R.I.P Lionel Rose - You're true champ R.I.P

RIP , a beautiful fighter .

 

Very saddened to hear about this after what started as such a great day for Aussie boxing.

RIP Lionel.

 

Have a look at the front page of the newspaper today - you'll see a picture of Lionel Rose on it.

....and you'll see his picture reproduced in the media for decades to come.

 

R.I.P Lionel Rose - The boxing world has lost a true gentleman and champion .....:verysad:verysad

 

Highs and lows for Aussie boxing this weekend. RIP Rose.

 

RIP champion.

 

62 that's young but what a special part of Australian boxing history Lionel has secured and won. Taken early but still a highly respected sporting legend that lived and breathed boxing until his last day Rest in Peace for all your hard work :good

 

RIP Lionel, an inspiration, a humble champion, a gentleman. Legend.

 

R.I.P Lionel. Superb boxer.

 

Victorians to farewell Lionel Rose with state funeral

Boxing great Lionel Rose will be given a state funeral.

The family of the former world champion, who died aged 62 on Sunday, has accepted an offer from the Victorian government for the state funeral.

Rose, who fought his way to fame from an impoverished upbringing near Drouin, south-east of Melbourne, was 19 when he beat Japan's "Fighting" Harada in Tokyo in 1968 for the bantamweight title of the world.


His victory made him Australia's first Aboriginal world champion and and sparked wild celebrations at home. On his return, Rose was met by hundreds of thousands of fans lining the streets of Melbourne.

He went on to receive an MBE from the Queen and posed for a photo with "the king" of rock'n'roll, Elvis Presley.

A spokesman for the government said Rose's family had opted for a state funeral to allow his fans to say a last goodbye.

He said details were to be finalised but the funeral would be held within a week.
Rose's death on Sunday set off global mourning for one of Australia's greatest sporting heroes.

Tributes flowed from around the globe and the World Boxing Council declared it would hold a day of mourning.

AAP


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Lionel Rose gone but his legend will always fight on
By David Lord May 10th 2011

It would be a fitting gesture by Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu, to officially invite Fighting Harada to Lionel Rose’s State funeral in Melbourne next week. The 62-year-old Rose died on Sunday, after a history of heart problems and a stroke in 2007 that left him partially paralysed and affected his speech.

Lionel Rose is no longer with us, but the memory of Australia’s first indigenous world boxing champion, and first indigenous Australian of theYear will last forever.

Especially that historic night on February 26, 1968, when the unknown 19 year-old Aussie stepped into the Tokyo ring with the world bantam champion, Fighting Harada, as tough as they come.

It has been rated one of the best bouts in world championship boxing history, and certainly one of the biggest boil-overs.

Fifteen rounds later, Lionel Rose emerged as the world champion and Australians literally went “nuts”.

Just 10 people saw Lionel off at the airport heading for Tokyo, but 150,000 jammed the Melbourne CBD to salute the nation’s newest world champion on his return.

It was the sort of reaction expected of a salute to Don Bradman.
Those were euphoric scenes, bewildering to the teenager who had come from poverty as a kid in country Victoria to become a world figure, virtually overnight.
Elvis Presley wanted to meet him, and did so on the quiet. It became nothing new to Lionel, who was the centre of attention wherever he went.

It was tough going for the modest, quietly-spoken Rose, the constant adulation almost suffocating, and he went through a period of drinking, drugs, and petty theft that tainted his image.

But Lionel Rose was made of stern stuff.

Just as he did in the ring when he was in trouble, he fought his way out of the low moments to continue the fight for his people. Image restored.

His resolve was unbendable. At a time when ready cash wasn’t available, Rose knocked back a bout in South Africa during apartheid.

“I’m not going to become an honourary white, just for the big bucks,” the proud Aboriginal said at the time.

Understandably, tributes are pouring in from all over the world for the champion’s 53 fight career, with 42 wins, 12 by KO and 11 losses.

WBC boss Jose Suliaman said there will be an official day of mourning from the 170 countries under his wing.

“Lionel was a special champion who had the passionate idolatry of his Aborigine people, the whole of Australia, and the world”.

Tony Mundine said: “Lionel was a great guy, and the best fighter we have produced,” sentiments echoed by Tony’s son Anthony, himself a three-time world champion.

Another three-times world champion, Jeff Fenech noted: “Lionel was an absolute legend, and I was honoured to know him as a friend. He was not only a great fighter, but a wonderful human being.”

Said legendary boxing trainer, Johnny Lewis: “There has never been another boxer who has captured the imagination of the Australian public the way he did. He showed indigenous Australians they could achieve anything if they worked hard, but he was an inspiration to all Australians.”

Seven-times Slam singles champion and former number one Evonne Goolagong Cawley agreed whole-heartedly: “Lionel inspired me.”

And he inspired Daniel Geale, the latest Aboriginal world boxing champion: “An absolute boxing legend. You will be missed mate, but never forgotten.”

In an eerie coincidence, Daniel Geale won his world middleweight belt by beating Germany’s Sebastian Sylvester in Germany on the same day Lionel Rose died.

Your move, Mr Premier. Fighting Harada deserves to add his salute in person and say farewell to his close friend.

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If you follow this link..
http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-s...eral-in-victoria/story-e6frf5h3-1226052823237

There is two videos with Fenech and Tony Mundine on Rose's career.

 

Rest In Peace champion. I first met Lionel Rose at the weigh in for a local fight night in my home town. The promoter flew him up.

Lionel was my Dad's first sporting hero when he was growing up and he had a newspaper clipping of him returning for Japan with the world title. I was only 17 at the time and in complete awe of this Australian boxing legend. I took the clipping up to him and said: "Can I please have your autograph on this, Lionel?"

He replied: "Of course you can mate, if you can get me a beer!" Ha ha. Vintage Rose. So I walked up to the publican, who was a family friend and ordered a beer for the champion, despite being underage.

I returned and gave him his beer. He took the newspaper clipping from me and stared at it it's faded yellow image of him with a huge trophy the Japanese had presented to him. He raised it to his nose and inhaled deeply. He said: "It smells like yesterday," bringing back memories.

The following day, Lionel attended our school. I was the school captain and had the honour of showing the former worlds Bantamweight champion around the place. The kids absolutely loved him, such was his personality. I got a photo in the local paper with the legend, something that I'll forever keep in my possession.

Lionel Rose helped break down many race barriers in Australia. His efforts can not be denied. He will go down as one of Australia's greatest ever boxers, of that, there can be no doubt. Rest in Peace, Lionel Rose.

 

Awesome Ipswich thank you for sharing with us :good

 

Lovely story :good

 

Great stuff Ippy. Really nice to read.

 

This is what makes what he acheived that much more special, RIP champion