Boxing In Australia: Mundine, Taylor, Green, Kickett

ByBruce Dingo

Anthony Mundine won his 12th straight contest by defeating popular fellow Aussie Shannan Taylor this past Wednesday at WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollogong, NSW but more importantly, “The Man” made a successful transition to middleweight, breaking 72.7 kilos for the first time in his career.

33 year old former two-time WBA Super Middle Champion Mundine used his world class handspeed to outbox ex-WBC Welter and IBF Middleweight title challenger Taylor and had to contend with the hard-nosed rough and tumble tactics of the “Bulli Blaster”, who lost a point in the ninth frame.

After 12 rounds, Mundine swept the cards by scores of 120-108 and 120-107 twice to win the WBA International Middleweight title and is now the mandatory challenger of WBA Middleweight Champion Felix Sturm.

Also on Mundine’s schedule is a rematch with Perth’s former WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Danny Green, who ended his retirement to announce that he will have a few more fights to lead up to a rematch with Mundine, who defeated Green on pints in front of 30,000 fans at Sydney Football Stadium in 2006.

It’s not altogether clear at what weight class this hotly anticipated rematch could be held in but Green has stated that he intends to fight as a light heavyweight and the contest has to be held in his hometown of Perth, possibly at 43,000 seat outdoor stadium Subiaco Oval.

35 year old Green last fought in December, 2007 when he dominated Stipe Drews to win the WBA Light Heavyweight title and surprisingly retired last spring.

No word yet on when the country’s top prospect William “Cool Willie” Kickett will return to the ring after his shocking first round KO loss to Ahmed Elomar in November.

The fast-handed Belga super featherweight was to appear on Friday at The Block in Redfern, Sydney against Thai Tor Sialchai of Thailand but that contest never happened.

IBO Middleweight Champion Daniel Geale will face Ghana’s James Obede Toney on March 11 at The Cube in Campbelltown as Geale awaits world on his hoped for challenge of IBF Champion Arthur Abraham.