BoxRec

I just got hold of a copy, Another great magazine and the second edition of the Greatest.

Here is a bit written about Lionel taken from fightnews
Written by Ray Wheatley


Australian boxing legend Lionel Rose, who passed away on May 8 at the age of 62 years, has been honored with a special tribute magazine from “The Greatest” Volume 2 that depicts his life from when he was born on June 21, 1948 in Drouin, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia to his final days when a Bronze statue was erected in his honor. Award winning writer Grantlee Kieza describes the fights of Rose in fine detail and the cover is by respected artist and former champion Bryan Membrey. Rose shocked the boxing world in 1968 as a nineteen-year-old when he defeated Japan’s greatest ever gloveman Fighting Harada for the WBC/WBA bantamweight title in Tokyo by fifteen round majority decision to become the first aboriginal to hold a world boxing crown.

Harada had won fifty fights only losing on three occasions prior to meeting Rose and was a hot favorite to defeat the Australian. When Rose returned to Australia there were over 100, 000 fans waiting for him at Melbourne airport. Rose said, “The Beatles arriving in Melbourne today.” Five months later Rose returned to Japan to outscore Takao Sakurai over fifteen rounds and then in a non-title ten round bout clearly outpointed tough as nails Mexican Jose Medel at the Forum, Inglewood, California in 1968. Medel had a TKO 6 win over Harada so he was highly regarded.

Mexican Chucho Castillo, extended Rose over fifteen rounds but it was the Aussie who was given a fifteen round split decision and the fans erupted and a riot followed at the Forum at Inglewood, California.Englishman Alan Rudkin gave Rose the fight of his life in Melbourne in 1969 when the Australian was struggling to make the 118 pound limit but a weight drained Lionel was awarded a fifteen round split decision.

Mexican great Ruben Olivares who had won fifty one fights scoring forty nine KO’s and no losses proved to strong for Rose and took the title by KO in five rounds in Las Vegas. Japan’s Yoshiaki Numata outscored Rose in 1971 for the WBC super featherweight title and in 1976 Lionel had his final ring outing when he lost to Maurice Apeang in Noumea to bring down the curtain on a great career. Tributes were given by former champions Johnny Famechon, Barry Michael, Tony Mundine, Jeff Fenech, Danny Green.

Boxing writer Tony Nobbs also Lionel’s best mate “Spider” Wheatley gave there tributes.. Rose became first Australian boxer who was given a state funeral and the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard said. ” Lionel Rose was an Australian champion in every sense of the word and a inspiration to us all.”

Cheers for that mate.

No worries mate, Its well worth having a read.

yep,great stuff

Great mag have read it before Ben K

When was it released. I havent been able to track it down anywhere. I have Vol 1 No. 1. that was a great read.

Odd thing about Lionel after he went up to lightweight. He beat Guts Ishimatsu who went on to be WBC Lightweight Champion but in his next fight could not beat Jeff White for the Australian title. I think he used to lose concentration.

Got a copy and good read, I met Lionel when he came to Mareeba, nice bloke

I havent been able to track it down anywhere. I have Vol 1 No. 1. that was a great read.

Where can I get copies of these mags?. Was the first mag on Rose too?. Ive always been a fan of Rose, great little fighter... love his bouts with Harada, Rudkin and Castillo.

Brute wrote:Odd thing about Lionel after he went up to lightweight. He beat Guts Ishimatsu who went on to be WBC Lightweight Champion but in his next fight could not beat Jeff White for the Australian title. I think he used to lose concentration.

I think he'd peaked by then at 118 and Ishimatsu was still to hit his own peak.

Lionel burnt bright, very bright, for a couple of years at bantamweight.

Giancarlo wrote:

Brute wrote:Odd thing about Lionel after he went up to lightweight. He beat Guts Ishimatsu who went on to be WBC Lightweight Champion but in his next fight could not beat Jeff White for the Australian title. I think he used to lose concentration.

I think he'd peaked by then at 118 and Ishimatsu was still to hit his own peak.

Lionel burnt bright, very bright, for a couple of years at bantamweight.

Rose fought in one of the greatest bantamweight eras and that makes his achievements all the more meritorious.

Rennie & co went to extroadinary lengths to keep Lionel under the bantamweight limit.

Hope its ok that I post this here. A little piece I done on Lionel, have a read if you like.

http://www.boxing.com/how_lionel_rose_i ... ation.html

Rise Above wrote:Hope its ok that I post this here. A little piece I done on Lionel, have a read if you like.

http://www.boxing.com/how_lionel_rose_i ... ation.html

Just found this. Nice work

GREATEST AUSTRALIAN BORN FIGHTER EVER.

February 27

Today is anniversary of Lionel beating Fighting Harada back in 1968, winning the WBA & WBC titles.

Lionel should have been an incredible source of inspiration for the Aboriginal people and I'm sure to a degree that's how it went. Unfortunately the nature of being a successful Aboriginal in those days, also meant that it dragged him down

bollox wrote:Lionel should have been an incredible source of inspiration for the Aboriginal people and I'm sure to a degree that's how it went. Unfortunately the nature of being a successful Aboriginal in those days, also meant that it dragged him down

Dont you mean WAS?

By all accounts he was a kind, humble and generous person.... the fact people took advantage of that, should be no reflection on Lionel himself

Your point is well taken though.... he certainly wasnt appreciated to the extent he should have been during his time.....

Tinnie wrote:

bollox wrote:Lionel should have been an incredible source of inspiration for the Aboriginal people and I'm sure to a degree that's how it went. Unfortunately the nature of being a successful Aboriginal in those days, also meant that it dragged him down

Dont you mean WAS?

By all accounts he was a kind, humble and generous person.... the fact people took advantage of that, should be no reflection on Lionel himself

Your point is well taken though.... he certainly wasnt appreciated to the extent he should have been during his time.....

I see things from both sides. ie.....here in Melbourne in the 70's virtually every Aboriginal that wanted to belt the daylights out of someone (and sometimes for no good reason) was "Lionel Rose's cousin"

I think poor Lionel was taken advantage of in a major way. He should have been allowed to set himself up for life through his boxing career

bollox wrote:

Tinnie wrote:

bollox wrote:Lionel should have been an incredible source of inspiration for the Aboriginal people and I'm sure to a degree that's how it went. Unfortunately the nature of being a successful Aboriginal in those days, also meant that it dragged him down

Dont you mean WAS?

By all accounts he was a kind, humble and generous person.... the fact people took advantage of that, should be no reflection on Lionel himself

Your point is well taken though.... he certainly wasnt appreciated to the extent he should have been during his time.....

I see things from both sides. ie.....here in Melbourne in the 70's virtually every Aboriginal that wanted to belt the daylights out of someone (and sometimes for no good reason) was "Lionel Rose's cousin"

I think poor Lionel was taken advantage of in a major way. He should have been allowed to set himself up for life through his boxing career

I certainly cant comment on that Bollox.... well before my time and honestly seems like a very different time to me... not to say all those issues are resolved.... far from it in fact.....

Lionel's life post fighting could be compared to Ron Richards or Elley Bennett's.... or countless other Aboriginal boxers.... it's very sad....

Yep it is sad. Lionel peaked very young and it didn't last too long, unfortunately

i have the Harada fight on dvd, It was a clinic. I recommend it. I think the whole fight is on you tube as well

Interesting that when I was in Lovemore Ndou's corner for the fight v Canelo Alvarez (2010) in Veracruz, the commentator for Mexican TV was Ruben Olivares - he was a bit chunkier than when he fought Lionel but the years had been very kind to him - still looked in good nick