madjack
06-11-2002, 01:13 AM
Mundine - moves into world contention.
King has Man at mercy
By Grantlee Kieza
November 4, 2002
IF Anthony Mundine signs his career over to American promoter Don King, he'll almost certainly be the WBA super-middleweight champion by the end of next year.
Mundine's 11-round sadism session on Ricky Thornberry on the Gold Coast on Saturday night propels him to the top five of the WBA ratings and ever closer to a bout with the King-promoted WBA champion Byron Mitchell.
Boxing has always been show business with blood and there are few showmen in the super-middleweight division as flamboyant as Mundine.
He is a far bigger money spinner than Mitchell, a slow slugger who rarely makes it on to American TV let alone the lucrative pay-per-view market which has Mundine rivalling Kostya Tszyu in the earning stakes.
Mundine qualified for a world title fight once he entered the WBA top 10, but whether he gets the chance depends on Don King. The champion is only ever ordered to fight the No.1 contender and all other title defences are optional.
King's matchmaker Bobby Goodman said from Florida that in preliminary discussions Mundine "had his head in the clouds" with an inflated idea of his own talent and professional worth. But Goodman also admitted that money talks.
"We have no plans to use Mundine at this stage," he said. "But if Mundine is the huge attraction he claims to be, sheer economics would make the fight happen."
If Mundine is given a chance at Mitchell he would likely start favourite but would also have to surrender a large slice of his earnings to the American promoter.
Thornberry went into Saturday night's fight with plenty of heart and stamina but those qualities never posed a threat to Mundine. In fact, they only prolonged Thornberry's agony.
Mundine says his next fight may be in Indonesia.
Three-time world champ Jeff Fenech says he is still trying to force the WBA into making Mundine fight KO specialist Danny Green.
"I don't want to be be disrespectful to Ricky Thornberry but he had nothing," Fenech said. "Thornberry doesn't have a punch so Mundine could do what he liked.
"But Danny is a tremendous puncher who would make Mundine back up."
Fenech will offer Thornberry a December 13 fight with Green at Rosehill Racecourse.
Green fights Indonesian Nico Toriri on Friday night in Perth before a sell-out crowd of more than 5000.
Edited by - madjack on 06 Nov 2002 00:14:41
Edited by - madjack on 06 Nov 2002 00:15:12
Edited by - madjack on 06 Nov 2002 00:27:25
King has Man at mercy
By Grantlee Kieza
November 4, 2002
IF Anthony Mundine signs his career over to American promoter Don King, he'll almost certainly be the WBA super-middleweight champion by the end of next year.
Mundine's 11-round sadism session on Ricky Thornberry on the Gold Coast on Saturday night propels him to the top five of the WBA ratings and ever closer to a bout with the King-promoted WBA champion Byron Mitchell.
Boxing has always been show business with blood and there are few showmen in the super-middleweight division as flamboyant as Mundine.
He is a far bigger money spinner than Mitchell, a slow slugger who rarely makes it on to American TV let alone the lucrative pay-per-view market which has Mundine rivalling Kostya Tszyu in the earning stakes.
Mundine qualified for a world title fight once he entered the WBA top 10, but whether he gets the chance depends on Don King. The champion is only ever ordered to fight the No.1 contender and all other title defences are optional.
King's matchmaker Bobby Goodman said from Florida that in preliminary discussions Mundine "had his head in the clouds" with an inflated idea of his own talent and professional worth. But Goodman also admitted that money talks.
"We have no plans to use Mundine at this stage," he said. "But if Mundine is the huge attraction he claims to be, sheer economics would make the fight happen."
If Mundine is given a chance at Mitchell he would likely start favourite but would also have to surrender a large slice of his earnings to the American promoter.
Thornberry went into Saturday night's fight with plenty of heart and stamina but those qualities never posed a threat to Mundine. In fact, they only prolonged Thornberry's agony.
Mundine says his next fight may be in Indonesia.
Three-time world champ Jeff Fenech says he is still trying to force the WBA into making Mundine fight KO specialist Danny Green.
"I don't want to be be disrespectful to Ricky Thornberry but he had nothing," Fenech said. "Thornberry doesn't have a punch so Mundine could do what he liked.
"But Danny is a tremendous puncher who would make Mundine back up."
Fenech will offer Thornberry a December 13 fight with Green at Rosehill Racecourse.
Green fights Indonesian Nico Toriri on Friday night in Perth before a sell-out crowd of more than 5000.
Edited by - madjack on 06 Nov 2002 00:14:41
Edited by - madjack on 06 Nov 2002 00:15:12
Edited by - madjack on 06 Nov 2002 00:27:25