild punch, but if it lands you could get knocked out, so you’ve gotta give respect to everyone in that regard.
“I believe my skills are superior. I believe I’m faster, and I believe I’m stronger, so he’s got more of the challenge on the day. I’m just there to prove it. I believe I’m in the best in the world – we’ve just got to go one step at a time and get through whoever they put in front of me really. We’re 8-0, so we’ve got to keep going, keep rising, and I’ll gain more respect as time goes on.
“The funny thing is everyone keeps asking me is it gonna go one round; two rounds? I’m just going out there – we’ll stick to the game plan, but I do expect that this guy will feel my power. I’ve been working hard in the gym. I’m a lot stronger and a lot faster than I was in my previous fights, and if people have seen anything in my last fights, I’m stronger than – every time I get in the ring I’m a whole new beast. I’m looking forward to seeing what I leave out there on Saturday.”
Teremoana’s past fight in Monte Carlo owed to his then being co-promoted by Matchroom. Matchroom on Saturday are again staging a promotion there, one headlined by the EBU junior-featherweight title fight between the Britons Shabaz Masoud and Peter McGrail and, asked if he had been in contention to instead return there, the heavyweight responded: “It was in discussions, but it just worked out better for us to be fighting in Australia, because I’m a local. I’m very happy to be fighting on this card – world-title with Opetaia and Cinkara – they have good eyes on this and I’m very honoured to be able to be on the undercard and supporting him.
“I’m just out there to do my job. We all have our own careers. I’m just there to let everyone know again, I’m someone you’ve got to watch out for, and then we’ll go from there.
“I live in Brisbane. Gold Coast’s just down the road. It’s a lot easier to just go there than jump on a plane and fly over to [Monte Carlo]. It works a little bit better with logistics and stuff like that. Everyone’s gonna be watching anyway – it’s a worldwide event being broadcast on Stan, so I’m not too worried about where I’m fighting, as long as I keep on fighting and staying active, that’s my priority. That’s my goal.
“Next year we’re looking to have a really busy year. I’ve been told my first fight will probably be early in the year – March; they haven’t given me a date – so I’m just getting ready for that. I’ve been staying in the gym the past year, so after this I’m going to get back in the gym; stay ready. I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me.”
