The Samoan-born boxer Alex Leapai says Monday's World title fight against Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko is a chance to make his family proud.
The 34 year-old Leapai is the first Australian in 106 years to challenge for a unified world heavyweight title.
His opponent Klitschko hasn't lost for a decade and will put the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring Heavyweight Championship titles on the line in Germany.
Leapai says he's caused his family a lot of grief in the past and his upcoming bout is a chance to make amends.
"I've done a few bad things in my past - drugs and alcohol and prison and all that stuff. Still today it still haunts me - every time I think about mum and dad at court when I was sentenced to jail and to see mum and dad break down, I still can't get it out of my head. But I've got a chance now to put a smile on my parents' face and just make them proud and Australia and New Zealand and Samoa."
Meanwhile the fight press conference in Dusseldorf was gatecrashed by former WBO champion Shannon Briggs.
In what appeared to be a staged confrontation, Briggs said Klitschko only takes easy fights and the division is a joke before the 40 year old declared himself a worthy challenger for the championship belts.
