This content is protected , best known for winning the WBC world bantamweight title from Fighting Harada, had a statue unveiled in his honour today in his home town of Warragul, Victoria (Australia). See avatar at left for a glimpse of the life-size statue. Present to share the moment with Lionel were, amongst others, world champions Johnny Famechon, Barry Michael and Jeff Fenech. Lionel Rose was born 21 June 1948, and raised at Jackson's Track near Warragul. He was bought up in hardship, and was taught to box by his father, Roy, a useful tent fighter. At 10, Rose struck up a friendship with newspaper photographer Graham Walsh, who further encouraged him and bought him his first pair of boxing gloves. At about 15, Lionel came under the instruction of Warragul trainer Frank Oates, whose daughter Jenny he would later marry. Lionel won the Australian amateur flyweight title at age 15 and at 19, under trainer Jack Rennie, won the world bantamweight title from Fighting Harada. Rose successfully defended the title against Sakurai, Castillo and Rudkin (plus a couple of non-title bouts), then lost it to Mexican great Ruben Olivares. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGqZExVoy4A"] [/ame]
You'll notice in the large picture (two posts back) that there is a small statue next to the life-size one. A number of these smaller statues were produced and sold to raise money towards the cost of the larger one. There's video from the unveiling ceremony on this link - but it probably won't remain there indefinitely: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/02/2916168.htm ...and Frank Quill, President of the World Boxing Council Ratings Committee, pays homage to the little champ: http://philboxing.com/news/story-39168.html