Queensland local and crowd favourite, Jeff Horn quite easily defeated Anthony Mundine with a left hook, just 1 minute and 36 seconds into the first round, of the “River City Rumble” bout at Suncorp Stadium last night.
Each fighter had their own motivation for being there, and as it turned out – as most hoped – Horn’s desire to prove that he could move past the loss of his WBO title to Crawford las year, and recover a glorious career was far superior to Mundine’s desire to claim a final win ahead of retirement.
Mundine put on his usual show .. PRE FIGHT – all the smack talk, the jibes and hype – but IN THE RING, he seemed almost frightened. Against a very fit Horn, who looked very comfortable and strong in his current weight, Mundine looked beyond his age and almost unqualified to be there.
This is the point where a fighter retires – if he hadn’t thought that he should earlier !
So Mundine’s comments of retirement are finally the right words to come from his mouth.
On Foxtel’s Main Event, the broadcast started at 7:30pm AEST with a number of under card events keeping the audience entertained until approximately 11:30pm.
Mundine was introduced first, and his introduction took longer than the actual fight!
In contrast, when Horn was introduced, he simply walked to the ring looking like a winner already – younger, stronger and more of a champion with less fanfare and bullshit about him.
When the bell went to mark the start, Horn ATTACKED and POUNCED showing all the characteristics that aided his defeat of Manny Paquiao for the WBO title.
Mundine looked immediately shocked! He would have wanted to take his time. He would have wanted to accumulate points and his strategy would have been to. But it wasn’t to be that way, and he appeared weak with ineffective jabs and un-coordinated foot work!
Mundine was hurt with the first body blow. He was stunned with a jab. Then, at the 1:36 mark of Round 1, a left hook from Horn finished the flurry and sent a dazed and confused Mundine heading real quick to the canvas!
Mundine remained where he lay, and referee Phil Austin was within his duty to call the Knock Out and end the fight officially.
Could Mundine have stood up again? It wasn’t clear that he would if he even could! The first body blow demonstrated to Mundine that he was in a mismatched fight against an opponent far stronger and far more capable!
“I’ve had a great career”, said Mundine in post fight interview.
“Jeff proved tonight he was the better man. That’s the next generation, I’ll pass it on to him,”
Mundine’s words sounding like an excuse ; he’s not passing anything on .. Horn isn’t receiving a pass .. Horn took what was his rightfully!
And then this ..
“All the smack talk, you have to build the fight. It’s entertainment. But I’m all good. That’s boxing. You just get caught sometimes.”
Mundine sounding very defeated with that one .. is he implying that he’s been full of build up!?
Someone more cynical may say that this was a farce – a farce that would give Mundine one final pay day at the expense of Horn’s genuine need to recover a well deserved career.
Whatever the case, we know that Australian Boxing now has a new, much more fresh and competent face. One that fights first, and talks later!
It took Jeff Horn less than two minutes to knock out Anthony Mundine in their middleweight bout. pic.twitter.com/1fxBwio7Kd
— ESPN (@espn) November 30, 2018
Be the first to comment