Welcome to At the Fights; Main Event’s Ben Damon’s weekly look at the best in boxing from Australia and abroad.
MUNDINE: “STICK A FORK IN ME”
Anthony Mundine has vowed never to box again, bringing an end to one of the most
compelling sporting careers ever seen in this country.
After 134 first grade rugby league games and 59 professional fights the 45-year-old version
of ‘The Man’ should never have been in a boxing ring on Saturday night but with the dust
having settled on his first round loss to Michael Zerafa in Bendigo he’s making his
retirement official.
“That’s it. No more. You can go ahead and stick a fork in me,” Mundine told me on Tuesday.
“I just don’t have the love for it or for the preparation any more. I’m not as braggadocios
as I was when I was young but I still believe I go down in history as the greatest crossover
athlete there’s ever been!”
Watch Tim Tszyu v Dennis Hogan only on Main Event, available on Foxtel on Wednesday 31 March at 7pm AEDT. ORDER NOW >
POWERFUL HURRICANE APPROACHING
Dennis Hogan might not be renowned for his power but he’s promised to give Tim Tszyu a
concussive shock when they fight in two weeks.
The Irish-Aussie believes he’s punching harder than ever before ahead of his clash with
Tszyu on Main Event on Wednesday 31 March.
“You’re going to see a whole new animal,” said Hogan.
“The worst thing he’s doing is saying I don’t have a lot of knockouts on my record but my
god when I hit you, you’ll feel it.”
BRIDGES WINS THROUGH TO TITLE SHOT
The undefeated Ebanie Bridges went into her bout with Carol Earl at Bankstown on Saturday
night knowing victory would launch her straight into a world title fight with Brit Shannon
Countenay.
Bridges won, Matchroom announced the fight, and already the Aussie has touched down
overseas.
“I’m in the US for a three week camp, then I’ll fly to the UK one week out from the world
title fight, meet my trainer (Arnel Barotillo) and get ready to do my thing,” said Bridges.
Courtenay and Bridges will fight for the vacant WBA Bantamweight Title as part of the Conor
Benn v Samuel Vargas event early on Sunday 11 April on Fox Sports 506.
LEGENDS PAY TRIBUTE TO LEGEND
The sudden death of the great ‘Marvellous’ Marvin Hagler at just 66 years of age has
prompted a baggage of tributes from across the sporting world.
At the recording of the latest episode of the ‘Standing Eight’ podcast in Sydney Nigel Benn
described Hagler as, “my hero.”
Jeff Fenech put it perfectly, “Hagler was boxing.”
Cathy Freeman tweeted that Hagler was, “one of the warmest gentlemen I’ve ever known.”
MOLONEY WATCHES WHILE HE WAITS
After being robbed of a world title last year in Las Vegas super flyweight Andrew Moloney is
watching the rest of the division as he waits for an announcement on his trilogy bout with
Joshua Franco.
A modern classic took place at the weekend between Juan Francisco Estrada and
‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, and while controversial scoring took the gloss off the event for
some, Moloney liked what he saw.
“What an awesome fight! I’m glad they took a bit out of each other before they get to me,”
laughed Moloney.
BOXING ON FOX SPORTS THIS WEEKEND
Cruiserweight Lawrence Okolie attempts to become Britain’s next World Champion in just
his sixteenth professional fight when he clashes with Poland’s Krzysztof Glowacki for the
vacant WBO belt. Live coverage this Sunday morning from 6am AEDT on Fox Sports 507.
Watch Boxing Live & On-Demand on Kayo. Selected international fights, classic bouts and more. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
