Tony Mundine Jnr

Anthony Mundine (commonly known as “The Man”), well known by Yuin people, was born 21 May 1975 in Newtown, Sydney. He established himself as one of Australia’s most versatile and high-profile Indigenous athletes. Raised in a sporting family (his father, Tony Mundine, was a noted boxer) and exposed early to the gym environment, he emerged as a standout junior rugby league player for Hurstville United and Kingsgrove High. At age 18 he signed with the St George Dragons (1993–96) and later the Brisbane Broncos (1997), representing New South Wales in State of Origin matches in 1999.

In mid-2000 he transitioned to professional boxing, making his debut in July of that year. In 2003 he captured the WBA Super Middleweight Title, defending it successfully before later adding the IBO Middleweight Title and the interim WBA super-welterweight title. Over a career spanning 2000-2021 he recorded 48 wins and 11 losses, fighting across multiple weight divisions. With a win rate over eighty percent, he was a formidable opponent.

Off the field and in the ring Mundine was influential for his outspoken stance on racism and Aboriginal rights, he was named Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Person of the Year in 2000. He launched his own sports-brand ‘boxa’ and established a platform beyond sport for Indigenous entrepreneurship and visibility. His legacy is marked not only by titles and athletic versatility, but by the capacity to navigate and challenge cultural and racial dynamics in Australia’s sporting world.