After being knocked out in the fifth round by Garth Wood, Anthony Mundine is not required to retire from boxing; however, according to secondsout.com editor Paul Upham, he must “avenge this loss” by having a rematch if he hopes to return to form.
Upham pointed out that should Mundine choose not to promptly seek a rematch with Garth Wood, he will “lose respect” among Australians and may be overlooked as a contender for major fights in the United States.
“The best fighters in the world have lost,” Upham remarked.
“It’s what happens next … the best fighters strive for an immediate rematch.”
“If Anthony can secure an immediate rematch and defeat Garth convincingly, perhaps he can overcome this setback.”
“However, if he decides to take a different route, attempting to fight someone else in America now, I fear he will lose a considerable amount of respect in the eyes of many in Australia.”
“He must rectify this loss.”
Upham emphasized that Mundine should pursue a rematch in the upcoming year if he aims to be viewed seriously by others.
“Will they want him over there?” Upham queried, referring to Mundine’s aspirations for fighting in the United States.
“Will he receive a warm welcome? Are the significant fights going to be offered to him?”
“Securing major fights is quite challenging.”
“They will likely ask, if you lost to Garth Wood, why should you face an (Antonio) Margarito, (Miguel) Cotto, (Floyd) Mayweather, or (Manny) Pacquiao? That’s unlikely.”
“He must correct what he perceives as an injustice – that he believes he is a superior fighter compared to Garth Wood.”
While Upham asserted that Mundine’s career is “certainly not” finished, he did warn that age is a factor working against ‘The Man’.
“Anthony is 35 years old,” he noted.
“History demonstrates that very few boxers achieve significant accomplishments after the age of 35.”
In the fight, it was evident that Mundine was not performing at his peak, as Wood delivered a powerful blow despite a lackluster start in the first two rounds from The Contender champion.
“Garth Wood succeeded in making Anthony Mundine engage in a style that was quite uncharacteristic for him,” Upham commented.
“And he managed to do just that.”
“There was a great deal of grappling on the inside.”
“Anthony Mundine seemed to be attempting to knock Garth Wood out with a single punch, which is not typical of his approach.”
“When he is at his best, he maintains a good distance and exhibits a lot of movement. He failed to do so.”
“In the end, Garth Wood closed the gap and landed a breathtaking combination that resulted in Mundine’s knockout.”