Latest news with #AnthonyMundine
Sydney Morning Herald
5 hours ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Mundine challenges McGregor to fight as doctors hit back at bare-knuckle claims
Doctors and medical experts have expressed concern over plans to launch a bare-knuckle fighting event in Brisbane, disputing claims the practice is safer than other combat sports such as boxing. On Wednesday, former boxing world champion Anthony Mundine announced Australia's first large scale bare-knuckle event to be held in Brisbane in September, calling the sport 'the purest form of fighting' and 'safer than boxing'. He also appears to challenge UFC superstar and bare-knuckle league co-owner Conor McGregor to a boxing fight in a video on Thursday. The Irish fighter made an unsuccessful bid to stage a similar event in Perth earlier this year. Australian Medical Association board member Professor Paul Griffin said this downplayed serious risks, and described the practice as 'brutal, outdated and dangerous'. 'The objective of this so-called sport is to knock your opponent into unconsciousness,' he said. 'In a best-case scenario, participants will suffer cuts, bruises, and potential damage to the soft tissue, tendons and ligaments in their hands. Sprains and fractures can occur, including facial fractures. 'In a worst-case scenario, someone could suffer a traumatic brain injury – particularly with repeated exposure to knockout blows.' Griffin added it 'beggars belief' that 'people would choose to expose themselves to danger for the sake of money or personal glory', particularly at a time when contact sports are taking concussion and brain injuries more seriously.
The Age
5 hours ago
- Health
- The Age
Mundine challenges McGregor to fight as doctors hit back at bare-knuckle claims
Doctors and medical experts have expressed concern over plans to launch a bare-knuckle fighting event in Brisbane, disputing claims the practice is safer than other combat sports such as boxing. On Wednesday, former boxing world champion Anthony Mundine announced Australia's first large scale bare-knuckle event to be held in Brisbane in September, calling the sport 'the purest form of fighting' and 'safer than boxing'. He also appears to challenge UFC superstar and bare-knuckle league co-owner Conor McGregor to a boxing fight in a video on Thursday. The Irish fighter made an unsuccessful bid to stage a similar event in Perth earlier this year. Australian Medical Association board member Professor Paul Griffin said this downplayed serious risks, and described the practice as 'brutal, outdated and dangerous'. 'The objective of this so-called sport is to knock your opponent into unconsciousness,' he said. 'In a best-case scenario, participants will suffer cuts, bruises, and potential damage to the soft tissue, tendons and ligaments in their hands. Sprains and fractures can occur, including facial fractures. 'In a worst-case scenario, someone could suffer a traumatic brain injury – particularly with repeated exposure to knockout blows.' Griffin added it 'beggars belief' that 'people would choose to expose themselves to danger for the sake of money or personal glory', particularly at a time when contact sports are taking concussion and brain injuries more seriously.
7NEWS
11 hours ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Anthony Mundine hits back at critics of new bare-knuckle boxing league
Anthony Mundine has urged critics to 'embrace the first show and come back to him' after launching a bare-knuckle boxing league he says is the purest form of the sport. The former world boxing champion is behind World Bare Knuckle Fighting (WBKF), a concept barred by authorities last month in Perth but now set to launch in Brisbane later this year. Ben Horn, the younger brother of former world champion Jeff with a 6-9 professional boxing record, is set to headline the September show at Logan Metro Sports and Events Centre that will be streamed online. Last month the Western Australian government's decision to allow US organisation Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to host an event was overruled by the state's combat sports authority. The Mundine production's application for a Sydney event remains under review by NSW's equivalent body. In the meantime, he's confirmed a Queensland debut, where they've received the green light from relevant parties and will have veteran ringside doctor Lou Lewis on duty. 'Everyone's going to have an opinion, right or wrong,' 50-year-old Mundine, who excelled in rugby league before switching to the ring, told AAP. 'I just want the people to embrace the first show and come back to me after that. 'It's going to be fair and professional with rules around it ... they're going to love it.' Mundine's camp argue that, while bloodier, there is less risk of brain trauma due to fewer repeated blows to the head than traditional boxing. Weight classes will also be wider so fighters aren't sacrificing durability to make weight. Mundine thinks WBKF can grow to rival the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which has exploded in popularity in Australian and been staged in both Perth and Sydney. ''Especially Australians; everyone loves a scrap,' he said. 'It doesn't matter what sporting event you're at ... if there's a scrap in the crowd, everyone's looking at the scrap, rather than the game. 'It's the purest form of fighting, since day dot.' The Perth event, planned for July, was blocked after advice from the Australian Medical Association's WA state president, Michael Page. 'Turning the act of bare-knuckle fighting into a 'sport' sets an incredibly bad example for children and adults alike,' he said.
Perth Now
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Gloves off as Mundine backs Aussie bare-knuckle debut
Anthony Mundine has urged critics to "embrace the first show and come back to him" after launching a bare-knuckle boxing league he says is the purest form of the sport. The former world boxing champion is behind World Bare Knuckle Fighting (WBKF), a concept barred by authorities last month in Perth but now set to launch in Brisbane later this year. Ben Horn, the younger brother of former world champion Jeff with a 6-9 professional boxing record, is set to headline the September show at Logan Metro Sports and Events Centre that will be streamed online. Last month the Western Australian government's decision to allow US organisation Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to host an event was overruled by the state's combat sports authority. The Mundine production's application for a Sydney event remains under review by NSW's equivalent body. In the meantime he's confirmed a Queensland debut, where they've received the green light from relevant parties and will have veteran ringside doctor Lou Lewis on duty. "Everyone's going to have an opinion, right or wrong," 50-year-old Mundine, who excelled in rugby league before switching to the ring, told AAP. "I just want the people to embrace the first show and come back to me after that. "It's going to be fair and professional with rules around it ... they're going to love it." Mundine's camp argue that, while bloodier, there is less risk of brain trauma due to fewer repeated blows to the head than traditional boxing. Weight classes will also be wider so fighters aren't sacrificing durability to make weight. Mundine thinks WBKF can grow to rival the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which has exploded in popularity in Australian and been staged in both Perth and Sydney. '"Especially Australians; everyone loves a scrap," he said. "It doesn't matter what sporting event you're at ... if there's a scrap in the crowd, everyone's looking at the scrap, rather than the game. "It's the purest form of fighting, since day dot." The Perth event, planned for July, was blocked after advice from the Australian Medical Association's WA state president, Michael Page. "Turning the act of bare-knuckle fighting into a 'sport' sets an incredibly bad example for children and adults alike," he said.
ABC News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Paul Gallen wins points verdict over Sonny Bill Williams in heavyweight bout
Paul Gallen has scored a split-points win over Sonny Bill Williams in their long-awaited heavyweight boxing bout in Sydney. Two judges scored the bout 77-74 and 76-75 in favour of Gallen, while a third had Williams winning 77-74 in Wednesday evening's relatively tame affair. After all the spite and verbal barbs landed over the previous decade, the fight simply did not hit the heights as both Gallen and Williams laboured, working to their traditional strengths. NRL premiership-winning captain Gallen (15-3-1, 8 KOs) attempted to put pressure on from the start, while dual international Williams, who is 12 centimetres taller than his opponent, utilised his jab and movement. Williams tried to thwart Gallen's charges by holding and clinching, and was deducted a point by referee Les Fear In the seventh round. He was not interviewed in the ring after the fight and declined to attend the post-fight media conference. "I got the win. That's all that matters and it will be there forever," said Gallen, who revealed he had come down with COVID-19 two weeks before the bout. "I'm 44 years old in less than a month's time. "Sonny just came upon to me and said he wants to have a coffee man-to-man and I'm on for that. "I've finished my fights. I'm getting with my life. "I'm not going to gloat. It's been a long time coming. I got the job done and that's all that matters," he added. With his father and former world champion Anthony Mundine in his corner, 25-year-old super middleweight Rahim Mundine (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Fijian opponent Joe Vatusaqata (1-5-1, 1 KO) in the second round of their bout on the undercard. Heavyweight Alex Leapai Jr improved to 5-0-1 (4 KOs) with a first-round knockout of Herve Silu Mata 3-4 (2 KOs). Leapai's father, also named Alex, unsuccessfully challenged former IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. AAP
