Tony Mundine (boxer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Mundine |
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | Anthony William Mundine |
| Rated at | Heavyweight Cruiserweight Light heavyweight Middleweight |
| Height | 5' 11½ (182 cms) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 10 June 1951 Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 96 |
| Wins | 80 |
| Wins by KO | 64 |
| Losses | 15 |
| Draws | 1 |
Anthony William Mundine OAM (born 9 June 1951) is a famous Australian former boxer. He is known as one of Australia's most successful Indigenous fighters. Tony Mundine is the only Australian boxer to have competed professionally in four different weight classes. He held many important titles, including Australian middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight championships. He also won Commonwealth middleweight and light heavyweight titles. In 1974, he even fought for the World Boxing Association (WBA) world middleweight title.
Tony Mundine is the father of another well-known boxer, Anthony Mundine, and the cousin of Warren Mundine.
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Tony Mundine's Early Life
Anthony William Mundine was born on June 9, 1951, in Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia.
Playing Rugby League
Before becoming a boxing star, Tony Mundine was a talented Rugby league player. He played as a centre three-quarter for a team in Grafton. When he was 17, in 1968, he was offered a spot with the Redfern All Blacks team in Sydney.
Instead of working at the asbestos mine in Baryulgil during the off-season, he trained at Ern McQuillan's gym in Newtown, Sydney. There, he showed amazing natural talent and speed for boxing. McQuillan quickly signed him to a fighter-trainer contract.
Tony Mundine's Boxing Career
Tony Mundine made history as the only Australian boxer to fight professionally in four different weight divisions. He held many Australian titles, including middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight. He also won Commonwealth titles in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Mundine won his very first professional boxing match on March 5, 1969, against Frank Graham. In his fifth professional fight, Ray Wheatley knocked him down in the first round. This was the only time an Australian boxer managed to knock Mundine down. However, Mundine quickly recovered and stopped Wheatley in the second round. In less than a year, he won his first major title, the Australian Middleweight crown.
His last professional fight was on March 19, 1984, against Alex Sua.
Major Titles Won
Tony Mundine won several important boxing titles throughout his career:
- Australian Middleweight title: He won this on April 23, 1970, against Billy Choules.
- Australian Heavyweight title: He won this on February 25, 1972, against Foster Bibron.
- Commonwealth Middleweight title: He won this on April 14, 1972, against Bunny Sterling.
- Australian and Commonwealth Light Heavyweight titles: He won both on October 30, 1975, against Steve Aczel.
- Australian Cruiserweight title: He won this on July 24, 1981, against Steve Aczel.
In 1974, Tony Mundine challenged Carlos Monzón for the WBA World Middleweight title. He lost this fight by a knockout in the 7th round. Tony Mundine was never defeated by any other Australian boxer during his 16-year career. He fought many top boxers from around the world, including famous names like Emile Griffith, Monty Betham, Steve Aczel, Bennie Briscoe, and Alex Sua.
Personal Life
Tony Mundine's family is also involved in sports. His son, Anthony Mundine, became a world champion boxer, following in his father's footsteps. His cousin is Warren Mundine.
His older brother, Mickey Mundine, was also a rugby league player. He played in the first Australian Aboriginal rugby league team in 1973.
Tony Mundine lives in Redfern, Sydney, where he manages a training gym called Redfern Gym.
Awards and Honours
Tony Mundine has received several awards for his contributions to sport and his community:
- On January 26, 1986, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). This award recognized his "service to sport, particularly to boxing and to aboriginal youth."
- In 2004, he won The Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sport at the Deadly Awards.
- In 2005, Tony Mundine was inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in the Moderns category.
Images for kids
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Tony Mundine in 1973.
See also
In Spanish: Tony Mundine para niños
