Anthony Mundine explains why hes better than Jarryd Hayne
ANTHONY Mundine has never been shy about stacking his sporting resume up against any athlete in Australian history.
As recently as April this year, the former rugby league star and multiple world boxing titleist told The Daily Telegraph he deserved to be ranked ahead of dual sport stars like Dick Thornett, Mike Cleary, Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall.
With respect to them all, I think Im the best, Mundine said. No one has walked my walk.
Theres no man that has done what Ive done and crossed over sports like I have.
I was one of finest players in rugby league. I left in my prime at 24 and switched to boxing.
Were talking about the hardest gladiatorial sport on the planet. Theres the science and artistry. Its not easy man.
I won three world titles in descending weight divisions. I started from scratch but beat fighters who had long amateur careers and had been the Olympics.
But now theres a new kid on the block threatening to challenge Mundines claim to the throne rugby league star turned NFL player Jarryd Hayne. And Choc has been quick to dismiss him as well.
Like I said, no ones achieved or done half of the stuff Ive done, Mundine said in an interview posted to the Facebook page of The Locker Room.
If you do your research, youll see that. I will never get the credit or just due that ... Im the best athlete ever produced to come out of this country, ever. Theres no one (who has) walked my walk.
All the hype that Jarryd Im not a hater ... Im a positive dude and send positive vibes and Jarryd Hayne, what hes doing is magnificent.
But Ive done so much more in so much of a harder sport. To switch from a team to an individual sport as boxing. And hes going from a team to team. Hes doing well, but its gonna be hard.
Hayne has captured the imagination of the country with his daring move to pursue his dream of playing American football.
Given hes just three games into his NFL career its way too early to compare his achievements in the US to what Mundine has achieved in the boxing ring.
But its fair to say he begins any discussion on who is the greater athlete with a fair headstart on Mundine for what he achieved in rugby league.
Twice a Dally M medallist, Hayne enjoyed a sterling career at club, State of Origin and international level after debuting for Parramatta in 2006.
Mundine, the current WBC Silver super welterweight titleholder whose next fight is against American Charles Hatley in Melbourne on November 11, also played State of Origin before quitting halfway through the 2000 season to take up boxing.
ANTHONY MUNDINE
Rugby league
NRL career: 116 games for St George Illawarra, 56 tries, 11 games for Brisbane, 3 tries
Representative career: Origin (NSW): 3 matches, 1 try
Boxing
Record: 53 fights, 47 wins (27 KOs), six losses
World titles won: WBA Super Middleweight (twice), IBO World Middleweight, WBA Light Middleweight
JARRYD HAYNE
Rugby league
NRL career: 176 games for Parramatta, 103 tries Representative career: Origin (NSW): 20 matches, nine tries. Australia: 12 matches, 11 tries. Fiji: 4 matches, 3 tries
NFL career: 3 games for San Francisco
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...h-nrl-club-named/story-fni3fbgz-1227548654151
