boxing...mundine loses !!!

[bayman]

Anthony Mundine's plans to head to the US are in disarray after 'The Man' suffered a shock fifth round knockout at the hands of Garth Wood in their middleweight bout in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Mundine had planned to use the fight - Wood's reward for winning The Contender television series - as his final stepping stone before heading overseas, but admitted everything was now up in the air after Wood left him sprawling on the canvas 58 seconds into the fifth round.

After what had been a scrappy opening four rounds dominated by grappling and warnings from the referee, Wood - in just his 12th professional fight - landed a vicious left hook on Mundine's chin to send the two-time world champion to an early demise.

"You get caught, but it's about how you bounce back ... he's rised (sic) up so all credit to him," Mundine said.

"I'll go back to the drawing board and talk to my team and see where we go from there.

"Congrats to Garth - he thoroughly deserves it."

Few gave Wood - who like Mundine was a former NRL player - any chance of beating an opponent who held a massive edge in experience and class.

In more than 20 bouts against Australian fighters, Mundine had never been defeated by a compatriot, and had come into Wednesday night's fight riding a 17-bout unbeaten streak stretching back to 2005 when he lost to Mikkel Kessler in Sydney.

Wood, who only made it to The Contender series as a late replacement for an injured Shannon Taylor, said this was just the start of bigger things.

"What do I say, I'm the best kept secret, but you are all aware of me now," Wood said.

"It was hard to get to Anthony early, I think he was aware of my power and I was just trying to bang away on is body but he was grabbing on me for a while.

"When I had the chance I hit him with the left and then he dropped and then I hit him with the left hook - that's what we've been training for."

While delighted by his win, Wood paid tribute to Mundine for giving him the opportunity to ply his trade on the big stage.

"If it wasn't for him, I never would have got a knock on the door, I never would have been able to chase my dream since I was a kid," Wood said.

"I take my hat off to him, I've got all the time in the world for him."

Wood's trainer Billy Hussein revealed they had been working for the last 10 weeks on the devastating hook which floored Mundine.

Hussein, who has been in the corner of many of Australia's top fighters, rated it the greatest win of his career.

"I would love to see Garth give 'Choc' (Mundine) a rematch in maybe about four or five months," Hussein said.

"This wouldn't have been possible without Chock agreeing to fight The Contender champion, giving a guy from the hood, that was off the rails, an opportunity to get through The Contender and give him a year to prepare to fight Anthony.

"Garth is not ready for the world scene, no where near it.

"Garth is aiming to win an Australian title and a Commonwealth title, those are his goals at the moment."

In front of a large gathering of past and present sporting personalities including Wests Tigers pair Lote Tuqiri and Benji Marshall, All Black Sonny Bill Williams, AFL recruit Israel Folau, former Socceroos Mark Bosnich and Robbie Slater and Sydney Roosters coach Brian Smith - who was coaching St George when Mundine broke into the first grade ranks in 1993 - the two fighters struggled to land a clean blow over the opening four rounds.

The most damage was inflicted by an accidental head clash which left Wood with a nasty cut above his left eye, a fate which characterised his series of bouts in the The Contender competition.

In the main undercard, Namibian-born Australian Johannes Mwetupunga defended his Australian Middleweight crown with a unanimous points decision over Sydney-sider Peter Mitrevski Jnr, while Billy 'The Kid' Dib registered a TKO win in his lightweight bout with Mick Shaw.

-AAP


ALL I CAN SAY IS I'M HAPPY IT HAPPENED

[gadj1976]

I'm very happy it happened too!

Mind you, I have to hand it to Mundine on this occasion at least he was gracious in defeat.

Let's hope that shuts Mundine up for a while though, cos he's annoying as buggrry!

[White Line Fever]

Mundine is a champion boxer and will continue to be great boxer.
He took this one on the chin... haha... but far too many people unfairly knocking the man.

Garth Wood.. what a ripper bloke... if anyone watched the contender he was the underdog... just got in the comp and scrapped his way with HUGE cuts into the final for a win.
His speech at the end of the show was a beaut.

Hope he re ignites boxing in Australia.

[Magpiespower]

Saw Mundine interviewed on 'Sports Tonight' last night. Seems as if he's already retired mentally. If so, he should never step in the ring again because he'll only get hurt.

That loss pretty much ends the American dream. No more talk of training with Freddie Roach and chasing fights with Pacquiao, Mayweather, Cotto and so on.

Just as well because if Garth Wood can knock him out in five, I'd hate to see what the aforementioned would do.

Thought it was interesting that Jeff Fenech, a noted Mundine critic, paid him a back-handed compliment by saying he was "the biggest waste of (boxing) talent".

[gadj1976]

Saw Mundine interviewed on 'Sports Tonight' last night. Seems as if he's already retired mentally. If so, he should never step in the ring again because he'll only get hurt.

That loss pretty much ends the American dream. No more talk of training with Freddie Roach and chasing fights with Pacquiao, Mayweather, Cotto and so on.

Just as well because if Garth Wood can knock him out in five, I'd hate to see what the aforementioned would do.

Thought it was interesting that Jeff Fenech, a noted Mundine critic, paid him a back-handed compliment by saying he was "the biggest waste of (boxing) talent".

Do you reckon the loss to Wood was partly attributable to him being "mentally" in the US already? He'd been talking about it for a while, and hence I wonder whether he underestimated Wood.

[MatteeG]

Whatever, the Marion hotel was rapturous when he went down. More hi fives than a West Indian wicket!

[Magpiespower]

Do you reckon the loss to Wood was partly attributable to him being "mentally" in the US already? He'd been talking about it for a while, and hence I wonder whether he underestimated Wood.

Got no doubt Mundine and his camp underestimated Wood.

He's a pretty limited and inexperienced scrapper.

Mundine certainly inherited his old man's glass jaw...

[Westsider]

Fenech won 150k by betting against Mundine

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5968553059

[Phantom Gossiper]

Mundine is a champion boxer and will continue to be great boxer.
He took this one on the chin... haha... but far too many people unfairly knocking the man.

Garth Wood.. what a ripper bloke... if anyone watched the contender he was the underdog... just got in the comp and scrapped his way with HUGE cuts into the final for a win.
His speech at the end of the show was a beaut.

Hope he re ignites boxing in Australia.

Your absolutely right about Wood. Hope he goes onto do great things.

[Phantom Gossiper]

Do you reckon the loss to Wood was partly attributable to him being "mentally" in the US already? He'd been talking about it for a while, and hence I wonder whether he underestimated Wood.

No i dont think so. I think in some ways yes he probably didnt prepare well enough, but in all honesty i dont think Mundine will go to the US, for a couple of years now he has appeared to be winding down in his boxing. His skills, speed and awareness looks to be dropping off and i think he himself is aware of this.

Mundine is a business man and a promoters dream, he is about publicity and making money, and all BS aside anyone with half a brain can see he has done a wonderfull job of it. How many people out there would have taken any interest in boxing? Apart from Tszyu in recent times how many other boxers would people know?

Personally id anticipate Mundine to hang up the gloves within the next 18-24 months.

[White Line Fever]

Fenech won 150k by betting against Mundine

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5968553059

interesting

[White Line Fever]

Do you reckon the loss to Wood was partly attributable to him being "mentally" in the US already? He'd been talking about it for a while, and hence I wonder whether he underestimated Wood.

No i dont think so. I think in some ways yes he probably didnt prepare well enough, but in all honesty i dont think Mundine will go to the US, for a couple of years now he has appeared to be winding down in his boxing. His skills, speed and awareness looks to be dropping off and i think he himself is aware of this.

Mundine is a business man and a promoters dream, he is about publicity and making money, and all BS aside anyone with half a brain can see he has done a wonderfull job of it. How many people out there would have taken any interest in boxing? Apart from Tszyu in recent times how many other boxers would people know?

Personally id anticipate Mundine to hang up the gloves within the next 18-24 months.

Another good point.

All businees for Mundine.

Alot smarter than we think, in boxing people pay to see the characters not the fighters.

[bayman]

Fenech won 150k by betting against Mundine

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5968553059

interesting

i wonder if 'choc' got half of it !!!

[mickey]

[dedja]

[rockstar]

Karma? How has Karma got anything to do with it? Coz he knocked out and beat people in the past, his Karma is him getting beaten? Well in that case Karma comes to EVERY athlete!

[dedja]

LOL, because he's a tosser ... and 99.98% of the population has waited for ages to see him knocked out.

[White Line Fever]

LOL, because he's a tosser ... and 99.98% of the population has waited for ages to see him knocked out.

Why exactly is he a tosser?

[MightyEagles]

LOL, because he's a tosser ... and 99.98% of the population has waited for ages to see him knocked out.

Why exactly is he a tosser?

Stuff that he has said in the past. I can't remember what, but I know that he has said some stupid things.

[Phantom Gossiper]

LOL, because he's a tosser ... and 99.98% of the population has waited for ages to see him knocked out.

If you speak to any real boxer or boxing fan you'll learn a few things

As WLF said, people pay to see the character, not the fighter, he runs his mouth he talks what ever rubbish he likes and people run along to the pub to watch the fight or get it at home in the anticipation of him losing... more money in his pocket.

So whose the tosser? The bloke who dangles to line out looking for a catch and getting it, or the 1000s of people who like lemmings run along and spent a few 100 over the course of the night on a feed and beers etc, go home disappointed he won, then do it all again in 6 months!