Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
T
The Shadow
Guest
WBC strips Mundine after controversial remarks
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
MEXICO CITY -- The World Boxing Council has stripped the ranking of Australian middleweight Anthony Mundine for comments that the United States brought the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks upon itself.
The WBC, based in Mexico City, said it read Mundine's remarks "with stupefaction" and said it was dropping him indefinitely from the WBC ratings.
Mundine is ranked only 26th among super middleweights by the WBC, but he is ranked 14th by the International Boxing Federation and is scheduled to fight for the IBF title Dec. 1 against Sven Ottke.
IBF president Marian Muhammad said her organization would not take action against Mundine and denied Australian press reports that he might be stripped of his title should he win.
Mundine, an Australian Aborigine who reportedly became a Muslim to model himself on former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, said in a television interview Monday that Australians should keep out of the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan.
"I really feel that it's not our problem," Mundine said. "They call it an act of terrorism but if you can understand religion and our way of life, it's not about terrorism.
"It's about fighting for God's laws, and America's brought it upon themselves (for) what they've done in the history of time."
The WBC said the statements "are unbelievable and intolerable, and seriously hurt world society and boxing."
It cited the organization's constitution, which allows fighters to be penalized for any act that "tends to bring disrepute upon the WBC, its officers or the sport of boxing."
Mundine apologized for the statements in "an open letter to the world" published on his Web site.
He said the comments "have been taken out of context by the Australian media" and apologized "to any person who may have been offended."
"I condemn killings on any side and all acts of terrorism. I am against any form or any shape of violence or killing," he said, adding that "my heart and soul goes out to those families who lost loved ones" in New York.
"What has been reported is not the real me," he said.
In Sydney, Mundine's father, trainer and promoter Tony Mundine said he wasn't concerned with the WBC's decision because his son is due to challenge for the IBF title.
"We're not worried with the WBC," he said. "We will go and get one title and then if we are good enough we will challenge the champion for another title."
Mundine, 26, was a professional rugby player in Australia before switching to boxing. He has a record of 10-0, with eight knockouts. Only one of his bouts took place outside Australia.
Muhammad said by telephone that she would not penalize Mundine. "I'm not going to mix religion and politics with boxing," she said.
Australian National Boxing Federation spokesman Brad Vocale said Friday that he was disappointed with Mundine's remarks, but doesn't think the WBC was justified in stripping the ranking.
"It is a setback for him," Vocale told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. "The WBC is the most respected and most powerful of all the sanctioning organizations and if he really wants to get on in the sport ... and be respected as one of the very best, then he needs to be with this organization."
Vocale said the ANBF couldn't lodge an appeal on Mundine's behalf but it could back the boxer's application.
"If he wants to put in a reinstatement application we are more than happy to support that and back him," he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
MEXICO CITY -- The World Boxing Council has stripped the ranking of Australian middleweight Anthony Mundine for comments that the United States brought the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks upon itself.
The WBC, based in Mexico City, said it read Mundine's remarks "with stupefaction" and said it was dropping him indefinitely from the WBC ratings.
Mundine is ranked only 26th among super middleweights by the WBC, but he is ranked 14th by the International Boxing Federation and is scheduled to fight for the IBF title Dec. 1 against Sven Ottke.
IBF president Marian Muhammad said her organization would not take action against Mundine and denied Australian press reports that he might be stripped of his title should he win.
Mundine, an Australian Aborigine who reportedly became a Muslim to model himself on former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, said in a television interview Monday that Australians should keep out of the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan.
"I really feel that it's not our problem," Mundine said. "They call it an act of terrorism but if you can understand religion and our way of life, it's not about terrorism.
"It's about fighting for God's laws, and America's brought it upon themselves (for) what they've done in the history of time."
The WBC said the statements "are unbelievable and intolerable, and seriously hurt world society and boxing."
It cited the organization's constitution, which allows fighters to be penalized for any act that "tends to bring disrepute upon the WBC, its officers or the sport of boxing."
Mundine apologized for the statements in "an open letter to the world" published on his Web site.
He said the comments "have been taken out of context by the Australian media" and apologized "to any person who may have been offended."
"I condemn killings on any side and all acts of terrorism. I am against any form or any shape of violence or killing," he said, adding that "my heart and soul goes out to those families who lost loved ones" in New York.
"What has been reported is not the real me," he said.
In Sydney, Mundine's father, trainer and promoter Tony Mundine said he wasn't concerned with the WBC's decision because his son is due to challenge for the IBF title.
"We're not worried with the WBC," he said. "We will go and get one title and then if we are good enough we will challenge the champion for another title."
Mundine, 26, was a professional rugby player in Australia before switching to boxing. He has a record of 10-0, with eight knockouts. Only one of his bouts took place outside Australia.
Muhammad said by telephone that she would not penalize Mundine. "I'm not going to mix religion and politics with boxing," she said.
Australian National Boxing Federation spokesman Brad Vocale said Friday that he was disappointed with Mundine's remarks, but doesn't think the WBC was justified in stripping the ranking.
"It is a setback for him," Vocale told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. "The WBC is the most respected and most powerful of all the sanctioning organizations and if he really wants to get on in the sport ... and be respected as one of the very best, then he needs to be with this organization."
Vocale said the ANBF couldn't lodge an appeal on Mundine's behalf but it could back the boxer's application.
"If he wants to put in a reinstatement application we are more than happy to support that and back him," he said.
