The Interview: Anthony Mundine
It’s been a horrendous time for WBA world super middleweight champion Anthony Mundine. A freak eye injury has almost destroyed his career, with the former Dragons star consigned to a hospital bed for weeks. In an exclusive with The Serve, Mundine reveals the torment, the permanent damage to his sight, and plans to fight Danny Green again.
Anthony, where are we at with the eye?
We’re at about 50% right now. It’s improved in the last six weeks. But it’s still, um, frustrating me, putting me down a little bit. But I’m just going to train through it and get through it.
How long before you get to 100 percent? If and when?
They really can’t predict that, the (doctors) don’t think it’s ever going to get to 100 percent. They said there will be scarring left in the eye, so they’re pretty sure it won’t be 100 percent.
But, they said it could be 80%, could be 90%, could be less than that. After six months of the healing process, then they’ll have an idea of what the outcome will be.
How far are you into the healing process now?
About month. A month to six weeks.
So let’s say it gets to 80 or 90 percent. Can you fight world champion pedigree opponents at that level?
Well, I want to fight by the end of the year. The WBA has granted me an optional world title voluntary defence, which is great, because I feel I’m not ready for the best in the division right now, such as the winner of Calzaghe and Kessler, or Danny Green, or any of the premier fighters.
Definitely I want to get in the ring by the end of the year. I’m looking to be at around 60% by then and I really feel like I can deal with it, but I don’t want to have to do a lot of hard work training the eye and doing a lot of things I haven’t done before.
You’ve had issues with authorities in the past, but usually it’s more to do with your opponents. At 60%, do you think you’d even be allowed to fight?
Well, that’s what I do, man. Doesn’t matter who I fight. Doesn’t matter where I fight, I just fight. I love to fight. That’s what I want to do. I feel if I can see the top two lines of the (eyesight test) board, then I don’t see any reason why I can’t fight.
Page 1
| > | The interview: Mark Ricciuto |
| > | The interview: Tadhg Kennelly |
| > | The interview: Craig Bellamy |
| > | The interview: Brian Waldron |
| > | The interview: Mark Geyer |
| > | The interview: Anthony Mundine |
| > | Kostya Tszyu on The Serve |
| > | Danny Green on The Serve |
| > | Paul Briggs on The Serve |
| > | Just say no Kostya |
Subscribe to The Serve by Email
No comments yet.