By Mark Vester
Jeff Fenech has hit back at WBA super middleweight champ Anthony Mundine over a recent insult made in the Australian press. Mundine called the upcoming trilogy bout between Fenech, 44, and Azumah Nelson, 49, - "a duel of the Jurassics." Both fighters are coming out of retirement to fight each other on June 24 at either Melbourne's Vodafone Arena or Aquatic Centre. Fenech has not fought since 1996 and Nelson has been inactive since 1999. The two fought to a controversial draw in 1991, but Nelson stopped Fenech in the rematch a year later.
Fenech told Gold Coast that his trilogy bout with Nelson has more credibility than Mundine's upcoming defense against Sam Soliman on May 28. Mundine holds two wins over Soliman, including a dominating ninth-round knockout last March. Soliman was dropped four-times in the fight. The feud between Fenech and Mundine is nothing new, the two men have traded words in the past when Fenech was the trainer of Mundine's biggest local rival, Danny Green.
"In terms of excitement, the Australian public will get a lot better value from me and Azumah Nelson going head to head," Fenech said. "People have been dished up utter rubbish in Australian fights over the past couple of years and what they'll get from Mundine and Soliman is more of the same.
"It will be very poor stuff -- and who really cares because it's a foregone conclusion that Mundine is going to win again. He has fought and beaten Soliman twice. The last time they met was a total no contest, Soliman is lighter than him and smaller than him.
"Why would anybody be interested, other than hoping Mundine gets beaten. That's how he makes his money -- and good luck to him and Sam because they have to make a living like anybody else. "But if the public wants a genuine contest they're better off watching me and Azumah. I'm stronger than I was 11 years ago, I'm smarter and I think it will be a great fight."
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