It marked a strong recovery from a rare illness which almost killed him two years ago.

"My liver nearly failed," the 20-year-old Warrnambool man said. "It was pretty serious stuff."

Eccles was diagnosed with chronic liver disease, a condition which gradually destroys the vital organ and affects one in 400,000 people.

But rather than let it get the better of him, he focused all his energies into boxing.

"I couldn't go out drinking with my mates, so I thought: 'Screw it. I'll train harder and keep my mind occupied'."

His efforts paid off in the semi-final of the Victorian Amateur Boxing Title at Brunswick's Reggio Calabria Club on Sunday.

The middleweight boxer took on Coburg's Jim Drapac, who had won four out his five fights this year.

After failing to score in the first two rounds, Eccles bounced back in the final term to win the fight 7-4 - a victory which catapulted him into the state final.

"It was pretty good (the semi-final win) but I'm more excited about the state final.

"I would be absolutely stoked if I won that. I would be like a kid before Christmas."

His trainer Coleraine-based Ray "Mocka" McIntosh said Eccles deserved the win.

"He had worked very hard for this," McIntosh said.

"He had a few close fights this year, which he was a bit disappointed about.

"If he sticks to the fight plan he should have a good chance for the final."

Eccles manages his condition with medication. Studying sport at TAFE, he lives in hope that he could go into remission one day.

But for the time being he his determined to do his best in the boxing ring.

"I'm taking it one fight at a time at the moment. I'll do another with the amateurs then I'll see where it takes me."

The state amateur boxing final will be held in Melbourne on September 14.