In-rehab Anthony Mundine has declared he’ll be ready to fight Danny Green early next year, with the rematch now looking more likely than ever and talk of an Australia Day bout even emerging.
A big-money rematch has been spoken of on and off ever since Mundine beat Green in a unanimous points decision in Sydney 10 years ago.
Rather than get back in the ring, the bitter arch-rivals have quarrelled over terms of a potential multi-million-dollar bout.
But Mundine said they were now deep in negotiations following his successful hip surgery four months ago, and reiterated he’s prepared to fight significantly lighter than Green.
It’s understood there’s even been a push to stage the highly anticipated clash on Australia Day, deemed by many indigenous Australians as a day of mourning.
And while the 40-year-old would still love the bout to be held at the sacred site of Uluru, he’d fight Green anywhere and on any date for “the biggest payday out there”.
“I reckon another three months I’ll be right and then just prepare for the fight, I need six months to prepare to get my body right,” Mundine told AAP in Sydney at a basketball clinic for disadvantaged children.
“The Green and Mundine fight is unique because of our first fight, the build-up and rivalry between two camps and him blaming it on weight and stuff – that’s why I’m going to erase that claim.
“But the telling factor is the white system getting behind him.
“And me being who I am and speak the way I speak, and stand up for my plight being an Aboriginal man, race comes into it.
“That’s what’s going to make this fight so big.”
Mundine has previously said he’d be prepared to fight at catchweight set at 83kg – meaning he would have to gain about 10kg while Green would have to drop around 6kg – but only if `The Man’ gets a 60-40 share of the purse.
However he appeared to have softened his stance, only saying the money “fluctuates”.
“He’s going to have the advantage because I’ll give away all that weight,” said Mundine, who had recently been keen to fight boom Brisbane boxer Jeff Horn.
“I’ve been fighting at 69.85, the fight I want to fight him again to make the weight is going to be 83kg.
“I won’t even make 83kg – I’ll make about 78-80kg.
“He’ll be probably 90kg by the time he gets into the ring.
“By the time I get into the ring I’ll be 78-80kg and he’ll be 10kg heavier.”
Regardless, Mundine backed himself to win and drew further confidence from his ever-improving hip since his career-saving operation in England in February.
“My range of movement is just crazy now,” Mundine said.
“I’ve never had it in six, seven, eight years – that’s how long it’s been.
“I’m really excited and that’s why I’m confident I can beat Green no matter what.”
The clinic on Tuesday was to launch Charity Bounce, a not-for-profit charity developing a community program to inspire Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse youth.
KingKongBundy
Guest
It will be a farce? how do you no how the fight will play out if I remember correctly you were certain Pac man would KO Mayweather maybe you might be wrong again and it ends up a good fight? I find it funny all the people that comment on this fight and bag it out and say no ones interested ha obviously you all are interested in it if your reading and have an opinion on it,We all no it should have happened years ago but it didn't its happening NOW you all no you will secretly check on the rounds to see whats going on out of interest just admit it.
bigJ
Guest
This fight, if it ever happens with be a farce just like mayweather v pacman a fight that should of happened five to ten years ago and will be nothing but to over the hill blokes slapping each other by the end. Im sure that most of your remember fenech v nelson 3 in 2008 it never should of happened and by round seven both men where out of steam and spent three rounds dancing with each other. I know that green and mundine have not had a big of a spell between fights as they did but how much could we really expect for two ageing fighters? anyway i hope the fight happens so i can add to my fight poster collection
Steve Mcglashan
Guest
Green will probably beat mundine this time as mundine's feet are not what they were and gets hit too easily now. Having said that both fighters are clearly past it and were never world class
Jason
Guest
Only last November Green was claiming to be in negotiations with Juergen Braehmer for a shot at his 79kg WBA belt, but he won't fight Mundine at anything less than 83kg which was meant to be the catchweight for the Konrad fight that was cancelled. So Green's not compromising one bit and Mundine's coming up 13kg's. Doesn't Green realise a win with such a difference in weight would be meaningless and still unlikely.. Green and his fans are so desperate they'll take any win they can get.
Jerry
Guest
A circus likely to end as a bloody farce, how about Mundine vs green 3 when they both turn 50.....
damo
Guest
Not sure a bout with such disparate weight classes matched up would/should ever be sanctioned but I guess money talks & that's all that matters here. I sincerely hope Mundine knows what he is doing, because he may be quicker & more lithe than Green, but with 10-15kgs more weight behind the punches & he could really sustain some permanent damage. On the other hand, Mundine is unlikely to hurt Green in any meaningful fashion, beyond a bruised ego if he beats him. We saw what a difference weight can make recently when the superior athlete/fighter in Conor McGregor fell to the accomplished but much bigger Nate Diaz. Two different sports I know (despite any crossover skills) but my view of that bout was that Diaz was just too big & strong & I fear the lack of submission option in boxing may see Mundine take more punishment than might first meet the eye, or take a blow that he simply should never be on the end of if sanity (& rules) prevailed. On top of that, this type of bout really is carnival tent material & does boxing & combat sports in general no good.
SM
Guest
Multi-million-dollar bout? Come on now.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
Yawn
Kingcowboy
Guest
ha ha, agree 100%. Not getting my cash either. I know a few people who have actually meet Mundine and they said you couldn't meet a nicer guy. This is just all a show to get as much cash as he can. If people are silly enough to fall for it, so be it.
Simoc
Guest
Whose going to pay these odd plodders money. Not me. Mundine was once really good and Green never world class. Now tired old men scrounging for dregs of fame and fortune.
Don
Roar Rookie
The same term was used in Kieran Foran articles all over the news yesterday. Given Foran has been undergoing both injury re-hab (not widely known outside NRL states) and mental health re-hab (reported across the nation) it made for juicy headlines when the topic was him being punished by his club for not following the agreed rehab (injury.) I don't have issue with the headline. It's what a headline on the net (or in the Newspapers) is supposed to do - get you to read the article.
Rooboy
Guest
"Re-hab"! Emma, that is cheap click-bait, you need to lift your game, and don't bait the reader with THAT freighted term. Mundine, high-profile indigenous man that he is, getting over surgery, doesn't deserve the imputation that he's been on something. It took you four paragraphs to refer to his hip operation.
JustAThought
Guest
Old men trying to gyp the public one more time. WWE anyone ?
peeeko
Roar Guru
i will not watch this fight