Grantlee Kieza ranks his 17 best footballers who became fighters

Justin Hodges might have a future in boxing, but no one can tell after two first round KOs against hapless opponents. In the spirit of the fight, Grantlee Kieza ranks his best fighting footballers.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 27: Solomon Haumono in action against Manual Pucheta during their Heavyweight bout on April 27, 2016 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

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Justin Hodges might have a future in boxing, but no one can tell after two first round KOs against hapless opponents, the latest the laughably inept Troy McMahon in Sydney on Wednesday night.

The football codes have produced some great fighters over the years, though and Grantlee Kieza, a member of the Australian Boxing Hall of Fame, rates the best.

Anthony Mundine Antwun Echols in 2003.

1 Anthony Mundine (Rugby League): For all his controversies the former Dragons and Broncos speedster was a two-time WBA super-middleweight champ who beat top-shelf opponents including Shane Mosley, Danny Green, Sam Soliman, Daniel Geale, Shannan Taylor and Antwun Echols.

Bill Lang and Tommy Burns during their 1908 match.

2 Bill Lang (Aussie Rules): The Australian heavyweight champion and Richmond fullback, he fought the great American Jack Johnson at Richmond Racecourse in 1907 and then decked world heavyweight champ Tommy Burns at West Melbourne Stadium before losing their 1908 fight.

3 Ambrose Palmer (Aussie Rules): He won the Australian middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight titles and was one of the world’s best boxers during the 1930s. He also played 83 matches for Footscray suffering much worse injuries on the footy field than he did in boxing. As a trainer he took Johnny Famechon to the world featherweight title and guided the careers of other Aussie fighters such as Len Dittmar and Mickey Tollis.

Tony Madigan (second from left) in an undated image.

4 Tony Madigan (Rugby Union): Best known for his two fights with young Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) the Randwick and Sydney Easts breakaway won gold at the 1958 and 1962 Empire Games and silver at Vancouver in 1954. He fought at three Olympics and in 1960 lost to Clay in Rome, coming home with a bronze medal.

Solomon Haumono in action against Manual Pucheta in 2016.

5 Solomon Haumono (Rugby League): One of the most feared players in rugby league, the hard-hitting forward won the Australian heavyweight title in 2012 and fought world champions Joseph Parker and Tomasz Adamek.

Herb Narvo gets pass away during game for Newtown in 1941.

6 Herb Narvo (Rugby League): He played for Australia four times and won the national heavyweight title in 1945. The following year he was captain-coach of the Dragons and led them to a Grand Final against the victorious Tigers.

Australian athlete Harold Hardwick.

7 Harold Hardwick (Rugby Union): He played for NSW in rugby union 1910, won Olympic gold in 1912 as a swimmer and won the Australian heavyweight boxing title in 1915. In 1916 knocked out two of Les Darcy’s teeth that ultimately led to the world champion fighter’s death from blood poisoning.

8 Snowy Baker (Rugby Union): A scrum half he played twice for the Wallabies and in 1908 won a silver medal as a middleweight boxer at the London Olympics.

John Hopoate looks down on Bob Mirovic.

9 John Hopoate (Rugby League): At his boxing best a decade ago, the former Tongan and Australian international winger twice overpowered Australian heavyweight champ Bob Mirovic, a Mike Tyson sparring partner who was a world title contender.

Canterbury player Billy Johnstone knocks down Australian middleweight champion boxer Richie Roberts in 1984.

10 Billy Johnstone (Rugby League): As tough as Cunnamulla, the town where he was raised, he played for Souths Magpies, the Bulldogs, Dragons and Gold Coast Giants. He challenged for Australian titles three times and in his final fight, in 1984, he was a mile ahead on points against Australian middleweight champ Ritchie Roberts when he was disqualified or headbutting.

The Contender final between Garth Wood and Kariz Karuiki.

11 Garth Wood (Rugby League): He played for the Rabbitohs and Tigers but his greatest sporting moment came when he knocked out Anthony Mundine in a huge upset in 2010. He also won the television boxing contest “The Contender’’.

Francois Botha battling Sonny Bill Williams in 2013.

12 Sonny Bill Williams (Dual International, League and Union): A great footballer in two codes, he was good enough to match it in 2013 with Frans Botha who had provided fireworks in fights with Mike Tyson, Wladimir Klitschko, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield.

Paul Gallen v Junior Paulo.

13 Paul Gallen (Rugby League): A Premiership winner with the Sharks, he has won all nine of his pro fights and in his last start knocked out former Australian champion John Hopoate.

Former Warriors captain Monty Betham.

14 Monty Betham Jr (Rugby League): A Warriors and NZ Test hooker, he is the son of one of New Zealand’s best boxers and his only defeat in nine pro fights was against Shane Cameron, a former Commonwealth champion.

Frank Farrington, pictured in 1972.

15 Frank Farrington (Rugby league): He played 39 matches for Newtown in Sydney and was a long-time club administrator. He won nine of 16 pro fights and in 1953 battled the “Tongan Torpedo’’ Kitione Lave.

Joey Williams (right) lands one on Jacques Hendrisson.

16 Joey Williams (Rugby League): A speedy half for the Rabbitohs, Bulldogs and Panthers he won 12 of 16 pro fights and in 2014 won the WBF super-lightweight title.

17 Kevin Ryan (Dual International): A product of Ipswich, he played five rugby Tests and two in rugby league. He won the Queensland amateur heavyweight title in 1958 and 1959 and trialled for the 1960 Olympics.