They say bad things come in threes, and Daniel Lewis is hell-bent on keeping it that way.
Injury and illness cruelled the Australian boxer's chance of qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics, competing for a medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games two years later and at a world championship event in between.
A dubious refereeing decision at the Olympic qualifiers earlier this month then almost cost him a ticket to Rio, but the 22-year-old wanted no bar of it.
Lewis was fighting against a local Chinese competitor for a spot in the gold medal bout.
"I thought there's no way I can have bad luck here," he told AAP.
"I'd had a good run; the first fight I won comfortably, the second fight was comfortable and the third fight against China - I had a bad feeling they were going to rob me of a decision."
Lewis felt like he won every round and, with more than 100 fights under his belt, believed he had it in the bag.
"When I didn't get the decision I was really angry, but there was nothing I could do about it," he added.
"I had another opportunity to qualify the next day in the bronze medal fight, so I just put it behind me."
The Sydneysider went on to finish third in the 75kg light heavyweight division at the Asia/Oceania qualifiers, earning selection for the Rio Games.
Lewis was set to make his Olympic debut four years ago but broke his jaw during team trials.
A year later be battled glandular fever at the world boxing championships, and in 2014 had his Commonwealth Games campaign end early after cutting his eye in an accidental helmet crash on his way to a medal.
Glasgow was his lowest point and made him reconsider his future in the sport.
"It would bring some people down but it built me up," he said.
"I want to be the first Australian boxer to win gold at an Olympic Games."
Lewis said his parents had been his biggest supporters - both emotionally and financially.
He lives with them in Penrith and when not training, works long hours at a sand quarry run by his dad.
"If it wasn't for them, I don't think I would've kept going," he said.
Lewis is among three boxers named in Australia's Olympic team, alongside Shelley Watts and Jason Whateley, with two others still chasing qualification at the women's world championships in Russia in May.
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