I first came into contact with ‘The Man’ when he launched his boxing career. That was nearly twenty years ago. I challenged him to a fight. I didn’t really think I could beat him, but I was willing to take a beating if it raised good money for our youth centre.
The fight never happened, but Mundine helped us raise those funds anyway. He fought an exhibition with me in our local high school back in 2002, and he helped us raise funds again when I broke the world record for the longest-ever boxing match in 2012.
I appreciate that Anthony has often been depicted as the ‘bad boy’ of Australian boxing. I have only ever found him to be gracious and supportive.
This interview took place at his parents’ house in the Inner West of Sydney on 2 February 2019.