Anthony Mundine may get a crack at WBC light middleweight title holder Floyd Mayweather after defeating Belarusian Sergey Rabchenko in a split points decision in Melbourne on Wednesday night.
The 39-year-old Mundine came away from the clash against Rabchenko, previously unbeaten in 25 fights, with the WBC silver light middleweight title and the position of No1 challenger to WBC title holder Mayweather.
“I think Floyd is the best and it’s up to him if he wants to fight me,” Mundine said after the bounce back win following a loss to former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey in April.
However the Australian boxing veteran understands he may have a tough job making it onto Mayweather’s radar.
“We want to put pressure on the WBC,” Mundine told Fox Sports on Thursday. “I’m the mandatory so I want (Mayweather) to fulfil his obligation to fight me.
“But listen, Mayweather is Mayweather. I’m not going to disrespect him. He’s the best in the sport, he can choose who he wants to fight, who he’s going to make the most money from.
“He probably doesn’t think I’ve earned my right yet and I probably haven’t — I’m the first to admit that.”
With Mayweather likely to opt for a bigger draw, more along the lines of a Manny Pacquiao, Mundine may have to settle for a division championship and bouts against other high-profile boxers Saul Alvarez or Miguel Cotto.
Meanwhile Pacquiao confirmed getting Mayweather in the ring is no easy task.
“I believe good-faith negotiations could produce that fight,” he told ESPN. “But it is impossible to negotiate when you are the only one sitting at the table. Two fighters who want to fight each other have never been kept from fighting each other.”
Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.
