BOXING
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A candid Anthony Mundine admits he got his tactics wrong in his devastating loss to Joshua Clottey, but has suggested the damaging result won’t end his boxing career.
Mundine was knocked down five times on the way to losing a unanimous 12-round points decision to former IBF welterweight world champion Clottey in Newcastle on Wednesday night.
Third-ranked Mundine lost his WBA International super welterweight title and the convincing nature of the defeat inevitably raised questions about whether the 38-year-old would retire.
A defiant Mundine said he still had plenty of options and declared: ‘‘I know I’m not done.’’
Even if the dream of a fight with Floyd Mayweather may remain only that after the defeat, Mundine still has some potential big-money domestic fights.
Rematches with Danny Green, Daniel Geale and Sam Soliman could be among the options.
‘‘I don’t know what I want to do, I’ll talk and sit with the team,’’ Mundine said.
‘‘I’m upset and it’s an emotional time, so I don’t want to make any rash decisions or say anything.’’
Mundine conceded he should have used his jab more, rather than engaging Clottey inside, where the African dominated and tagged him with numerous left hooks.
‘‘I wish I did jab more. That’s the best punch in boxing and that was working for me, setting everything up,’’ Mundine said.
‘‘I probably did fight the wrong fight, looking at it.
‘‘I want to watch the tape and see where I got caught, how I got caught and how I could have been better defensively.’’
Mundine’s courage in repeatedly climbing off the canvas would have won him more fans and perhaps even earned him credit and admiration from some of his critics.
‘‘Anybody who has ever bagged Anthony Mundine should eat their words, because he showed so much heart and valour it was incredible,’’ said ringside commentator and former IBF junior lightweight world champion Barry Michael.
‘‘Maybe Choc will decide to give it away, he’s had a great career. But knowing Choc, I don’t think he will.’’
Clottey suggested Mundine had been weakened by fighting at super welterweight rather than his original division of super middleweight, but the Australian denied that was the case.
‘‘I felt fine but I got beat by a better guy,’’ he said. AAP