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Rivals ... the Real Deal and The Man are set to fight it out once and for all. Source:AAP
"I've been around the block man. I've got nothing else to prove.
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"But I tell you what, once I win this, no critic, no knocker, no man can say, that I am not the man. That's what I'm gonna do; I'm gonna prove that I'm the best.''
These are the words of three-time world champion Anthony "The Man" Mundine, spoken just over a week out from his highly anticipated rematch with compatriot Daniel "The Real Deal" Geale, to be held on January 30, at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
The pair first met centre ring back in 2009, when Mundine claimed a controversial split decision win over Geale, taking his IBO middleweight world title in the process.
Four years on, and much has changed in the careers of both fighters – the one constant, however, has been their overwhelming dislike for each other.
Over a career spanning 29 fights, Geale's only loss has been suffered at Mundine's hands. Since then, he's gone on to win both the WBA and IBF middleweight world titles on foreign soil, beating Sebastian Sylvester and Felix Sturm in their own backyards.
During that same time, Mundine has gone on to achieve, well, not a whole lot. After dropping down to junior middleweight, he pursued an at times laughable bid to land a shot at pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. - culminating in a seventh round stoppage of 41-year old Bronco McKart, a guy whose best years were left well and truly back in the 90s.
"You ask the other guy, he thinks he's the favourite. I'm going in there with a level head, I know what I need to do. I'm not worried about bookies or anything like that," Mundine says.
"I'm in control, and I've just got to go in there with my plan and make it come through."
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Geale is happy to let Mundine do all the talking outside of the ring – an attitude that has seen him win over the Australian public in spades.
"I love fighting in Australia, I love fighting in front of a home crowd, and I'm going to have plenty of support at this one,'' he points out.
And he will. No Australian sportsman has ever divided his country the way Mundine has. While his talent, footwork and speed speak for themselves, the quality of opponent he has chosen to fight in recent years, perhaps speaks louder.
Watch the bout LIVE on Main Event from 8pm (EDT) on Wednesday, January 30.
In 2012, Mundine backed out of a deal to fight undefeated WBA champ Austin Trout – a fight which, had we won, would have seen him propelled back onto the world stage.
Now 37, Mundine has been gifted another chance to take a world title from Geale. "He's done great things," Mundine acknowledges. "But when he steps in that ring with me, I'm the best fighter he's ever been in with.
"I hurt him more times in our first fight than in both his world title fights … I told you, him at his best, mentally and physically, and me at my best? I'll beat him one hundred times out of one hundred.
"Geale can't beat me. I'm faster than him. I'm stronger than him. The only thing he does consistently and probably better than me is work rate.
"But this ain't the amateurs baby, this is the pros. So you judges and you people out there – when he's hittin' air and gloves, and I'm hittin' face and ribs, score that."
Geale's long time promoter is American Gary Shaw, a man who has well documented connections with the International Boxing Federation. From the moment this rematch was agreed to, Mundine has questioned Shaw's relationship with the IBF, suggesting the only way he will lose a decision to Geale is if the judges are in Shaw's pocket.
"It's just another tactic to try and throw me off," argues Geale. "You know what he's like, he's going to make up all the excuses under the sun.
"And you know what? That's fine. That's the way he goes about things, and once he gets beat, then guess what, there's gonna be another excuse there too."
For his part, Geale just wants to avenge the only loss in an otherwise solid career. It's why he's prepared to risk it all for a fight that could very well go either way.
Both men possess hand speed in buckets, but the advantage there would have to go to Mundine. Both men are defensively brilliant, but again, Mundine may be slightly slicker.
Neither guy is known for their power though, so you get the feeling Geale v Mundine II is once again going the distance. And that is where Geale has the advantage; he's six years younger than Mundine, and unlike many boxers, he doesn't take time off during rounds.
Geale's fitness is such that he is able to keep coming forward, and keep working for every minute of every round. Mundine, on the other hand fights in patches.
Mundine has fought just once in the past 15 months, while Geale fought twice in 2012, beating Sturm for the WBA middleweight title in his most recent outing.
So not only does Geale have age and work rate on his side, he also knows Mundine hasn't really been tested since their first fight in '09 – a mental edge that may be enough to get him home come Wednesday.
In any case, this was not a fight Geale needed, it was a fight he wanted: "Everything has gone to plan. We've been working very, very hard in the gym. Everyone knows we're not taking this fight lightly … But we're very confident, and I can't wait to get in there."
And we can't wait to see it.
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