A festival of the fist

Horn-Mundine to head Origin-like night

THE November 30 Jeff HornAnthony Mundine fight is set to be officially announced next Wednesday at Suncorp Stadium, with what promises to be one of the best undercards ever seen in Australian boxing.

The two former world champs aim to split an $8 million purse on the last day of spring, hoping they can surpass the 200,000 pay-per-view television buys for Mundine’s victory over Danny Green at Aussie Stadium in 2006.

With the cream of Australian boxing – Green, Jeff Fenech and master trainer Johnny Lewis – endorsing the fight as a potential thriller, promoters are promising the biggest boxing extravaganza Australia has seen.

They are waiting until after the NRL grand final for the Queensland Government to announce its support for the fight, in the same manner it backed Horn’s victory over Manny Pacquiao before more than 51,000 people at Suncorp Stadium last year.

Horn’s trainer/manager Glenn Rushton says he can’t wait for Suncorp Stadium to be lit up like a Christmas tree and for Horn to turn Mundine’s lights out.

Mundine has agreed to pay Horn more than $1 million if he is more than 2kg above the bout’s agreed weight limit of 71kg and insists he will win with experience, speed and a significant size advantage.

Horn is the former WBO world welterweight (66.7kg) champ. and Mundine the former WBA super-middleweight (76kg) champ.

Rushton wants ‘‘a State of Origin feel’’ for the fight and a stellar undercard is being prepared, with Commonwealth Games silver medallist Joe Goodall to fight former rugby league enforcer Solomon Haumono, who is a former Australian heavyweight champ.

Former Wallaby Quade Cooper is sparring Australian cruiserweight champion Ben Kelleher and also hoping for a start on the card.

Mundine’s representative Emaid Dib said: “Both Jeff and Anthony get to decide four fights each on the undercard.

“But all of us and Dean Lonergan, Jeff’s promoter, insist that every fight has to be a good, tough competitive match-up.

‘‘So if Quade wants a start he will have to fight a top opponent.”