Former junior middleweight world title boxing contender Troy Waters has died at the age of 53 following a long battle with leukaemia.

One of three boxing brothers, each of who won a national title and fought internationally, Waters was one of Australia's most stylish, accomplished and successful fighters of the 1980s and 1990s.

He unsuccessfully challenged for a world title on three occasions.

He was outpointed by Italy's IBF world champion Ginafranco Rosi in 1989.

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Waters then had title shots in the 1990s against two of the most feared and respected fighters of the era.

He was stopped in the third round of a brief but memorable WBC super welterweight bout in San Diego in 1993 by American superstar Terry Norris, who Waters dropped in the second.

The second round of the bout was later described by The Ring Magazine as the "round of the year".

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His last attempt was in 1994, when he lost a decision to Jamaica's WBC titleholder Simon Brown.

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

AAP