Boxing legend Jeff Fenech speaks out amid daughter's big news with NRL player
Jeff Fenech once declared there was no chance in hell he'd let his daughters date an NRL player. But the Aussie boxing legend has well-and-truly changed his tune, and he's now set to become a grandfather.
Fenech's daughter Kayla has been dating Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best for a number of years, and they announced last week they're expecting their first child. Kayla wrote on social media on Friday: "Baby Best due January 2026! We can't wait."
Speaking to on Saturday, Jeff Fenech said he's delighted. 'They are so happy,' the 61-year-old said. 'And I'm so proud of both of them. Whether it's a boy or a girl, the baby is going to have some great genes. And they'll be great parents. Bradman is a great fella who will make a great dad.'
Best has managed to convince Fenech that footy players aren't so bad after all. "I'd always warned my girls about going out with league players,' he said. 'I've been knocking around with footballers all my life. They're young and they love going out and having a good time.
'Bradman is such a decent person who treats my daughter beautifully. When we went to Newcastle to visit them, Bradman invited us in and said, 'Welcome to our house'. Not his house, their house. He's a great young man.'
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Fenech admitted last year he was fuming when Kayla told him she was dating an NRL player. 'When she rang and told me, I went off the deep end," he said. "I gave her a roasting. She kept trying to say 'Dad, he's a lovely guy'. Kayla was telling me every day how nice he was. Bradman knew I was angry, but he told Kayla 'I'll prove your dad wrong', and he has.'
Kayla knew Best was different to the men her dad had warned her about. 'I said to dad at the beginning that you can't judge a book by its cover. Footy players can get a bad reputation. Bradman is so different," she said.
'Dad now loves him. He's a good person, very down to earth, and treats me really well. Just an all-round good person with a big heart. He's actually perfect."
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Fenech is Aussie boxing royalty - a scary prospect for anyone dating one of his two daughters. The 61-year-old won world titles in three weight divisions, holding the IBF bantamweight title from 1985 to 1987, the WBC super-bantamweight title from 1987 to 1988, and the WBC featherweight title from 1988 to 1990.
Best has played 98 NRL games for Newcastle, as well as two State of Origin matches for NSW. He scored the winning try for the Blues in the 2024 decider, but has seen his 2025 season disrupted by a hamstring issue.
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