By Craig Watt
WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley has been in Sydney, Australia this week and gave his opinion of Australian Boxing on Fox Sports News. He stated, “Boxing in Australia is in great shape and I saw with my own eyes this week some of the talent that exists over here. In Anthony Mundine, Vic Darchinyan and Michael Katsidis you have some real world class fighters and just underneath that level you have some excellent prospects. The sport over here is in great shape and I am sure will be exciting in the years to come. When you look at the boxing styles of Vic Darchynian and Michael Katsidis they fight like American fans love- with their hearts on their sleeve. They come to fight and fans want to see this style and approach. They put bums on seats and they excite boxing fans. They are great fighters with a great pedigree and deserve the positive praise they get. We love exciting fighters in exciting fights and they certainly provide this. Vic Darchynian is such an exciting fighter - one of the best in world boxing and is putting impact on the world stage for Australian boxing. The future of Australian boxing is sweet.”
Mosley was in Sydney to see his friend, twenty two year old lightweight contender Billy Dibb (22-1, 11 KO’s) continue his development with an eight round technical decision over previously unbeaten Davey Browne on Wednesday. Dibb’s only loss was a failed challenge to Steve Luevano for the WBO lightweight title in October 2008, when he lost on points over twelve rounds.
Mosley discussed the merits of former two-time WBA super-middleweight champion Anthony Mundine by stating, “He has great hand speed and he is definitely an excellent fighter but I am not sure whether he has the chin to take the punches of the real top contenders in the world. We really need to see Mundine prove himself against the real top world contenders in world boxing before we see how good a fighter he is.”
When asked about his own future, the 37 year old WBA 147 pound champion stated, “I feel in great shape now and I feel I am the best welterweight out there. I am looking to the winner of the Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton fight and I also have Miguel Cotto on my radar. My immediate target is to see who wins the May fight between Hatton and Pacquiao and we will take it from there. I am the best welterweight out there and if Paquiao is considered the best pound for pound fighter that is where I am going to be- I am not going anywhere and want to fight the best in world boxing.”
Unfortunately both SSM and the Australian boxing public may never know how good Mundine is going to be via that criteria.
Mosley speaks on the state of Aussie Boxing
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adamheight
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Re: Mosley speaks on the state of Aussie Boxing
didnt mundine sign with goldenboy? its weird coz u wouldnt expect SSM to say those things about mundines chin if goldenboy was promoting him.
if he fights geale and green within the next year then where does that leave his contractual obligations with goldenboy as his promoter in the states?
if he fights geale and green within the next year then where does that leave his contractual obligations with goldenboy as his promoter in the states?
Re: Mosley speaks on the state of Aussie Boxing
another article by the same author prior to the Taylor Fight.
By Craig Watt
Former two time WBA super-middleweight champion Anthony Mundine (34-3, 23 KOs) takes on fellow Aussie Shannon Taylor (48-6-3, 34 KO’s) in Wollongong, New South Wales on Wednesday. The 33 year old from Sydney who is ranked #1 by the WBA at Middleweight received an impressive rap from Bernard Hopkins today, in his role as a member of Golden Boy Promotions. The former Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion told Fox Sports News in Australia, “Now that we have an opportunity to promote him, he is going to be a champion and well known all around the boxing world. He will be a champion, very, very soon. We are going to bring him on slow and then showcase his to he boxing public and I believe given his talent and dedication he will blow up into a major boxing star. Many people have tried to sign Anthony Mundine and I am glad we will be working with him at Golden Boy.”
He continued, “He is a fighter who is dedicated in his focus and his training and these are the type of fighters we wish to be associated with at Golden Boy. He will be a credit to our team and Australia should be proud of their fighter.”
Mundine is a big personality in Australian boxing and never far from outspoken views or controversy. He started his sporting career as an NRL Rugby League player in Australia and played 127 games in the top flight before becoming a professional boxer. After converting to Islam in 1999 he has had a love-hate relationship with the Australian boxing public. He has won the WBA 168 pound title on two occasions and won eight WBA title fights with only Mikkel Kessler, Sven Ottke and Manny Siaca defeating him in championship fights.
Even in the build up to the Taylor fight he told his opponent, “The mouth is an open grave.” This drew many negative comments about the terminology used but has driven Taylor to motivate him. He stated today, “I am going to give Mundine the hardest fight of his career. Everyone is talking about Mundine’s next fight and his future challenges, but he has got to be on top of his game to beat Shannan Taylor. I plan to upset everyone’s party on Wednesday night.”
It is expected that on Tuesday former WBA 175 pound champion will announce a return to the ring, and a planned re-match with Mundine. He is holding a press conference at the Subiaco Oval on Tuesday morning to announce his future boxing plans.
By Craig Watt
Former two time WBA super-middleweight champion Anthony Mundine (34-3, 23 KOs) takes on fellow Aussie Shannon Taylor (48-6-3, 34 KO’s) in Wollongong, New South Wales on Wednesday. The 33 year old from Sydney who is ranked #1 by the WBA at Middleweight received an impressive rap from Bernard Hopkins today, in his role as a member of Golden Boy Promotions. The former Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion told Fox Sports News in Australia, “Now that we have an opportunity to promote him, he is going to be a champion and well known all around the boxing world. He will be a champion, very, very soon. We are going to bring him on slow and then showcase his to he boxing public and I believe given his talent and dedication he will blow up into a major boxing star. Many people have tried to sign Anthony Mundine and I am glad we will be working with him at Golden Boy.”
He continued, “He is a fighter who is dedicated in his focus and his training and these are the type of fighters we wish to be associated with at Golden Boy. He will be a credit to our team and Australia should be proud of their fighter.”
Mundine is a big personality in Australian boxing and never far from outspoken views or controversy. He started his sporting career as an NRL Rugby League player in Australia and played 127 games in the top flight before becoming a professional boxer. After converting to Islam in 1999 he has had a love-hate relationship with the Australian boxing public. He has won the WBA 168 pound title on two occasions and won eight WBA title fights with only Mikkel Kessler, Sven Ottke and Manny Siaca defeating him in championship fights.
Even in the build up to the Taylor fight he told his opponent, “The mouth is an open grave.” This drew many negative comments about the terminology used but has driven Taylor to motivate him. He stated today, “I am going to give Mundine the hardest fight of his career. Everyone is talking about Mundine’s next fight and his future challenges, but he has got to be on top of his game to beat Shannan Taylor. I plan to upset everyone’s party on Wednesday night.”
It is expected that on Tuesday former WBA 175 pound champion will announce a return to the ring, and a planned re-match with Mundine. He is holding a press conference at the Subiaco Oval on Tuesday morning to announce his future boxing plans.