After disposing of Danny Green is stylish fashion over a month ago, Anthony “The Man” Mundine is currently weighing up his options as he prepares to take on his next challenge in a proposed upcoming bout this August. The Mundine-Green bout, which Mundine won by scores of 116-113, 118-111 and 118-112, was sanctioned as a WBA super middleweight title eliminator, so Mundine has gained the position of mandatory challenger to Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler.  However, negotiations are currently taking place between the camps of Kessler and Markus Beyer, the WBC titlist at the same weight, for a proposed October 14, 2006 unification bout at Brøndby Hallen in Copenhagen, Denmark. To allow this bout to take place without either titleholder getting stripped of one of his belts, both Mundine and WBC mandatory challenger, Librado Andrade, would have to step aside, i.e. agree to forego their immediate rights, likely in exchange for a payment. Mundine’s manager, Khoder Nasser, is currently overseas negotiating with authorities as to the possible options for Mundine.

Welshman Joe Calzaghe is the legitimate world champion at 168 pounds, and he owns the WBO and IBF belts. Calzaghe has had to pull out of a scheduled July bout at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium due to a recurring hand injury. Frank Warren, Calzaghe’s promoter, had offered Beyer a September fight; however Beyer was unable to meet this date due to recovery required for his damaged eye. It is possible that Warren will offer the September date to Mundine, however Mundine is unlikely to sign a long-term deal with Warren, as he did with a previous unacceptable offer.

Given that Mundine, trained by Roy Jones, Sr., will not be fighting in a world title bout in the oncoming months due to the listed circumstances, “The Man” is keen to stay active with a proposed August bout, likely to be held in Queensland, Australia. Team Mundine have been in negotiations with both Pierre Karam and Jason DeLisle, however the likely opponent at this stage now looks to be, Lionheart Nader Hamden. Hamden, record of 38-4, has fought inside the square circle against such notable names in Otis Grant, Arthur Abraham and Sam Soliman.

If Kessler fights Beyer, the winner would become the WBA super champion, thus opening a WBA regular world title (effectively interim title) bout for Mundine against the next highest ranked challenger.  If that scenario unfolds, Mundine would first fight for the regular WBA belt, and if he wins, could be set to take on the new super champion in early 2007.

M

Send questions and comments to: theblacksuperman@mail.com