Anthony Mundine aims to end his 25-year sporting career as a champion with victory over Jeff Horn
When Anthony Mundine made his first grade debut Paul Keating was prime minister, a schooner of beer cost $2.10 and the average Sydney house price was $124,000. This is how he will spend the final day of a remarkable sporting career.
- Chaos as Mundine grabs Horn at weigh-in
- Big fight five years in the making
- 10 greatest Aussie boxing rivalries
- The moment Mundine becomes The Man
Friday is the 9238th and final day of Anthony Mundine’s remarkable sporting career.
He’ll spend it feeding his chocolate addiction with Caramello and Maltesers, praying, watching YouTube highlights of his career, the new Creed II movie and driving himself to Suncorp Stadium for the showdown with Jeff Horn.
When it all started a quarter of a century ago, Paul Keating was prime minister, a schooner of beer cost $2.10 and the average Sydney house price was $124,000.
SEE BELOW FOR EXPERT TIPS ON THE HORN-MUNDINE FIGHT
On Sunday afternoon, August 15, 1993, his teammates in the St George Dragons side on his first grade debut included the long-retired Mark Coyne, Gorden Tallis, Andrew Walker, Brad Mackay, Phil Blake and Mick Potter. Mundine wore jersey No.17 from the bench.
Somehow Mundine has kept going in the toughest, most physically demanding sports of them all.
Golfers and jockeys have all gone longer but no one in such brutal sporting environments as rugby league and boxing.
We rave about the longevity of champions such as Roger Federer, yet he’s six years younger and hasn’t endured anywhere near the same physical punishment.
So how does Mundine do it? Here is how he will spend the final day of his career.
THE PRAYERS
As a practising Muslim, Mundine prays five times a day. His phone sets off an alarm as a reminder.
He wakes at 4am for the Fajr prayer, even on game day when rest and sleep are so important.
“Sometimes I find it hard to get back to sleep,” he says. “But it’s the most important part of my life.”
GETTING TO THE STADIUM
“I want to get there early,” he says. “I’ll drive by myself. I’m leaving my hotel at 6.15.
“I played for the Broncos so I know my way to the stadium.
“I remember when I first started I used to arrive for my fights in a stretch limousine. That was showtime. As you get older and wiser, you don’t want to be flashy.
“I like wearing shorts and thongs and just cruising. There’s a lot of envy and a lot of jealousy in the world. I try to deter from that.”
CLEANING THE ROOM
Mundine is obsessed with leaving his room clean and tidy. It has to be spotless.
“The last thing I do is clean up,” he says. “The bed has to be perfectly made.
“I do it. No cleaners, nothing. I like it presentable. I do the dishes.
“Everything’s got to be nice and neat. I don’t do it every day but around fights it’s got to be perfect.
“It’s one of those idiosyncrasies. Then I pack my bag and go. I do it myself. Once dad packed for me before a Daniel Geale fight and forgot my protector. I had to borrow one.”
THE HAIRDRESSER
Mundine wants to look the part: “It’s showbiz, bra.”
Your columnist was invited to his hotel suite at Kangaroo Point, where hairdresser-to-the-footy-stars Nicky Pati has set up to cut Mundine’s hair.
Pati is known in Brisbane for his charity work. His shop employs 10 hairdressers and opens its doors to Brisbane’s homeless one day each month for free haircuts.
“He’s the best,” Mundine said.
THE MOVIES
Mundine’s children travelled to Brisbane on Thursday to watch the new boxing movie Creed II at the theatre.
Having made the weigh-in, Mundine can finally feed his chocolate addiction.
“I’ll be having either Caramello or Maltesers and a coke,” he says.
“The chocolate is what I’ve missed most over the last eight weeks. It’s just one of those sacrifices you’ve got to make.
“And it’s been great to finally have the kids around again.”
YOUTUBE
Mundine likes to check out the highlights of some of his earlier fights. It helps pump him up for the big fight.
“It’s pretty crazy watching some of the things I’ve done,” he says. “It puts me in the right mood.”
He will also watch more highlights of his opponent, Horn.
“Horn’s fairly predictable,” he says. “That’s one of his weaknesses. You know what he’s going to do. But it doesn’t hurt to have one last look at him.”
THE FOOD
Mundine made the weight comfortably and he now has 48 hours to restore all his strength.
“After the weigh-in I finally had a great pasta meal and some carb loading to get the energy and resources I need that I’ve been starving myself of,” Mundine said.
“Mum cooks a beautiful chicken in a tomato sauce with organic vegetables. Plenty of garlic, chilli and basil. I love it.”
A nutritionist arrives on fight morning to supervise.
Breakfast is a bowl of porridge with honey. A snack of fruit, either nectarines, apples or bananas.
For lunch it’s light noodles with a meat patty. Some more fruit.
His mum makes a steamed salmon and brown rice dish that he will take to the stadium to eat two hours before the fight.
THE LONER
Normally before a fight Mundine is surrounded by his closest mates. He’ll usually have as many as a dozen in his entourage from Moree to Macksville.
This time he’s staying in Kangaroo Point on his own.
When we caught up on Thursday in his hotel room, only the hairdresser, co-promoter Tristan Hay and videographer Scott Sheehan were there.
Sheehan is the son of legendary AFL journalist Mike Sheehan and is filming a documentary on his last fight.
Tennis brat Bernard Tomic was supposed to arrive from the Gold Coast and walk out to the ring with Mundine. He hasn’t been sighted.
Not even his old manager Khoder Nasser or great mate Sonny Bill Williams are coming.
They have their own show in Sydney on Saturday night.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Anthony Mundine
Age: 43
Height: 180cm
Weight: 70.25kg
Reach: 178cm
Record: 48-8 (28KO)
Jeff Horn
Age: 30
Height: 175cm
Weight: 70.55kg
Reach: 173cm
Record: 18-1-1 (12KO)
EXPERTS RATE WHO THEY THINK WILL WIN HORN-MUNDINE
JOHNNY LEWIS
Horn late KO
If he dominates him early he’ll stop him in the later rounds. The young legs will be the decider.
BARRY MICHAEL
Horn KO rd 5
I think youth prevails. Horn should get a stoppage within five with those 10oz gloves.
PAUL KENT
Horn KO rd 4
If Horn is to have any currency on the world stage after this fight he needs to win impressively, early, and he knows that.
PHIL ROTHFIELD
Mundine on points
The old warrior is as fit as he’s ever been. He’s got a huge edge in experience and still has the hand speed to land more punches.
GRANTLEE KEIZA
Horn by stoppages.
Choc will be fast and dangerous early but Horn’s youth and comfort at the weight will be the difference.
GARTH WOOD
Horn late round KO
The age factor and weight issue is a big hurdle for Mundine even though he’s a great athlete.
JEFF FENECH
Horn by KO, rd 6-7
For Horn, he has to pressure Mundine, get him close, don’t give him that distance. He’s still got great speed, he’s still dangerous and he’s bigger than Horn.
JOE BUGNER
Horn by decision
Between you, me and the gatepost, Mundine looks so old, it worries me that age is going to catch up.
SONNY BILL WILLIAMS
Mundine on points
I love brother Choc and God-willing he can do the business.Horn’s a great fighter. It will be tough.
BILLY HUSSEIN
Mundine on points
Mundine is too seasoned and we don’t know how Horne will come back from his defeat and he’s also going up two weight divisions.
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