One of Australia’s greatest ever boxers, Lionel Rose, died last night, after prolonged health problems. Not only was he an accomplished athlete, but he was also a civil rights activist, and an inspiration to many in Australia, Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
He will go down in history as having been the first Aboriginal Australian to win a world boxing title, in 1968.
Challenging the current bantamweight champion at the time, Masahiko “Fighting” Harada, after 15 rounds a points decision declared Rose the new world bantamweight champion.
He was welcomed back to Australia a hero; 100,000 greeted him at Melbourne Town Hall.
In a time when Aboriginals in some states were still not allowed to vote, that same year, he was awarded Australian of the Year and an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire).
Rose successfully defended his title against Takao Sukurai, Chuch Castillo and Alan Rudkin, before finally losing to feisty Mexican, Rubén Olivares in 1969.
In 1970, Rose took a stand against Apartheid in South Africa, when he denied the financially lucrative offer to fight in South Africa.
There was a feature film made about him in 1991 and more recently, a revealing documentary in 2008, Lionel.
It showed just what an amazing life he had, rubbing shoulders with celebrities and even dabbling in a singing career. But the documentary also displayed his amazing legacy in boxing and Australian society in general.
Rose’s win-loss record was 42-11, with 12 wins by knockout.
A fighter, an inspiration, a legend.
Lionel Rose was 62.
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