Mundine vs Geale: Press conference commotion [VIDEO]
Roar Guru By John Davidson, 28 Jan 2013 John Davidson is a Roar Guru
5,437 readsYou know when Channel Nine reporter Ken Sutcliffe is the voice of reconciliation that things are getting a little crazy.
But that’s what happened at today’s final press conference for Anthony Mundine vs Daniel Geale at Sydney’s The Star casino.
Sutcliffe tried to restore a bit of normalcy, a bit of sanity into an event that had just about everything.
Racism, boasting, profanity, long-winded statements from the promoter, crowd interjections, sexism were just the start.
Mundine went toe-to-toe with long-time critic Daily Telegraph journo Paul Kent in a debate about the greatest crossover-sport athletes, and that’s just a taste of the hour-long press conference.
Street fighter Kimbo Slice showed he was a man of few words, while David Alou showed he is a man of even fewer. That guy did an amazing impersonation of a brick wall that blinks.
The press event started off slow and took a while to warm up but oh did it blow up and end with a bang.
However it was good ‘ol Ken, the male model from Mudgee, at the end trying to play peacemaker. Mundine had slammed Geale previously for not “representing his people”, and had questioned his and his family’s Aboriginality. A touchy subject to say the least.
Today Mundine, channelling his best Muhummad Ali impersonation, called Geale a “fake” and threw out the “Uncle Tom” term. Ali vs Frazier this was not. But it managed to inflame some of the crowd, the Mundine supporters, and tensions in general, adding another facet to the event that had it all except fisticuffs.
Those will be saved for Wednesday night, when these two fighters meant to see who can really claim all the bragging rights.
You can say a lot of things about Anthony Mundine – showman, braggart, supreme athlete, good role model, bad role model, talented boxer, former NRL star, motormouth, controversial, Aboriginal icon etc etc – but no one sells like ‘The Man’.
No-one creates headlines and column inches like he does. No-one has injected life into Australian boxing like he has.
He will get people to the fight, and to buy the pay-per-view. They may not like him, they may not want to see him win (but many do), but they will tune in.
Because the man loves to give a show. Win, lose or draw that’s the one thing, in the sometimes murky and madcap world of boxing, that’s guaranteed.
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January 28th 2013 @ 4:47pm
james said | January 28th 2013 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
never seen mundine this worked up.
mundine by ko 100%
January 28th 2013 @ 5:05pm
langou said | January 28th 2013 @ 5:05pm | Report comment
Whats an Uncle Tom?
January 28th 2013 @ 5:22pm
Blaze said | January 28th 2013 @ 5:22pm | Report comment
“Uncle Tom” – a slang term usually describing a black person being overly subservient to whites.
Mundine is a disgrace. I for one won’t be watching, I also think less of geale for even giving this joke a look in to begin with.
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January 28th 2013 @ 6:01pm
Ronnie Liddle said | January 28th 2013 @ 6:01pm | Report comment
im confused – an obvious fan of Mundine is calling Geale an ‘Uncle Tom’? how can you call a white person an uncle tom. it doesn’t make sense to me. i have to wonder about the level of sledging from the crowd towards Geale. if the rolls were reversed…
January 28th 2013 @ 6:19pm
MArk said | January 28th 2013 @ 6:19pm | Report comment
Ronnie, Geale claims Aboriginal heritage, so they are calling him an Uncle Tom, as he says he is black, but acts white. He even called Mundine “low” for mentioning the possibility that he would boycott the national anthem, turn his back while it was played. That may disgust white people in Australia, but its how a lot of Aboriginal Australians feel about the anthem and the flag for that matter. Hope this clears it up for you mate
January 28th 2013 @ 8:29pm
Ronnie Liddle said | January 28th 2013 @ 8:29pm | Report comment
cheers mate.
January 29th 2013 @ 1:56pm
ash sainsbury said | January 29th 2013 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
history wars own wars lost ,stand up its today as its a good day,, make it better for everyone….
January 28th 2013 @ 6:41pm
Blaze said | January 28th 2013 @ 6:41pm | Report comment
Ronnie, geale is aboriginal, (or part), I believe mundine was directing his “uncle tom” remarks towards Arthur beetson, in an attempt to explain his reasoning behind not being selected for the kangaroos, his reasoning being that he was aboriginal. Paul Kent highlighted that Arthur beetson was the chairman of selectors, and aboriginal. And in turn mundine suggested he was an “uncle tom”. A comment that Kent jumped on and mundine quickly denied associating beetson.
Personally I’m a fan of geale, I just don’t believe he needed to give mundine the time of day… Geale is a boxer, mundine is nothing but a showman looking for a payday and will do anything to get it, even disrespect his race and culture. Pathetic really.
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Comment left via The Roar’s iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
January 28th 2013 @ 9:06pm
Myears Hurt said | January 28th 2013 @ 9:06pm | Report comment
Mundine….what a joke to Australian boxing….only decent boxer he has fought, Mundine woke up in the change rooms, he has never set foot in America and challenged the best fighters, he only recruits exfootballers for a pay day once his boxing career is over…it is a disgrace to rate or mimic Ali like he does… he stoops to a low level in anyway he can to encourage prejudice…I hope you follow through with your idle threat to turn your back on OUR national anthem, then people will be able to see that it’s not part of your “show” it’s the work of a true racists. Geale do the majority of Australia a favour and retire the mouth of Mundine!!
January 28th 2013 @ 9:24pm
The Grafter said | January 28th 2013 @ 9:24pm | Report comment
I was waiting for the toy gorilla to come into it.
I enjoy your boxing writings John however I have to question your sentence (sic) ‘ No-one has injected life into Australian boxing like he has’.
If ‘interjecting life’ is giving a person like Mundine a microphone to air his ‘grievances’, then I has a former boxer, coach, ref, judge and critic will get out of the the sweet science.
As I have written before, the Australian media has alot to answer for where this person is involved. He is a terrific fighter (was) however where was the focus over the past ten years on boxers such as Michael Katsidis (who has fought champions like Marquez, Casamayer, Burns et al), Kali Meeham (another who has plied his trade overseas mainly), Sam Soliman (fighting Sturm next Sunday morning) and several other world class fighters who desere parity in publicity.
January 28th 2013 @ 9:25pm
Oracle said | January 28th 2013 @ 9:25pm | Report comment
Pathetic really.
Sums Mundine’s crap up perfectly.
January 28th 2013 @ 9:57pm
Aussie joe said | January 28th 2013 @ 9:57pm | Report comment
Mundine has to be the most racist person on the planet . Hates white people because they are white , hates black/ indigenous people who do not cower to him and give him things (ie selection in rep teams ) that he does not deserve .
January 28th 2013 @ 10:10pm
Paul said | January 28th 2013 @ 10:10pm | Report comment
I really can’t see the problem ? No one cares what Mundine says or does, He hss no intreats in his people! He and his kind ( half cast) use the cause to make money and play the racist card to try and bring there so called people a long with them. Here is the facts black,white or tanned, Its time we stop the funding for this type of rubbish , you earn what you work for. Finally if Mundine ability was as good as his mouth , he may be worth sum respect . however that will never happen ,as being part aboriginal makes him a money making machine from the true believers of our real national people.