Australian boxing champ Mark Schleibs says like many other Filipinos, he knows how it feels to live in poverty.
“Being Filipino and coming from poverty I want to make something of myself to make my mum and family proud.”
The 27-year-old professional boxer is originally from Tacloban City, Leyte and was raised by a single mother.
Schleibs shares that he migrated to Australia at the age of four without even knowing his biological father.
“My mum is a single mother. My biological father is from Saudi Arabia and I never met him," he says.
"My mum married my stepdad that’s why we’re here in Australia.”
Boxing beginnings
Schleibs started his boxing career at the of 11. He had his first fight at age 13 and won his first amateur Australian title at age 14.
He adds that the rough life in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir led him to boxing in order to protect himself.
“Being a little skinny kid, I grew up in a rough area in Melbourne’s West Heidelberg in Reservoir and I wanted to know how to protect myself.”
While his mates would only train three times a week, Schleibs says he rocks up at the gym every day because he was eager to learn the sport.
“My friends went three times a week to get better and because I was smaller than the rest, I wanted to get better than them. So I kept training every day instead of three times a week and it grew from there.”
Mark Schleibs during his early years in boxing Source: Mark Schleibs
'The Magic Man'
Schleibs is known in the ring as 'The Magic Man' and he shares the name was given to him by a ring announcer during his early years in amateur boxing.
"In the amateurs, I was an Australian champion very young. I was the best junior boxer in my weight division for three years running. I was very sleek, a very good puncher, so as I was coming out the ring, the announcer called me as Mark 'The Magic Man' Schleibs and it kinda stuck from there."
‘Until God takes me, I must fight’
Schleibs is the first Filipino-Australian to win an Australian boxing title. But even with his great achievement, he says more work is to be done. Not only in boxing, but even in life.
“No matter in or outside the ring, we must fight to keep living, and continue to be happy, humble and help our family as much as we can.”
Schleibs reveals he is training very hard for his upcoming fight against Brock Jarvis by doing 15 sessions of training a week and two to three days of sparring.
“There’s a lot of advantages for Brock Jarvis but I have the Filipino spirit and we’re good fighters.”
He adds he draws inspiration from international boxing champ, Manny Pacquiao.
“Obviously I’m not Manny Pacquiao but I have the same fighting spirit. I feel like I can defeat Brock the same way with my skills and my will to win.”
And while boxing is a dangerous sport, he says preparation and determination are at the top of his game.
"Boxing is not a game. You can lose your life. One punch can change your life. You have to be very hungry to win.
"You can't leave anything for granted because if your preparation is not 100 per cent anything can happen in that ring.”
The moment when Mark Schleibs won the Australian Bantamweight Champion title. Source: Team Ellis boxing
Representing Filipinos in Australia
Schleibs shares he is honoured to represent the Filipinos in Australia.
“I feel extremely proud and I want to invite Filo-Aussies to pick up boxing and maybe become the Australian version of Manny Pacquiao when it comes to winning the title.”
He adds making his country proud is what drives him to go after the IBF Intercontinental Featherweight title which will take place on 11th of December in Canberra.
“I’ve been preparing myself very hard. I think about my mum, my son, my family, and my country [Philippines]. They all help me get the victory."
