The weights are in for Wednesday's clash for the interim-World Boxing Association junior middleweight title, as former two division champion Anthony Mundine (42-4, 25KOs) faces Mexico's Rigoberto Alvarez (27-3, 20KOs) at Newcastle Entertainment Centre. The two-time world champion looks thin, taut, and his ribs and hips are clearly defined, weighed in at 69.6kg [153.4-pounds] - a skerrick under the 69.85kg [154-pounds] limit. Alvarez, one of seven brothers who are all boxers, tipped the scales at 69.8kg [153.8-pounds] at the weigh-in.
The 36-year-old Mundine wants to make history as the first man to win world titles in three descending divisions - super middleweight, middleweight and junior middleweight.
''That's what I set out to do from day one … and you all said I couldn't do it. You all said I'm too big and I won't even make middleweight,'' Mundine said. ''Then I fought at middleweight and beat the current IBF world champion Daniel Geale for the IBO title … but they all make excuses about that and they don't want to talk about that. 'Then he goes and beats a less credible champion [Sebastian Sylvester] in Germany and they all make a big rant and rave about that. I've already been there, done that.
'I've had my ups and downs - more ups than downs - but I'm probably more motivated as I've ever been in the sport, purely because I have such respected opponents such as Alvarez. 'If I can do the job there, and do what I believe I can do, I can move on to bigger fights. I've told everyone from here on in, it's nothing but big fights for me, and this one is going to kick it off. 'I respect Alvarez as a fighter and, when we touch gloves, it's going to be the best man wins.''
Alvarez, one of seven brothers who are all boxers, tipped the scales at 69.8kg [153.8-pounds] at the weigh-in.
He said he respected Mundine's abilities, and ''to get a knock-out is something that's going to be very hard to do, and I'm expecting it could go the distance. 'I know it's going to be a tough fight and I'm prepared for whatever is coming."
FULL WEIGHTS
12 Rounds-Interim WBA Light Middleweight Title
Anthony Mundine 69.6kg vs Rigoberto Alvarez 69.8kg
6 Rounds-Cruiserweight
David Aloua 89.3kg vs Hunter Sam 89.5kg
6 Rounds-Cruiserweight
Mostyn Niemann 90.2kg vs Walter Pupu’a 86.6kg
4 Rounds-Lightweight
Billel Dib 61.4kg vs Derek Webber
4 Rounds-Super Middleweight
Bilal Akkawy 74.5kg vs Tainui Crouch 76.2kg
4 Rounds-Light Middleweight
Aswin Cabuy 70.8kg vs Sam Ah See 69.6kg
4 Rounds-Catchweight
Rocky Jerkic 74.0kg vs Stavros Karanicolas 79.6kg
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