| Tony Mundine | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Anthony William Mundine |
| Rated at |
Middleweight, Light heavyweight, Cruiserweight and Heavyweight |
| Height | 5' 11½ (182 cms) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 10 June 1951 Yulgibar, New South Wales, Australia |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 96 |
| Wins | 80 |
| Wins by KO | 64 |
| Losses | 15 |
| Draws | 1 |
Anthony "Tony" William Mundine OAM (born 10 June 1951) is one of Australia's boxing legends and one of the greatest Indigenous fighters. He held the Australian middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight titles and Commonwealth middleweight and Light heavyweight titles and is the only Australian boxer to compete in four weight divisions. He fought Carlos Monzón on 5 October 1974 for the World middleweight title but lost by a Knockout in the 7th round. No Australian boxer ever beat him in his 16 year career and at his best was a magnificently muscled athlete with knockout power in both hands.[1] He fought many top notch boxers including Monty Betham, Steve Aczel, Bennie Briscoe and Alex Sua.[2]
He played centre three-quarter for a Grafton Rugby League team, and showed promise and was offered a place with the Redfern 'All Blacks' in the South Sydney Junior Rugby League in 1968 when he was 17. With the desire to keep fit he began visiting Ern McQuillan's gym in Newtown where his natural ability and speed showed on the punching bag. McQuillan seen within him a promise of something better to come with expert tuition and so a fighter-trainer contract began with McQuillan.
In 1973, Tony's older brother Micky Mundine was a rugby league footballer who played in the first Australian Aboriginal rugby league team.[3]
Tony currently lives in Redfern where he manages a training gym adjacent to The Block and is the father and boxing trainer/promoter of Anthony Mundine, guiding him to the world title bouts he himself had aspired to.
On 26 January 1986 was he awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to sport particularly to boxing and to aboriginal youth".[4] He was the winner of The Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sport at The Deadlys in 2004.
First bout 5 March 1969 against Frank Graham and retired after his last bout against Alex Sua 19 March 1984.