Boxing

MUNDINE-CACCIATORE TONIGHT!

By Tony Nobbs

17.03 - WBA number two Super Middleweight contender Anthony Choc Mundine said yesterday that he believes he is just two fights and three months away from being crowned World Champion. But first he has to get past Brazilian Rogerio Cacciatore in a scheduled ten round non title affair at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast, Queensland tonight. After getting word of Sven Ottke's split points victory over Byron Mitchell to add the WBA "Super" Championship to his IBF Belt the 27 year old Australian also spoke of his desire to avenge his sole defeat, which happened in his December 2001 bid for Ottke's Title, in only his eleventh fight.

"A rematch is something I've wanted since our fight. A chance for redemption. But I don't think he will fight me. He doesn't want the fight. The only way he will fight me is if the public demand it or that he makes a lot of money. Anyone who knows boxing knows that I was not just holding my own against him, I was one or two punches away from knocking him out. And I was still young in the sport".

Tonight Mundine (16-1, 12 KO) will be facing an opponent with a decent record of 26-6 18 KO who is a former Brazil Middleweight and WBO Latino Lt .Middleweight Champion, but one who has been stopped in three of his last six outings, most recently by Danish WBA number four Mads Larsen in two rounds in October.

But with so much riding on the result and with Mundine coming off a difficult twelve rounder with New Zealander Sean Sullivan last month, the tough looking, non English speaking Cacciatore, 34, is brimming with confidence after working on speed with Acelino Freitas, and predicting an upset, feeling Mundine is inexperienced and "crazy" for taking the fight. "I know he says he is confident. He can punch but I feel I have too much skill. We have been working on different things in the gym. I will be looking to throw my hook more and get back to using the jab. We had good news on Saturday, the WBA telling us I was guaranteed to be one of the contenders to fight off for the Title after the Ottke-Mitchell unification. I should be fighting for the WBA Title in June. There was a dispute in my team over taking this fight, with a World Title shot so close, but I want to show the people I am the best. I have to be alert against him (Cacciatore), not expose myself, he has eighteen knockouts. If I lose this fight, I lose my World Title opportunity but I feel that if I can't beat this guy I shouldn't be fighting for the World Title anyway".

Anthony also admitted that his preperation for Cacciatore has been hindered by the flu and a lack of sparring. "I'm just coming though it now, feeling good. I've had to adjust my training, and some of my regular sparring partners have been unavailable. I've only got about forty rounds for this
fight, it's not good but it will have to do".

Mundine has done very well for himself, already going close to defeating one of boxing's better Champions, Sven Ottke, and being on the verge of another crack at a version of the Title with only seventeen bouts under his belt since turning professional in July 2000. He has already developed the lost art of making easy fights appear competitive but with Cacciatore's knockout ratio he may not want to "play" for too long.

The PPV Telecast throughout Australia on Main Event starts at 7 pm. Meanwhile, Mundine's most talked about Australian rival in the Super Middleweight division, IBF number ten Danny Green (15-0, 15 KO) scored a five round TKO (cut eye) at the end of the fifth round over 36 year old Argentine Jorge Andres Sclarandi (27-18-1, 2 KO) in Perth on Saturday night.

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