Anthony Mundine
Anthony Steven Mundine is an Australian former professional boxer and rugby league footballer. In boxing he competed from 2000 to 2021, and held the WBA super-middleweight title twice between 2003 and 2008. He also held the IBO middleweight title from 2009 to 2010, and the WBA interim super-welterweight title from 2011 to 2012. Mundine is well known for his heated rivalries with fellow Australians Danny Green and Daniel Geale.
Anthony Mundine
- The Man
- Choc
1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
178 cm (70 in)
59
48
28
11
Early life and education[edit]
Anthony Steven Mundine[2][3] is the son of former professional boxer Tony Mundine and hails from the Bundjalung people of northern coastal areas of New South Wales.[4] Both of his parents are Aboriginal.[5] He was raised as a Christian but converted to Islam in the late 1990s.[6]
Mundine played junior rugby league for Hurstville United and, while attending Kingsgrove High School, Mundine starred for the school in the 1993 and 1994 teams which won the University Shield both of those years. He also played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1993.[7] That year, Mundine signed with the St. George Dragons as an eighteen-year-old.[8] Mundine also attended Canterbury Boys' High School and Cleveland Street High School.
Personal information
Business interests[edit]
Mundine has an extensive real estate portfolio and is also the owner of the sporting brand Boxa (est. 2000) and the Boxa Bar cafe in Hurstville.[43] Early on the morning of 14 November 2013 the bar was destroyed by fire.[44] Between 2000 and 2012 Mundine was managed by Khoder Nasser.[45]
Other media[edit]
Mundine has had a stormy relationship with the media:[50] his conversion to Islam in 1999, self-promotion and outspoken opinions have created a love–hate relationship with the Australian public.[51] Mundine has been described as "the most polarising athlete in Australian sports history".[52]
In July 2002, both Anthony and his father Tony appeared on an episode of Burke's Backyard with veteran Australian Gardening guru Don Burke.[53]
Also in 2002 he appeared with other stars and celebrities in Celebrity Big Brother.[54] In 2003 he was in an episode of Greeks on the Roof and in 2005 he appeared on Dancing with the Stars.
From 2007 to 2009 he appeared on The Footy Show.[55] He was in a five-hour interactive DVD called Raising Children: A Guide to Parenting from Birth to Five. This DVD also featured Russell Crowe, Danielle Spencer, Neil Perry, Stan Grant and Johanna Griggs.[56] He has also appeared in The Contender Australia three times.[55] And been a guest, starring as himself, on the Pizza TV series. In 2010 Mundine was a Special Guest Trainer on The Biggest Loser Australia: Couples 2.
Mundine's portrait by James Hunt, entitled Bora Anthony Mundine, was a notable finalist in the 2002 Archibald Prize.
Mundine is featured as part of the roster on the Fight Night Round 4 and Fight Night Champion videogames.
In October 2016 he appeared on Anh Do's Anh's Brush with Fame on ABC Television.
In January 2018, Mundine was revealed as a celebrity contestant on the fourth season of the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[57] As of 8 February 2018, Anthony Mundine became the second celebrity to walk out on the 2018 series of I'm a Celebrity Get me out of here Australia following Bernard Tomic.[58]
Public controversy[edit]
In an interview in October 2001, Mundine said of the 11 September terrorist attacks, "They call it an act of terrorism, but if you can understand religion, and our way of life, it's not about terrorism. It's about fighting for God's law, and America's brought it upon themselves".[62] Offering some insight into his tendency to make controversial comments in the media, Mundine stated, "If you want to toe the line, if you want to be some corporate guy and say the right things, do the right things, you might be okay in the media's eye, but it won't be real for me".[63] Mundine later claimed he was taken out of context: "Those comments were just spun around like I was clapping my hands. I have a family too, I know what it is like to suffer the loss of someone close to me, and I would never wish that upon anyone. The point I was trying to get across was that it was in a war state of mind, and there is always going to be tit for tat, so why put yourself in a situation where you can endanger people. I have got nothing against any American, I have got nothing against any human being. It breaks my heart that people think I would even have that line of thought about being happy about people dying. That is crap and I want to clarify that because it is wrong".[64]
Mundine also referred to Cathy Freeman as a sellout: "Cathy Freeman. She sold out, toeing the line. And that ain't me. I'm not a fake." He also went on to state repeated times that men, not women, are more qualified to lead. "As far as being a leader, that's not her anyway, a man can only lead."[63]
In late 2012, Mundine questioned former opponent WBA/IBF champion Daniel Geale's indigenous Tasmanian heritage by saying that he should not wear the Australian Aboriginal Flag on his shorts: "I thought they wiped all the Aborigines from Tasmania out.... He's got a white woman, he's got white kids. I keep it real, all day every day". When asked whether Geale deserved to sport the Aboriginal flag on his trunks, he said, "No".[65] Mundine later apologised to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community and added that he felt many people claimed indigenous heritage to receive government benefits but had no real connection with their Aboriginal roots. He also claimed that Australia was one of "the most racist nations in the world" before calling for the Australian anthem and the Australian flag to be changed to be more inclusive of indigenous Australians.[66]
In November 2013, Mundine, an Aboriginal Australian,[67] made comments on Twitter stating that homosexuality was incompatible with Aboriginal beliefs.[68] Following Mundine's comments, Aboriginal actor Luke Carroll pointed out that Mundine's own religious beliefs that led him to form his opinions on homosexuality were incompatible with the Aboriginal Dreamtime.[69] On coming out in a 2015 interview with NITV, former NRL player Casey Conway described Mundine's comments as "really disappointing" and unrepresentative of the Aboriginal community, describing the damage that homophobic comments can do to young people.[70]
Mundine is a strong opponent of lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 25 July, he attended a large anti-lockdown protest in Sydney breaching gathering laws, despite previously receiving two fines for breaking lockdown laws by flying from Sydney to Ballina without a reasonable excuse and refusing to wear a mask while shopping.[71][72] He also opposes COVID-19 vaccination, writing on Facebook, “You take the shot then you will have serious health problems even death!”. Mundine considers the vaccine rollout to be an attempt to depopulate the Earth.[73]
In March 2024, Mundine became involved in a war of words with South Sydney player Latrell Mitchell in relation to a racism controversy in the NRL. Mundine had originally responded with an instagram video where he said Ezra Mam needed to “take it on the chin” and “toughen up” in relation to Mam being called a "Monkey" by Sydney Roosters player Spencer Leniu. Mitchell then responded with a post to Mundine attacking him for his comments. Mundine then responded to Mitchell saying “You’ve been underperforming far too long & been lucky to have Cody by your side to hold your hand, Earn the right to talk before you start trying to disrespect the OG of the game. Remember, despite what you might think, you’re no Greg Inglis & you’re certainly no Anthony Mundine".[74][75]