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Post by masterplan200 on Dec 22, 2007 6:03:21 GMT -5
ANTHONY MUNDINE yesterday played with a caged chicken and named it 'Danny' as he goaded bitter rival Danny Green into a rematch. He did himself no favours.
If Mundine's gag was intended to ruffle Green, it did nothing of the sort.
When contacted in Perth yesterday where he is awaiting the birth of his second child, Green commented: "That chicken has a higher mentality than Anthony Mundine.
"While he's talking to the chicken, I'm still crowing as the WBA light heavyweight champion of the world."
Mundine disposed of Green as a super middleweight in Australia's most highly anticipated fight in May last year.
Since then Green has moved up to light heavyweight, a division he is far more comfortable with and one that he now holds a world title in after taking the belt off Croatian Stipe Drews on Sunday night.
Yesterday the 34-year-old insisted if a rematch with Mundine was going to happen, it would be on his terms, not only forcing Mundine to step up a division, but to shift over to Perth.
"I am the official world champion for the WBA, he is the interim champion for the WBA," Green said.
"So if and when we want to start talking turkey, the ball is in our court.
"I have just won the world title so what is there to say. I have got nothing to say to Anthony Mundine - to him, for him, about him."
With a Green-Mundine rematch no closer to reality, Mundine has opted to put his WBA super middleweight belt on the line against journeyman Nader Hamdan in Sydney in February.
Trainer Billy Hussein describes Hamdan, 33, as a warrior and a fighter who will prove a real handful for Mundine.
Hussein says his charge has still got the fire in his belly, having come off a loss in his last outing on August 18 to the Dane Mads Larsen at the Max Schmeling Arena in Berlin.
Hamdan's record of 40 wins, 18 by knockout and five losses, suggests on paper at least, he's a much stronger opponent than Mundine's last opponent, Argentine Jose Alberto Clavero, whom he disposed of in four rounds on December 10.
"I would have packed it up and walked away, but there is still that fire burning," Hamdan explains. "I could have so easily walked away with all the frustrations I've had."
The sceptics will be lining up over Mundine's latest fight. Against Clavero he barely raised a sweat. And now he readily admits he is uncomfortable fighting Hamdan seeing as they are old friends.
"I've know Nader since I was 15 or 16 when we knocked around with another kid called Kenny in Marrickville," he said.
"I've seen Nader grow into a great fighter and a great person. We are brothers, Muslim brothers. Danny Green wouldn't give him the opportunity, a lot of fighters wouldn't give him the opportunity to make some money.
"He's fought the best and beaten the best in Australia. A lot of of good fighters have dodged him, that's why I'm the champion, I'll fight all-comers."
Hamdan sees the upcoming bout with Mundine as a career boost.
"This is something I've been dreaming about since I turned professional 10 years ago. I've waited since 1997 for a world title fight and Anthony has finally given me a shot."
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