Satali Tevi-Fuimaono hopes to revive Australian boxing scene with help of manager Peter Kahn

Satali Tevi-Fuimaono represented Australia's latest best chance at the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal.

He had won gold at the World Junior Championships as a 16-year-old and hopes were high.

But Tevi-Fuimaono never got the opportunity.

He was scheduled to box in an Olympic qualifier in November when a faulty plyboard at the venue gave out and caused him to cut his toe, which required six stitches. Still, he had to fight, and without the ability to properly move, he lost.

With the disappointment of his Olympic dream behind him, Tevi-Fuimaono prepares for his pro debut Saturday in Australia. He takes on Pramool Boonpok, but it shouldn't be long before he's stepping up in competition.

That's because Tevi-Fuimaono has the right person handling his career: Peter Kahn. The Miami-based manager has guided top fighters like Michael Moorer, Randall Bailey, Daniel Santos, Hector Camacho and Robert Garcia during his 22-plus years in boxing. Kahn also worked with Don King for 10 years, getting to deal with fighters like Mike Tyson and Felix Trinidad.

The veteran manager is confident that Satali, 19, is unlike a lot of other hyped fighters from Australia over the years.

"I feel that Satali has the ability to be a world champion," said Kahn, who is partnering with Thomas Hearns to create a boxing program in Detroit. "Unfortunately, from a global point of view, he has to overcome the question of whether or not he's the real deal because you never know what you're getting with fighters that come out of Australia.

"In my eyes, he's not one of those fighters. He doesn't look like them and he doesn't fight like them."

Tevi-Fuimaono, who is aboriginal, actually has ties to Dwayne Johnson; his grandfather's side of the family is from the same Samoan village as The Rock's. Tevi-Fuimaono will debut at middleweight, but says he plans to settle in at junior middleweight or even welterweight.

"I'm keen to break into the pro scene and can't wait to see where it takes me en route to becoming a world champion," said Tevi-Fuimaono, who posted an 80-10 record as an amateur. "I plan on going anywhere that is needed, Australia is and always will be home but I will achieve my goals by any means necessary."

Kahn says he hopes to find out sooner than later just what Tevi-Fuimaono has. And Kahn knows there's only one way to know for sure.

"There have been many great fighters that have come out of Australia such as Jeff Fenech, but the majority of fighters take advantage of their geography and get to play the game of winning a regional title that automatically places them in the top 15 in the world rankings," said Kahn, who manages Tevi-Fuimaono along with Australian businessman Ben Cook and Alice in Chains frontman William DuVall.

"Then begins the charade of not leaving Australia to fight until they are forced to fight for a world title, all the while moving up in the ratings which more often than not, doesn't end up well for the fighter.

"I see Satali differently and the one thing I can assure you of is that we're not going wait until he's 14-0 to leave Australia or hide until the last second.

"We will know early on by challenging him after he gets a few fights under his belt in addition to challenging him along the way by having him train in the United States and spend his time in a more competitive environment."