Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article names a person who has died.
Tony Mundine, one of Australia’s most accomplished Indigenous boxers and the patriarch of a three-generation fighting family, has died at 75 after a heart attack. He died in hospital on Sunday, 30 August 2026, with family around him.
Born Anthony William Mundine on 10 June 1951 in Baryulgil, near Grafton in northern New South Wales, he fought professionally from 1969 to 1984. He remains the only Australian to have boxed for, and held, national titles in four weight classes: middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight. He also won Commonwealth titles at middleweight and light heavyweight.
His best-known night came in 1974, when he challenged Argentina’s Carlos Monzon for the WBA middleweight crown. The fight was stopped in the seventh round. He won the Australian middleweight title in 1970 by knockout over Billy Choules. Two years later, he took the national heavyweight belt by knocking out Foster Bibron. His last win was in 1982 against Dragomir Popovic. His final bout, in March 1984, was a points loss to Alex Sua in Auckland. His professional record stands at 80 wins, 15 losses and one draw from 96 fights, with 64 victories inside the distance.
After retirement, he stayed close to the sport. He was often in Anthony’s corner, ran the Mundine gyms in Redfern, and in 1986 received the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to boxing and to Aboriginal youth. Friends said he kept extraordinary fitness late in life, including daily sessions of hundreds of push-ups and sit-ups.
His son, former world champion Anthony Mundine, was overseas and is flying home from the Middle East. His son Anthony Mundine, an IBO middleweight and two-time WBA super-middleweight champion who first made his name in rugby league, posted that he was “broken” and on his way home on his Instagram story saying:
“I don’t know what to say I’m broken
Dad I love you man (may) Allah bless your soul
I’m on my way home to say goodbye one last time till we meet again
Thanks for doing all you did for me and supporting me in every moment, showing me love & strength gonna miss you Tonza. There’s only one Tony Mundine”
Former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr also shared on his Instagram story saying:
“Rest in peace to an aboslute Australian boxing legend, Tony Mundine a sad day in Australian sport, some great momories at the old Eveleigh street boxing gym in Reddern sparring Choc with Tony always in his corner. A great man. My condolence to Anthony and the whole Mundine family.”
Mundine is survived by Anthony, grandson and professional boxer Rahim Mundine, and a wider family that includes cousin and Indigenous leader Warren Mundine.
