Geale beats Mundine in title fight

Mundine and the Aboriginal flag

When Daniel Geale was announced the winner of the Middleweight Championship fight on Wednesday night, Tony Mundine stormed out of the ring in a fury.


He hurled insults at Geale in the lead up to the fight, accusing him of being "too white" and questioning his Aboriginal heritage and his right to fly the Aboriginal flag. So when Geale offered Mundine his glove at the start of the last round, he wasn't surprised when his offer was rejected. It's a gesture of sportsmanship - touching gloves with your opponent at the beginning of the last round, is to acknowledge his performance and wish him luck.

Mundine with his famous dad

Tony Mundine's feelings of hatred and bitterness run deep.  His anger and resentment over what the British colonial government did to his people is understandable, but he can't move on, he's stuck, trapped in a deep black hole of hate. 

His conversion to Islam hasn't helped him. When he was asked for his opinion, as a Muslim, on the 9/11 attacks on the US he said "I really feel it's not our problem. They call it an act of terrorism, but if you understand the religion, and our way of life, it's not about terrorism, it's about fighting for God's laws and America's brought it on themselves (for) what they've done in history and so on."

Geale's wife and children

On Wednesday night, our National Anthem was played for the first time ever, while both fighters were still in their dressing rooms. Why? Because Mundine threatened to show his contempt for the anthem and the flag by turning his back. Promoters were spooked and decided to play it safe.

"I expected it" Geale said. "I do what's right, I do a lot of work with young amateur boxers around our gym and I wanted to show sportsmanship, I didn't care what he might or mightn't do, I was going to show my young fighters that whether you're in the ring with an idiot or not, you show them respect."

Geale knew the audience was willing him to win. "I enjoyed it" he said "I didn't feel it as a pressure, I saw it as support, I knew what people wanted me to do, they wanted me to knock him out.....they wanted me to win.....I stuck to the plan me and my team devised, and I did what I do best."

Geale picking up his children yesterday