Losing a loved one can impact your life in many ways. Australian bomber and WBO interim lightweight champion Michael Katsidis is going through such pain at the moment, having lost his older brother Stathi after the 31-year old was found dead in his Brisbane home by his girlfriend Melissa Jackson, also the mother of his four year old son. Stathi was a well known thoroughbred jockey in Australia as well as an inspiration to his younger brother.
When the news broke it became uncertain whether or not Katsidis would push through with his November 27th date with lightweight king Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Dealing with such a devastating blow this close to fight time can be strenuous but Katsidis recently reached out to let the public know that he will still be accepting the Mexico City warrior?s challenge in a month?s time.
Slideshow: An inside look at Katsidis vs. Marquez
?I have lost my closest friend, my inspiration in life, my one and only brother,? Katsidis recently stated. ?This is something I could never imagine, but for some reason I feel his life is not a loss. My brother is me! We live our lives through each other. We dedicate our triumphs to one another and share the challenges we face in life.?
That challenge will likely be the stiffest of Katsidis? career as he tries to tackle the polished Marquez under the bright lights of Nevada. It should be noted that the only two men to defeat Katsidis, Joel Casamayor in March of 2008 and Juan Diaz six months later, happen to be men who were later stopped in brutal fashion by Marquez. This isn?t just a tune up. This is the fight of Katsidis? life and he seems to recognize what his brother would have wanted him to do.
?The fight will go on!? Katsidis continued. ?I will do this for Stathi, my family and myself. The moment I walked in for a grueling sparring session after hearing the news of his death earlier that day, my trainer Brendon Smith shook my hand and said to me ?you are about to take the bravest step of your life.? We nodded, smiled and went to work. I worked as I have never done before. He is with me and will be all the way. I am happy about this.?
Brave stuff from Katsidis, who is an extremely likeable character in the enigmatic world of boxing. The 30-year old is riding a four fight winning streak that has seen him defeat the likes of Vicente Escobedo and Kevin Mitchell and while his recent loss was shattering it is obviously inspiring on several fronts.
?I have never experienced anything like I felt that day. Stathi is inside me! We will fight this fight together. I know this is what he wants.?
