Why Mundine plans to boycott anthem

Daniel 'Real Deal' Geale explains why The Man won't be able to cope with the pressure he'll bring to the ring at the SEC

Boxer Anthony Mundine has hinted he will protest against the Australian national anthem before his fight with Daniel Geale. Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph

Tasmanian says he is a different fighter to the one who lost to 'The Man' in 2009. (Geale v Mundine, Jan 30, LIVE on MAIN EVENT, Foxtel channel 518 or at your local Fox Sports pub or club)

Anthony Mundine takes another verbal job at Daniel Geale ahead of their much-anticipated bout.

ANTHONY Mundine has revealed why he plans to boycott Australia's national anthem tomorrow - he wants to to 'educate and unite Australians', it has been reported.

After The Daily Telegraph last week revealed his plans to boycott the anthem at Wednesday's IBF world title clash with Daniel Geale, Mundine has spoken about his reasons for the protest.

"I don't mean to incite any racism or anything like that," Mundine told Fairfax Media.

"I am just trying to make people aware and educate them because most of them don't know the story.

"The truth is, that anthem was composed in the 1800s when Aborigines were considered fauna. From 1901 to 1973 there was a White Australia Policy to make Australia white, and guess what the theme song of that policy was - Advance Australia Fair. So what are they really singing, Advance Australia White.

"I am a guy who has always stood up for what I believe in, and if people were educated on that and knew the facts they would say 'let's change it for the better - for all Australians'," Mundine said.

"I am not trying to divide people, I am trying to unite people. I have got white brothers, I have got white friends that I grew up with from school, but I want Australia to recognise the injustices and the wrongs, and it is an injustice that it still is the anthem.

"I want something that represents all Australians, not just something that represents the white Australia, which back in those days was very racist. There is still racism today but let's try to breed it out and move forward."

Last Thursday, a curt Mundine arrived at a public training session refusing to talk to media after The Daily Telegraph revealed his plans to boycott the anthem.

However television reporters closed on Mundine following his public sessions to ask if he "denied" the story.

"I got nothing to say, baby," Mundine said.

Asked again if he denied the story, Mundine again replied: "I got nothing to say."

Then asked if he would protest the anthem, Mundine said: "I may, I may not."

The open answer has thrown preparations into a spin, with nobody sure what Mundine plans to do.

Subsequently, nobody is sure what the reaction will be.

Already extra security has been hired to avoid the judges potentially being abused, as happened during their first fight, but they will now also be on heightened alarm when the anthem begins.

While Mundine is aware of the outrage it will cause not only ringside but around Australia, he is also acutely aware that the fight is being televised live across Australia and New Zealand and beamed on delay into America and the United Kingdom.

While its effect as a political statement will be debatable, he undoubtedly sees it as an opportunity to underline his role as an Aboriginal activist.

Last October he kicked off this fight with Geale by raising his concerns and, with the fight near, is revisiting his political statements about the plight of Aboriginals.

Mundine's camp believed they had convinced him to back down from plans to protest the anthem after conversations drifted back and forth on Wednesday, when Mundine began the day adamant he would carry through with the protest.

By the end of the day, though, he had begun to waver on his plans and Team Mundine believed he planned to drop the protest.

The to and fro continued last Thursday when Mundine arrived at the public training session and told the crowd over a microphone to ignore the newspapers.

"They're trying to sidetrack me, take me off my game because they know they're in trouble," he said.

Yet by the time he had finished training he was again clearly considering the protest, leaving everybody unsure what will happen on fight night.

Pay-per-views figures are expected to reach somewhere between 80,000-100,000 homes with thousands more watching in pubs and clubs.

With American Kimbo Slice on the undercard, a large pickup is expected overseas, commanding Mundine an audience of potential millions to make his point.

The threat has lit a fresh fuse ahead of Wednesday's world title fight, the first time two Aboriginals have fought for a legitimate world title.

Geale refused to be sidetracked, saying: "He has tried every little thing he can to try to throw me off my game, but no matter what he does it's not going to throw me off my game."

Mundine trained yesterday in a black T-shirt with an Aboriginal flag printed across the front.

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