choc and |Garths fight announced today

Mundine says his career is on the line with Wood rematch

by Sean Baumgart - The Age - February 16th 1:24PM


Anthony Mundine has admitted his boxing career could be on the line when he meets Garth Wood in a rematch in what could be the most pivotal fight of his career.

Stung by a fifth-round knockout by the reality TV competition winner last December, Mundine says he will overhaul his preparation ahead of the April 13 fight at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

The former NRL star said having one eye to his dream of fighting in the United States had cost him dearly in the fight against Wood, a former South Sydney fullback who earned his shot against the three-time world champion by winning The Contender reality television boxing series.

“I think if the last fight didn’t wake me up then nothing will, so I have to be ready and prepare a lot better mentally,” he told a press conference in Brisbane today.

“Physically I love doing the work, so it’s pretty easy, but the mental side was chalk and cheese in the last fight. Garth was a lot stronger than what I was. I paid the price.

“I was looking above and beyond too much in the past.”

Mundine, who slipped from the World Boxing Association's No.2-ranked junior-middleweight contender to No.9, admitted his next fight would be one of the most important of his career.

And he intends to treat it that way.

“I’m not getting any younger and this is probably the fight that I need to make sure that I win,” he said.

“I really feel that the last fight I wasn’t up for it as much as he was and I got into a lot of bad habits.”

 

Attention, any trainers and boxers [ non union ] interested in being involved in the above card who don't require cash payment for their efforts,

please E mail

" The Khoder & Mandy Benevolent Fund c/- Circus Mundine Sydney "

for details.

 

I'm sure Garth will be consoled by the fact of the massive pay day he is getting! Much, much larger than he could ever dream of getting fighting ANY other opponent.

 

:deal

 

I like how Mundine said he was looking above and beyond :think

Like **** he was, he was looking at the next cash cow here in Oz. The ****s 35yrs old how long was he going to wait?

 

A matter of fact doesn't help the paranoia. Let's hope no shonky's are pulled this time. :good

 

Exactly man, as the article stated, Woods broke his 17-fight winning streak - so he's basically admitting he was never looking past his 17 previous opponents because all of his talk about going to the US, fighting Pacman, PBF, Cotto, Margo etc. was bull****.

We all knew the truth of the matter, but it's funny to hear him admit it like this :yep

I wonder if anyone out there believes he's actually going to make good on his constant announcements of going to the US if he beats Woods in the rematch. Wait and see the shite that pours out of his mouth after he beats Woods :-(

 

He won't beat Wood.

 

I hope not but I have my concerns, especially with the fight taking place in QLD.

 

Funny thing is you might be right, the more I think about it the more i'm convinced the beige superman is shot to pieces....... Not only that but Woods will have a heap of confidence going into the fight as well.

 

C'mon now all you silly Billy's - a win in Brisbane by Mandy with the Wood team complaining about weight, ring ropes, corner person's on the apron, etc, etc ably assist's all roads leading to a gripping trilogy!!!!

What was the ABBA song - "Money, money, money..."

 

Strength, unpolished skills- making him harder to read, strength, determination, strength, constant pressure, strength, solid punching ability, strength and strength.

If Joe Cortez is referee, then he'd better allow as much freedom for Wood to smother and wrestle, as he always did for Tyson.

Mundine should be out muscled, out punched, out on his feet, and out of the domestic mix by the 8th.

....but we'll have to wait and see what little tricks are implemented by Mundine in the 24 hours prior to fight time.

 

A second 5th round KO won't help fulfill your dream C.

 

The bit towards the end of this article is the interesting bit:


Mundine admits career on the line

Josh Alston - smh - Feb 16th 2011 - AAP


Anthony Mundine says he became "pigheaded" winning fight after fight in Australia and admits another loss in his rematch with Garth Wood could spell the end of his boxing career.

There was none of the trademark arrogance, posturing or assurances of victory as Mundine fronted a press conference on Wednesday to confirm he'll fight Woods on April 13 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Inexperienced Sydneysider Wood caused a major upset with his fifth-round knockout of Mundine in December last year.
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A more vulnerable Mundine agreed a second loss to Wood, winner of reality tv series The Contender Australia, might end a career that has yielded three world titles and millions in prizemoney.

"It could be (the end), man," he said, picking at the label on his water bottle.

"Right now I'm only looking at short-term goals. I was looking above and beyond too much in the past.

"I've got to be victorious. I've got one purpose, one goal and that is to win."

Mundine has said he wasn't mentally prepared for his first fight with Wood and when asked if he was ready this time, he replied: "I think I have to be now.

"If the last fight didn't wake me up then nothing will."

The first fight against relative novice Wood was supposed to be a final bout in Australia before Mundine finally fulfilled his long-held promise of heading to the United States.

But the defeat ended all talk of world title fights in America and instead exposed flaws in his approach and game-plan.

"Garth was a lot mentally stronger than what I was. I paid the price," Mundine said.

"I've probably been a bit pigheaded, especially over the last couple of years.

"Even though I saw negatives in some of my performances, still I was winning and getting away with it.

"I didn't really care ... I didn't study films, I didn't study myself, I didn't study tapes, I didn't do none of that.

"Garth made me pay the ultimate price, losing on a big stage."

Mundine said he decided to stage the fight in Brisbane, rather than home city Sydney, to get away from all the distractions in his life and concentrate solely on boxing.

"Some of my best wins have been in Brisbane," he said.

"I've always loved fighting here and it's given me a chance to get out of Sydney to focus myself on what I need to do.

"I'm going to prepare a lot better without any distractions."

While Mundine appeared almost contrite, a calm and ultra-confident Wood can't wait for the re-match as he tries to establish his fledgling career.

"I'm only early in my career and I'm all about reinventing myself each fight," he said.

"Although he might be able to study tapes of me ... every session I'm improving out-of-sight - especially mentally.

"So if that was already a problem for him in the first fight, it's going to be double.

"I would love to beat him twice ... I'm just climbing up the ladder and he stands in front of me at the moment."

 

Did anyone else detect a weee bit of humility in that??