Former football player looking for one last big fight in the twilight of his career.
Former Australian rugby league star turned boxer Anthony Mundine is eyeing a bout with Floyd Mayweather as the ultimate prize after beating superstar “Sugar” Shane Mosley.
Mundine emerged the winner at Sydney’s Allphones Arena on Wednesday evening against the veteran American fighter when Mosley retired after the sixth round with severe back spasms.
It was the biggest scalp of Mundine’s career, earning him the vacant WBA International super welterweight title on a technical knockout, and the peerless Mayweather, with an unbeaten 45-0 record, is now in his sights.
While the win should improve his chances of a crack at Mayweather, Mundine said he was prepared to face the likes of former champions and Mayweather victims, Miguel Cotto and Saul Alvarez, on his way to the lucrative fight he is after.
“I just want the best, I don’t care,” Mundine, 38, told Australian Associated Press.
“Obviously I want Floyd, he’s the best of the best. But that’s not going to happen next.
“You’ve got to do your time and beat the right fighters. There’s Cotto out there, there’s Alvarez. They are the type of calibre of fighters I want to fight.”
Mayweather beat Mexico’s Alvarez in September to claim the unified super welterweight championship in Las Veges in what was the richest fight in boxing history with nearly US$150 million in pay-per-view revenues.
An honest Mosley, who has won five world titles in three weight classes and announced his retirement after losing to Alverez last year only to change his mind, admitted Mundine was ahead when he decided to call it quits.
Mundine paid tribute to his opponent as one of the all-time greats.
“My heart goes out to Shane, I know he’s a winner,” said the Australian of the 42-year-old, whose future is now unclear.
“He’s not one to pull out for nothing. He’s one of the greatest fighters to have ever lived.”
COMMENTS