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

Farewell old mate - Noel Kunde's tribute to Lionel

by Jay Buchan - Queensland Times - 11th May 2011

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....former Australian bantamweight title holder Noel Kunde recollects the time he fought the late Lionel Rose in 1966.


WHEN Lionel Rose became world boxing champion in 1968, Ipswich’s Noel Kunde could have been excused had he felt a bit of remorse.

Former Australian bantamweight title holder Noel Kunde recollects the time he fought the late Lionel Rose in 1966.
Claudia Baxter

WHEN Lionel Rose became world boxing champion in 1968, Ipswich's Noel Kunde could have been excused had he felt a bit of remorse.

Rose, who died on Sunday, became a national hero and indigenous inspiration when he became Australia's first aboriginal world champion in 1968.

It could have all been so different, however.

Rose won the Australian bantamweight championship in 1966 from Kunde, who watched as Rose conquered the world by beating Japan's Masahiko “Fighting” Harada for the world title in 1968.

“I was happy for what Lionel achieved,” 69-year-old Kunde said.

“At that time, 1968, I was getting close to 30 and was way past my prime.”

However, a few years earlier he wasn't, when he was the Australian champion and was offered the chance to go to Japan and fight Harada for the world title.

“Finance was difficult over there then and they were unable to send us the money to bring us over,” Kunde said.

However, Kunde shows no sign of bitterness or remorse, having got all he wanted from the sport of boxing.

“It is one of those ‘if onlys',” he said.

“I didn't take up boxing to win any titles at all.

“I turned professional to buy myself a home and I did that.”

In fact, boxing was not Kunde's sporting love, but it paid the bills better than rugby league.

“I enjoyed league more than boxing,” the former Railways (now Norths) player said.

“But there was no money in league.”

There was in boxing, and Kunde bought a house in Wilson Street, Booval, with the proceeds from his title fight with Rose.

Kunde's first fight with Rose in 1966 was a non-title fight because he was still recovering from a shoulder injury sustained playing league.

“He had a good left and a good straight right,” Kunde said of Rose.

“He sat me on my backside after about six rounds.”

While Kunde is happy for Rose's subsequent achievements, his old trainer Reg Layton might harbour a few more regrets.

“After another fight a year later we watched a video of the fight at Lionel's place,” Kunde said.

“After Reg and I left we went back to our hotel and Reg said, ‘You know, you didn't get beaten by that much. As the champ you should have retained the title.'”

Hindsight, and Rose's former trainer Jack Rennie, told Kunde if he'd pushed a bit harder in his national title bout with Rose the aboriginal boxer might never have had the opportunity to fight for a world title.

“When he fought me, Jack said later, from the 11th round on, Lionel wanted to chuck it in,” Kunde said.

“I was telling my corner at the time, ‘Don't worry, we'll get a rematch', because I thought I'd run out of puff.

“But Reg said, ‘Don't worry, he'll chuck it in'.

“When Jack told us that, Reg said ‘I told you. I told you.'”

The reminiscing led to Kunde reflecting on the state of today's boxing game, where it is often he who has the biggest mouth, rather than the best boxer, who gets the most attention.

“There is a lot of showmanship,” he said.

“Everybody is rubbishing each other, rather than giving credit where credit's due.

“In those days you got credit where credit was due.”

Kunde has always been happy to pay tribute to Rose and his modesty is genuine, with the former champ reluctant to have his story told so soon after Rose's passing.

Kunde v Rose

August 26, 1966: At Melbourne's Festival Hall: Rose wins 12-round bout on points, despite losing five of the last six rounds.

October 28, 1966: At Melbourne's Festival Hall for the Australian bantamweight title: Rose takes title off Kunde, winning 15-round clash, once again despite losing five of the final six rounds.

 

Sydney Morning Herald picture tribute to Lionel Rose:

http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/...ustralian-boxing-champion-20110508-1eect.html

...well worth clicking through the 22 images.

 

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Noel Kunde & Lionel.

I took this photo of the guys in the evening that followed Lionels statue being unveiled. Many had returned to Lionel & Jennys home for a couple of celebratory beverages.

The night before a dinner was held in Warragul, with statue organisers, local mayor, Barry, Bomber and others. I've mentioned before the wide eyes of Lionel as Noel Kunde secretly walked into the resturaunt. We'd driven straight from the airport; Noel having just flown from Brisbane. The expression on Lionel's face; the look in his eyes upon seeing Noel was priceless. Quite emotional, but his eyes told of an amazing bond.

Digressing- Noel Kunde seemd quite pleased to hear of Lionel's statue being close to complete when I first met him in Ipswich, May 10, 2010. Ron Richards having his own monument unveiled at Purga Mission, to celebrate his 100 years.

Noel Kunde kept in touch, and the following month was there for Lionel... just as he was there for Ron Richards a few weeks earlier.

The monuments, statues, plaques etc. that are slowly being fixed permanently around this country do far more than recognise a fighters acheivements. These special days bring people together. For a special purpose.

For Noel Kunde, that was the last time he was with Lionel.

 

Great post mate.

The day of the statue unveiling was a very special day that I'll never forget.

First thing my son said upon hearing of Lionel's death was: 'Dad how long does it take to drive to where Lionel's statue is?'

Next time I make the trip he'll certainly be coming with me.

 

The day will be impossible to forget. A little town became a rich city that day. :good

 

Noel Kunde is about as nice a guy as you'll meet. I first met him in 1997 and you could see the bond he shared with Lionel.

 

This is fantastic stuff guys

 

Very fitting venue IMO:


Festival Hall to host Lionel Rose funeral

by Start Rintoul - The Australian - May 11th 2011


LIONEL Rose will not be sent to his rest in a cathedral, but at Melbourne’s old "House of Stoush".

The Victorian government announced tonight Rose’s state funeral would be at Festival Hall in West Melbourne at 1pm on Monday, setting the scene for a unique send-off. Originally known as the West Melbourne Stadium, Festival Hall was built in 1915 by the notorious bookie John Wren as a venue for boxing and wrestling. Some of Australia’s greatest fighters cut their teeth in the ring there.

Rose was first among them. He won his first major fight at Festival Hall in 1963, the day after his father died. By the end of the year he had claimed Australia’s national amateur flyweight title. In February 1968, the boy from Jacksons Track became the bantamweight champion of the world.

 

What a fitting venue!

 

Just occassionally the powers that be do get things right - an inspired choice!

 

:good

Them powers that be have finally seen a mans value. I'm not talking about the politicians either.

A slender bird.. or perhaps a Lean Wren has woken up.

 

Rare very early photos of Lionel Rose have been unearthed.

Have paraphrased the article from the newspaper this morning because it's not on-line as yet:


Legend in the Making

from Terry Brown's article - Herald Sun - 13th Maay 2011


Black and white negatives unearthed from a metal storage box in Bunyip have produced a rare glimpse of the beginning of Lionel Rose's world boxing career.

Dating from the late 50's or early 60's....the pics by part-time photographer Eric Almond....are thought to have been taken at the Drouin football club.



One of these pictures is published in today's paper - it shows a gloved-up and very young Lionel posing in front of a banner on the clubroom wall. Hope these pics are made public ASAP.

 

Festival Hall a special place for Rose

by Adrian Warren - 9 News - 12th May 2011


It's hard to imagine a more fitting venue than Festival Hall for Monday's state funeral for Lionel Rose.

The inner Melbourne venue was where Rose cut his boxing teeth and where he honed the skills that ultimately carried him to bantamweight world title glory offshore.

After making his professional debut in his home town of Warragul in July 1964, Rose had seven of his next eight fights at Festival Hall.

He virtually took up residence at the venue as his career advanced and international glory beckoned.

Rose had 13 successive fights there between May 1966 and October 1967, winning every single one.

Along the way, he picked up his first Australian title, outpointing Noel Kunde over 15 rounds for the national bantamweight strap in October 1966.

Kunde was one of the few Australian fighters Rose opposed during that unblemished run, as he vanquished boxers from all over the world, including the United States, Guinea, Philippines, Mexico, Japan, Italy and Canada.

The Festival Hall regulars were clearly watching a developing star and once that run finished he had two fights at Sydney Stadium before travelling to Tokyo in February 1968, where he took the WBA and WBC bantamweight world titles from Japan's Fighting Harada.

Two months later Rose scored a 10 round points win over Italy's former European bantamweight champion Tommaso Galli in a non-title fight in what was to be his Festival Hall swansong.

He had outgrown the venue and his one world title fight in Australia was held at Kooyong, a venue better known for tennis than boxing.

Over the remainder of his career, Rose had seven more fights in Melbourne at a variety of venues, but none at Festival Hall.

By the time he hung up the gloves in 1976, Rose had fought 23 times in that building for 22 wins, including all of his last 18.

His only loss came in his fifth fight there in July 1965, when he dropped a six-round points decision to Thailand's Singtong Por Tor, whom he had outpointed there four weeks earlier.

 

Mourners gather for Lionel Rose funeral

from smh - May 16th 2011


AAP

Friends, family, sports stars and politicians have gathered at Festival Hall in Melbourne for the funeral of world boxing champion Lionel Rose.

Among the mourners at the state funeral are Rose's long-time trainer Jack Rennie, who attended in a wheelchair, former world champion Johnny Famechon and Aboriginal fighter Tony Mundine.

Federal Sports Minister Mark Arbib, former Victorian premier John Brumby and Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews were also at the hall where Rose fought 23 professional fights.

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu will speak at the funeral.

Rose, 62, died last week after a long illness.

In 1968, he became the first Aboriginal world champion in any sport when he beat Japan's Fighting Harada to take the world bantamweight championship.

Aboriginal elder Aunty Joy said Rose excelled in the boxing ring at a young age and showed the world the tenacity and integrity of a young Aboriginal man.

"He knew from an early age the challenges facing his family and the Aboriginal community," Aunty Joy told mourners.

"Lionel's career has been an inspiration for many," she said.

"Lionel will be remembered making history and receiving recognition at the tender age of 19.

"Those momentous times were celebrated with enormous pride.

"Lionel also sent a strong message especially to young people around the world to stand up and fight for ... your rights and aspire to reach your dream."

Premier Ted Baillieu said Rose would forever be remembered as one of Victoria's greatest champions and a national treasure.

"There was, and remains, only one Lionel," Mr Baillieu told mourners.

"People genuinely loved him and felt protective of him.

"He was a thoroughly decent and gentle soul.

"He inspired us, he charmed us and he in turn grew up with us."

The premier recalled the moment in 1968 when Rose became world champion, defeating Japan's Fighting Harada.

"I was glued to the radio in my brother's bedroom," he said.

"As the crackling voice of Ron Casey proclaimed Lionel Rose was champion of the world, we jumped around and hollered our support.

"It's hard to imagine now what an event that was. Melbourne went nuts."

Rose's god-daughter Bonnie Anderson sang the Eagles hit Desperado at the service.

Family friend Pauline Cook said she had idolised Rose from a young age but realised when she met him what a true champion he was.

"Over the 30-odd years that we were friends I came to fully understand what a champion man he was," Ms Cook told the funeral.

She said Rose and his wife Jenny were life partners, despite a brief separation.

"They were best mates. Jen loved Lionel, Lionel loved Jen. It was, and it still is, that simple," Ms Cook said.

Ms Cook said Rose was a proud father to his son Michael, whom she taught at school.

"He was very, very proud of him and Mick adored Lionel," she said.

Former VFL player and friend Stan Alves said Rose was a man who, despite his achievements, never saw himself as superior.

But he never saw himself as inferior either, Alves said.

He was proud of his Aboriginal roots and inspired other Aborigines to lift their sights.

"He was a proud Aboriginal, steeped in his culture and he never forgot to stick up for and never took a backward step when it came to talking about his roots," Alves said.

"He was a true Australian, in fact a statesman, who could break down barriers.

"He was more than the awards.

"He wasn't always an angel, but there wasn't a mean bone in his body."

Alves paid tribute to Rose's brilliant boxing style, which inspired many.

"We were treated to a charismatic boxer, with those flashing hands ... a master craftsman," said Alves.

"A beautiful boxer, but he was more than that, he had the ingredients of a warrior."

Alves said there was intense rivalry between Rose and Famechon about their achievements in the ring.

But away from the spotlight they were mates.

"To see them away from the spotlight and see them in that environment where that respect could grow ... the awe that they held for each other was magnificent."

Famechon was slightly reserved, while Rose was "bouncing, exuberant", Alves said.

On meeting, the pair would exchange blows, laugh, and then embrace.

"And then it was down to business ... `let's catch up, let's talk old times, and then a few social drinks'," Alves said.

"And boy let me tell you, could they party."

A photo montage of Rose's greatest moments and footage of his world title triumph over Japan's Fighting Harada in 1968 was accompanied by music, including his own hit I Thankyou.

The boxing fraternity formed a guard of honour as Rose's casket was carried from the venue where he forged one of the sport's great careers.

Before the service, indigenous boxing champion Anthony Mundine said Rose had been a mentor to both him and his famous father Tony.

"It's a sad day, he's an inspiration to me and probably my generation and my dad's generation," Mundine said.

"He inspired my dad to fight, he won the title in `68 and my dad started fighting in `69.

"I think he is the greatest Australian fighter in our history. To do what he did at such a young age and to carry a nation on his shoulders the way he did is mind boggling."

Rose will be buried in his town of Warragul in Gippsland later on Monday.