Susanna Freymark
Boxer Tony Mundine died of a suspected heart attack on Sunday, August 30. He was 75 years old.
He was born at Baryulgil and retired from professional boxing in 1984.
During his boxing career he was in the ring 96 times and won 80 of those fights with 64 knockout wins.
Before boxing, he played rugby league for Grafton, then was invited to play for the Redfern All Blacks in Sydney at 17.
Rather than return to Baryulgil to work in the asbestos mine in the off-season, Tony trained at Ern McQuillan’s gym in Newtown, Sydney.
McQuillan spotted his boxing talent and signed him up as a fighter. Tony turned pro in 1969.
He was the only Australian boxer to compete professionally in four weight divisions and held the Australian middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight titles, as well as the Commonwealth middleweight and light heavyweight titles.
He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1986 for services to sport and Aboriginal youth.
His son and former world champion boxer, Anthony Mundine wrote on social media – “I don’t know what to say, I’m broken.”
He said he was flying back to Australia from Saudi Arabia for the funeral.
“I’m on my way home to say goodbye one last time,” he said.
Like his father Tony started in league and then turned to boxing.
Boxing talent definitely runs in the Mundine family with Tony’s grandson Rahim Mundine winning his fourth pro fight on the Gold Coast last week.
Tony is also the uncle of Beau Mundine (former South Sydney Rabbitohs centre) and cousin of Warren Mundine.
Details of the funeral have not been released yet.