Boxing has lost one of its great characters as Ian Fear passed away aged 73.
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Fear lost his battle with a vascular disease on Saturday morning.
Fear will be remembered as an impressive boxer, but even more so for his dedication to the sport and the life-changing influence he had on many young boxers.
After beginning his boxing career as a 10-year-old at the Burwood Police Boys’ Club in Sydney his career ended at 23, producing a stellar record as both an amateur and professional with just 13 losses from 77 fights as an amateur, while he had an 11-1 record as a professional. However, an eye injury left him blind in one eye and consequently cut his career short. But his contribution to the sport was far from finished.
Fear, who hails from Austral, trained many young boxers and brought his expertise to Ballarat 14 years ago.
He set up a gym, Ballarat Boxing Academy, and continued his great work with youths, often boys who were “lost” and Fear was a father figure to many.
Fear’s son, Les, and son-in-law Darren Kelly shared their fond memories with The Courier and were both proud to look back on the significant influence he had on not only their own lives, but so many within the boxing community.
“He was more of a mentor. Some of these kids were lost and he put them on the right track to give them some kind of purpose,” Les said.
“The first kid he saved came from a broken home and he moved in with us, Dad took him on and showed him the ropes about life.”
Fear was a much-loved and well-respected figure and dedicated his life to boxing, while some of his other loves in life included hunting and punting.
Many of those close to him recently gathered at his gym to share their memories.
“We had a gathering the other night in his gym, a few of his fighters came around and I said to each of them, I want you to tell a good memory of Feary – and then it started, everyone was laughing, so many stories.”
“He liked it down here, he’s met a lot of good people, a lot of people look up to him.
“He squeezed a lot into his 73 years. He’s a thinker, he wasn’t one of those guys who’d sit down and watch TV.”
Fear’s service will be held on May 6 at Gledswood Homestead and Winery in Catherine Field, New South Wales. While Fear has had a profound impact around Ballarat, his son said the service would be held in Catherine Field where he opened his first gym and had so many friends.
Kelly added for those wishing to pay tribute to Fear, but could not make the service, could place a mystery bet in his honour on May 6.
“Grab a mystery bet for him on the day, he loved a punt.”