Anthony Mundine and Danny Green seem set to end their professional boxing careers with a rematch of their 2006 fight.
According to reports, ‘The Man’ and ‘The Green Machine’ could tussle again at the end of this year.
The two met in 2006 in front of a big crowd at the Sydney Football Stadium, Mundine securing a unanimous points decision.
It was the biggest fight in Australian boxing history, grossing around $20 million.
Eight years on and it looks like they will get it on again. About five to four years too late by my count.
Green is in semi-retirement, is 41 and hasn’t fought since November 2012, when he beat Shane Cameron at cruiserweight. That’s a long time out the ring.
Mundine, 39, has fought more regularly but not with great results. He was destroyed by Joshua Clottey in April, had win over an easy opponent in Gunnar Jackson in January and beat a geriatric Shane Mosley in November. He was also man-handled by Daniel Geale last January.
Meanwhile, Mundine’s fight options are fast running out.
So we have a 41-year-old against a 39-year-old, with a close to 50-pound weight difference between them. Ok then.
I’m not against Mundine versus Green II per se, I’m just against the timing. It should have happened in 2007 or 2008, or even at 2009, when both fighters were close to their prime and we would have seen a real contest.
Now it’s just a last payday, that’s the sole reason.
Mundine’s bravado and bullshit, his bold claims about Mayweather and beating the best have fallen away. No one is being fooled anymore. Green is still sniping away, bitter that he was beaten in 2006.
In that fight Mundine’s speed and superior boxing skill was too much for the West Australian. Green claims he was too weakened for that bout, he had lost too much weight, but regardless Mundine was too fleet of foot for him.
That’s likely to have changed now.
Mundine has slowed down considerably and his soft chin is on show, as Clottey so wickedly exposed. If Mundine comes up in weight, and Green can limit what he has to drop, then the former Sydney Olympian is a big chance. A catchweight of something around super middleweight or light heavyweight may be possible.
Still, it would be a bit of a sad end for both fighters. A sweet retirement paycheque sure, but one that doesn’t really offer a lot of value for money for the punters, compared to what it could have been.
Does anyone remember Jeff Fenech’s farcical rematch against Azumah Nelson in 2008? These are the kind of veteran rematch bouts boxing needs to avoid.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
jordo
Guest
isn't that around the time mundine nearly lost his eye?dont think he would have a problem fighting wasn't scared to fight kessler echols ottke.
colin mitchell
Guest
Mundine lost me when he give up the WBA Super Middleweight Title to get out of the (Super 6 / Super Middleweight Series) he was offered to fight in 2008-9, he would have been in with Jermaine Taylor, Arthur Abrahams, Andre Ward, who know s what could of happened but his Balls got the better of him so he (decided unbelievable to moved down in weight), Stooged every except me of cause? Had talent but no balls to test it?
pete ' the butcher ' mac
Guest
Anthony "the blowoff machine" green or what ever there names are ,this fight should not happen as casey pointed out green fought for world titles at super middle weight he destroyed eric lucus at super mid I didn't hear him complaining about making the weight then? and he made shane Cameron starve himself to fight him so he would be a hypocrite to use weight as a exuse ,and mundines gone down to 69 kilos for gods sake ,isn't that what boxers do drain there weight anyway ,so my point is the first fight was the real test and green failed badly I was going for green and was devo that he got whipped but that's what happened end of story mundine is a lot more talented than green,has he used that talent against the best ? that's another argument ,if a fight happened now there both old and past it whats it going to prove ,I think mundine should fight at his old and best weight an that's suppermid the sakio fight would be a huge challenge for the man and would be do or die for his career that's his best bet ,as for green retire mate its past u
jordo
Guest
id like mundine v soliman or mundine v bika.soliman always said he wants to fight mundine at middle this is his chance.
G-laye
Guest
Mundine vs the WBC champion of the world Sakio the scorpion Bika and I'm 100% sure majority of Australian boxing fans voted for Sakio vs Mundine, on Anthony the man Mundine upcoming fight poll
casey
Guest
We all know that Green fought almost exclusively at supermiddle prior to the Mundine fight, contested world titles held an interim one all at 168lb. He did fight once for the Oceanic light heavy, weighed in at 170lb when he could have been 175. He said after the Mundine loss that his preparation was excellent and he had no excuses, so the weight excuse is bogus. Every boxer struggles to make weight. Ironically any rematch does have weight issues as Green would unlikely be willing to go lower than 82-83kg meaning Mundine would be up 4 weight classes. Like the 1st fight Green has to convince the public he can win and it will sell, however beating a bloated (if he can?) Mundine carries no cred, those 2 will always be judged by their 1st fight. I prefer Mundine v Soliman IV, if Sam can beat Sturm again it will be for the IBF belt. Mundine has 3 wins over Sam including his only KO defeat, and a win over Geale. The IBF would love the sanctioning fees and Sam would want revenge. Geale will be sniffing around for that fight as a way of avoiding Golovkin again, so if Mundine gets it we can see how fair dinkum Geale is about Golovkin.
John Davidson
Roar Guru
Hi Tristan - Seems like there is strong speculation it will happen and it does make sense. Green is virtually retired so can't seem him fighting again unless it's a massive fight, and this is the biggest one out there for him now. Mundine's pulling power is on the wane and he can't entice a big name from overseas. The loss to Clottey has killed any momentum, real or otherwise, he had. With Geale (hopefully) fighting Golovkin next, I can't seem him wanting another Mundine fight. It would be a backward step when there are world titles to challenge for. I see Green vs Mundine as more likely.
Tristan Rayner
Editor
John, do you really think it will happen? Mundine did mention it post-fight. Is Mundine vs Geale more likely?