Anthony Mundine’s son has been added to what shapes as the greatest Australian boxing grudge match of the decade – and as part of his own preparations for a potential future showdown with the son of Danny Green.
While initially touted to make his name in the NRL, Fox Sports Australia can reveal Rahim ‘CJ’ Mundine will now continue his promising professional boxing start on No Limit’s stacked January 16 card in Brisbane.
Apart from being topped by the bad blood contest that is Michael Zerafa versus Nikita Tszyu, Friday week’s showcase also includes the professional debut of former Melbourne Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
N. Tszyu vs Zerafa | Friday 16 Jan from 7pm AEDT | The trash talk and bitterness come to a head when Nikita Tszyu steps into the ring to face Michael Zerafa in one of the most anticipated fights in Australian boxing history. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Tszyu vs Zerafa | Face Off | 25:50
And while the event was also set to boast an IBF title eliminator for Queensland’s Liam Paro, that fight is now off – with Irish rival Paddy Donovan having withdrawn only last week with an illness, believed to be flu.
As a result, promoters No Limit have filled the space with Mundine Jr.
Fighting most recently on the July undercard of Paul Gallen versus Sonny Bill Williams, the promising young middleweight earned a second round stoppage against Fiji’s Joe Vatusaqata.
It was the Sydneysider’s second win, having also beaten another Fijian, Lepani Levatia, on the 2022 undercard of SBW versus Barry Hall.
After his most recent win, talk immediately turned to CJ throwing down against the son of his dad’s longtime arch rival Green.
READ MORE
‘NOT SOMETHING CALL COULD HANDLE’: Shock NRL crossover call after $25m boxing reveal
FACE OFF: ‘Can’t go into that’: Zerafa grilled over cryptic ‘big plan’ reveal in tense Tszyu showdown
In what remains one of the greatest, and most watched, rivalries anywhere in Australian sport, the famous fathers fought twice throughout their careers – including a 2006 Australian boxing epic which remains the nation’s most watched pay-per-view.
Better, and with the old boys split on one win each, there is now talk of their sons throwing down sometime in the future, with Archie also training under the guidance of his former world champion father in Western Australia.
However, given Archie Green is yet to make even his amateur debut, any future showdown between the two fighting sons of guns is still going to be some time away.
However when it happens, interest would be huge.
In fact, speaking with Fox Sports Australia about the idea recently, both Mundine and Green snr admitted a showdown between their boys could garner more eyeballs than even their own original blockbuster.
Mundine added the “inevitable” bout could also garner as much interest Down Under as two recent UK blockbusters involving Chris Eubanks Jnr and Conor Benn – whose famous fathers fought themselves in the early 1990s.
And on this point, Green agreed.
“People say ‘oh, Benn versus Eubanks Jnr wasn’t for a world title. So who cares?” Green started.
“Well, there were 60,000 inside the stadium for that [first] fight.
“Another 135,000 on hold for tickets.
“So there are so many possibilities with our sons now doing the same.
“For our boys to meet in a collision course event, I think it could potentially be bigger than our own fights.”
N. Tszyu vs Zerafa | Friday 16 Jan from 7pm AEDT | The trash talk and bitterness come to a head when Nikita Tszyu steps into the ring to face Michael Zerafa in one of the most anticipated fights in Australian boxing history. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Speaking after his son’s July win, Mundine said of a bout between CJ and Archie: “It makes sense.
“I pumped Danny a couple of times.
“He doesn’t want to admit it … [and] doesn’t want to do it again.
“I said ‘let’s do it again’, but he doesn’t want to do it because he knows what’s up.
“But our boys can do it.”
Rahim added of Archie: “He hasn’t fought yet, but I’m sure if he does his job in the next five years and I keep doing what I’m doing, the Mundine last name can whoop the Green last name again, you know what I mean?”
Given Green was working in commentary that night, he also had the chance to respond.
“I’m a nice guy that’s why I didn’t take the third fight,” he said, returning serve at Mundine.
“You took 11 years to do the rematch, you pelican.
“I love you too much [for a trilogy fight], I’d hurt you too much.
“So, look, what’s going to happen in the future, our sons are going to carry on our legacies.”
Archie Green said he was also open to the idea of fighting Rahim.
“At the moment I am 17 and about 56kg,” he started. “I want to have a fight (at amateur level) before the end of this year.
“Down the track definitely … I want to make the trilogy 2 and 1.”
Discussion about this post