Anthony Mundine Knocked Out In First Round Without Landing One Punch

Anthony Mundine has been knocked out in the first round of his final farewell boxing fight.

The 45-year-old ended his sporting career inside the ring without landing a single punch on his opponent Michael Zerafa.

The odds were stacked against Mundine, with betting agencies placing him at around $9 odds to win.

Zerafa knocked him down 70 seconds after the first ding, but then copped a 'gut-punch, temple-hook combo' that saw his head fly back.

The fight was eventually called at the 2.09 minute mark and that was the final moment of Mundine's boxing career.

News Corps' Tyson Otto wrote of the fight: "It was the saddest of endings for one of the most unmissable careers Australian boxing has ever known."

This was Mundine's sixth 'final' fight; coming back time and time again after announcing his retirement.

But the boxing match in Bendigo over the weekend was criticised for a bunch of reasons, with the 17-year age gap between the two fighters highlighted on social media.

Leading boxing promoter Lou DiBella wrote on Twitter: "This 'fight' should never have happened. DISGUSTING. Australian boxing owed a debt to Mundine to protect him from himself. The man is forty-five and had NO chance. This was wrong."

Former world champion Lovemore Ndou added: "Time to call it a day my brother. You got nothing left to prove. You've done it all and been a great champ. Time 2 enjoy life with family. Proud of you."

Regardless of how the fight ended for Mundine, he believed he has achieved what no one else will ever do.

"My legacy will never be spoilt," he told the Daily Mail ahead of the fight. "What I did was unprecedented. No-one has done what I've done, and it probably won't ever be done again.

"To conquer the sport I grew up on, and then to change sports and go to the heights I did in my second sport just doesn't happen, bro.

"To get to the top of boxing, which is one of the most gruelling sports there is, and to do it in rugby league too...not too many people play rugby league around the world, but it's a battlefield man."

He's competed in nearly 60 fights in his time, as well as a successful career in the NRL, and he believes that track record means he's one of the best athletes around.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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