From the Daily Telegraph. I certainly hope Choc is right, we could do with a genuine raw talent coming through at fullback,
Anthony Mundine says his son CJ is ready for first grade
Never one to shy away from a controversial call, Anthony ‘Choc’ Mundine predicts his son CJ is ready to mix it with the best in rugby league.
Former NRL star Anthony Mundine has declared son
CJ is ready to break through at the top level.
Rahim ‘CJ’ Mundine, like his famous father, has dabbled in both league and boxing, but dad says the 22-year-old has had an eye-catching pre-season for South Sydney’s NSW Cup squad.
“I reckon he’ll break through this year, he’s really a utility and he can play in the halves but his best role’s fullback,” Mundine said of his eldest son.
“Another Mundine in NRL, he’s killing it at training, he’s close.”
CJ has fought back from a horror 2021 injury to make his professional boxing debut, while eyeing a career in the NRL.
"He dislocated his hip a couple of years ago but he’s back now, good as gold, injury free,” Anthony Mundine said.
In 2022, CJ won his only pro fight in a points decision against Lepani Levatia, on the undercard to the Sonny Bill Williams v Barry Hall ‘Turf War’.
A St George Illawarra junior, CJ played alongside his dad as a 17-year-old for Souths juniors club Matraville Tigers.
The former Dragons star, who won multiple world boxing titles says, in recent years, he has taken an interest in Melbourne Storm, as nephew Reimis Smith develops into a bona fide NRL star.
‘The Man’, himself, was never far from the headlines thanks to bold declarations borne out of an unyielding self-belief. Reflecting on some of the headline-making statements throughout his career, Mundine says they fuelled his motivation to be great.
“I had drive because I said from when I was a young fella, 20 years old, I felt I wasn’t getting the recognition (I deserved) being a black fella,” he said.
“You’re not going to get the accolades you’re normally going to get as a white fella.
“I knew that and I started making statements that I had to back up.
“(Laurie) Daly ‘running on old legs’, (Brad) Fittler ‘pick him, I’ll whip him’.
“It sent them into a frenzy but I had to perform on the field, perform under lights and that vindicated my belief, I backed it up.”
Mundine, 48, was in regional Victoria this week to see his 18-year-old son Anthony Mundine III represent NSW at the Basketball Australia U20 National Championships.
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