SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Former world champion Anthony Mundine beat Danny Green in a unanimous points decision in a non-title super middleweight bout Wednesday that captured the imagination of Australia's sporting public.
Mundine, the more stylish boxer and a former top flight rugby league player, helped promote the fight at the Sydney Football Stadium which attracted more than 30,000 spectators, including former world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, and a national record for a pay-per-view television event.
Mundine - also known as "The Man" - was ahead on points from the second round on, improving his record to 26-3 and earning the right for a title rematch with WBA super middleweight world champion Mikkel Kessler of Denmark, although Kessler has not yet agreed to the fight.
For Green, an uncompromising fighter from Western Australia, it was his first loss in a professional non-title fight. His two previous losses were in World Boxing Council title bouts against Markus Beyer.
Judge Pinit Prayadsab of Thailand gave the fight to Mundine 118-11, South Korean Michael Lee scored it 116-113 and Australian Derek Milham had it 118-112.
Mundine, 30, said he was ready to reclaim the world title. Kessler beat Mundine in their world title fight in June last year but Mundine says he is a much better fighter now.
"It was a close fight last time, he's a great fighter," Mundine said. "I think he's the best out there at the moment, but I showed last time I can match it with him."
Mundine also praised Green.
"I just want to thank Danny for a great fight," Mundine said. "He put up a good performance, he came ready, he came prepared."
After years of antagonism between the pair, Green, 33, was also gracious in defeat.
"Anthony Mundine, a lot has been said in the past, he just fought a better fight tonight, he just beat me fair and square," Green said.
The verbal sparring between Mundine and Green started six years ago, when Mundine first talked of quitting his professional rugby league career to follow his father's footsteps and go into boxing.
Satellite television broadcaster Foxtel reported record sales on its pay-per-view channel for the bout billed "Man vs. Machine", although it did not release actual figures.
A spokesman for a gambling house told the telecast that one in 20 Australians - about 1 million people - had made a bet on the fight.
