SYDNEY -- Former junior middleweight world title boxing contender Troy Waters has died following a long battle with leukemia, his family said Friday. He was 53.

One of three boxing brothers -- the others were Guy and Dean, who each won national titles and fought internationally -- Waters was one of Australia's most successful fighters in the 1980s and 1990s.

He unsuccessfully challenged for a world title three times. He was outpointed by Italy's IBF world champion Gianfranco Rosi in 1989.

Waters was stopped in the third round against American WBC champion Terry Norris in 1993 and lost a decision to Jamaica's WBC titleholder Simon Brown in 1994.

Waters fought for the last time in 1998, finishing with a professional record of 28-5 with 20 knockouts.

Waters was inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009. He is survived by wife Michelle and two children.