A string of strong recent performances has Australian boxing looking distinctly chipper heading into Christmas after a disastrous mid-year run of losses.
Former featherweight world champion Billy Dib and world-ranked Australian welterweight Jeff Horn - probably the hottest Australian prospect of the last two decades - both won on Saturday night.
Their convincing stoppage wins over Brazilian opponents continued an encouraging end to a year which loomed as Australian boxing's annus horribilis.
The local industry looked down for the count when Australians lost five big fights, four of them world titles, in as many weeks in the United States in July and August.
Then Australia's only universally recognised world champion, Sam Soliman, lost his IBF middleweight world title to American veteran Jermain Taylor and former heavyweight world title contender Alex Leapai lost to Malik Scott in Brisbane.
However, the last two months of the year have seen a welcome upswing in the fortunes of local fighters.
Anthony Mundine upset previously unbeaten Sergey Rabchenko to move within sight of a light middleweight world title shot.
Unbeaten world-ranked heavyweight Lucas Browne and former IBO lightweight world champion Lenny Zappavigna also had impressive wins on that card.
In New Zealand later in November, Brad Pitt won an eight-man cruiserweight tournament, veteran Kali Meehan beat Shane Cameron and Aussie battler Anthony McCracken upset Kiwi cruiserweight David Aloua.
Meehan's son Willis, who is also on the books of NRL club Sydney Roosters, is starting to generate some boxing chatter after winning his first two pro bouts.
Former IBO super featherweight world champion Will Tomlinson had an encouraging win in San Diego last week.
The list of up-and-coming fighters building nicely include super featherweights Luke Jackson (7-0) and Kye MacKenzie (14-0), welterweight Cameron Hammond (11-0) and super middleweight Jake Carr (9-0) though light heavyweight and 2012 Olympian Damien Hooper (9-1) suffered his first loss.
Even the rugby league players who dabble in the sweet science are doing their bit to raise the sport's profile.
NSW Origin captain Paul Gallen and fellow Kangaroos forward Willie Mason each won a bout over the past week, though the latter admitted he shouldn't have got the decision over Chiefs' rugby prop Ben Tameifuna.
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