Actor and Boxer Alex Baum joins Fenech as Mark Cribb
Actor, martial artist, and rising talent steps into one of the film’s most important early-career rivals – with real boxing pedigree behind him.
There’s a special alchemy that happens when a performer arrives with both the artistic instincts of an actor and the physical truth of a fighter. Today, we’re thrilled to announce that Alex Baum—actor, teacher, lifelong martial artist, and natural screen presence—has officially joined the cast of FENECH – The Jeff Fenech Story in the role of Mark Cribb.
This chapter of Jeff’s early boxing career is charged with sweat, grit, and raw pressure. Casting someone capable of embodying that era meant finding a performer who could bring equal parts authenticity and dramatic weight. Alex arrives with both, effortlessly.
A Fighter First — Long Before the Cameras Rolled
Although Baum has only one official amateur boxing match on record, the simplicity of that stat hides a much deeper truth: he has lived in the combat world for nearly 15 years across a mosaic of disciplines.
His training background reads like a warrior’s passport:
Kung Fu
Kickboxing
Muay Thai
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Boxing (over five years as a teacher and many more as a practitioner)
He originally stepped into boxing to sharpen his hands for MMA — and like so many who fall in love with the sport’s purity, technique, and psychological tension — he never walked away.
“I always appreciated boxing — guys like Hagler, Lomachenko, Floyd, Tyson, and of course Jeff. But once I started boxing properly, I never looked back.”
His first (and only) amateur match ended in a points loss, but not before Baum pushed his opponent to the brink:
“The other guy’s corner had the towel ready to go… I just ran out of time.”
That mix of humility, humour, and fighter’s heart is exactly why he fits the world of Fenech so naturally.
Training Under a Legend — And Sharing the Screen With Him
One of the most powerful connections Alex brings to the film is his real-world training pedigree.
He trains under Gairy St Clair, former world champion and one of Australia’s most respected boxing technicians — who, in a beautiful moment of synchronicity, also plays Azumah Nelson in the film.
That means Baum joins the production already forged under the same man who shaped one of the movie’s biggest performances. That continuity of discipline, movement, and boxing IQ gives his portrayal of Mark Cribb an authenticity very few productions ever achieve.
It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes symmetry that makes the film’s world feel lived-in, textured, and honest.
An Actor With Range, Craft, and Cinematic Instinct
While Baum brings the fighter’s truth, he also brings years of acting experience across theatre, screen, shorts, and corporate productions—demonstrating range, discipline, and the kind of craft that deepens every frame.
Selected Acting Credits & Career Highlights
2025
LEGENDS – Commercial (AAMI), Scoundrel / Ariel Martin
Zary and Jake – This Is Love, The Americas Theatre Company (Kai Paynter)
Zary – Megan, Short + Sweet Sydney (Kai Paynter)
2024
Zary and Max – L-O-V-E, The Americas (Kai Paynter)
Harry’s Image – Smoke and Mirrors, Short + Sweet (Reena Akhtar)
2023
Dasher – The Eight Reindeer Monologues, Sydney Acting Studio (Travis McMahon)
Mark/Mia – Things I Know to Be True, Arts Theatre Cronulla (Susan Geldart)
Mr Dawes – Murder by Invitation, Dark Stories (Emily McKendry)
2022
The Trickster – The Trickster Web Series (Dir. Yannick Dash)
Jim O’Connor – The Glass Menagerie, Sydney Acting Studio (Travis McMahon)
Red Clown – Send In the Clowns, Inverse Productions
Earlier Work
From Splendour in the Grass to Three Sisters, from Punk Rock to A Chorus of Disapproval, Baum’s theatre foundation gives him emotional discipline and stage-trained precision — the sort of grounding that translates beautifully to a screen performance inside the world of Fenech.
He even directed and starred in his own short film (Red Clown), proving he understands story from both in front of and behind the camera.
The Perfect Fit for FENECH
Mark Cribb represents an essential early chapter in Jeff Fenech’s rise — one of the formative rivals who shaped his ferocity and hunger as a young fighter. Casting Baum brings not just physicality, but lived experience, discipline, and a genuine respect for the sport and its legends.
And beyond the stats, Baum brings heart:
“I’m beyond grateful to be part of the Fenech film family. Let’s make something special.”
That’s the energy that builds great ensembles.
That’s the attitude that elevates scenes.
That’s the spirit of this film.
Welcoming Alex Baum to the FENECH Family
We’re proud to welcome Alex Baum to FENECH – The Jeff Fenech Story and can’t wait for audiences to see his work on screen. With his background in martial arts, his years of boxing instruction, his acting range, and his real-world connection to Gairy St Clair, Baum represents everything this film stands for — truth, grit, heart, and the fight inside every person who steps between the ropes.
Welcome to the team, Alex. Let’s create something unforgettable. 🥊🎥
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Casting Call for Professional Boxers
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