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Aboriginal Boxing Legend

Tributes are flowing across the country for one of Australia’s sporting greats, a legendary boxer named Lionel Rose, who died yesterday aged 62. Rose had been suffering from health problems since having a stroke in 2007 that left him partially paralysed with speech difficulties.

Lionel Rose made Australian sporting history in 1968 when he became the first Indigenous boxer to win a world championship. He beat Japan’s Fighting Harada in Tokyo at the age of 19 to claim the world bantamweight title. When he returned to Australia, Rose was greeted by more than 100,000 people outside the Melbourne Town Hall.

Even Elvis Presley wanted a piece when Rose defended his title in California later that year, requesting to meet him. “I was in awe of him, but he said he was in awe of me,” Rose recounted of the meeting in an interview.

In 1968, Rose was named Australian of the Year for his achievement – the first Aboriginal person to be awarded the honour. He was also appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). Three-times boxing world champion Anthony Mundine says Rose is Australia’s greatest ever fighter.

“It’s a sad loss obviously and I feel a little bit dudded because I believe he is the best Australian fighter to have come out of these shores” he said.

“I have an immense respect for the man and what he’s done for Aboriginal culture and what he’s done for Australia.” Mundine says Rose has been an inspiration to Australian boxers and his death is a loss for all Australians. “He was the pioneer not just for Indigenous Australians. He was the first Australian world champion, he wasn’t the first Indigenous but the first Australian champion” he said.

“He paved the way for fighters like my dad and fighters like myself and people like that … he was one of my idols and he’s a big reason, a big inspiration in my career.” Mundine puts Rose’s abilities down to “God-gifted talent”.

“He just had phenomenal hand-eye coordination, had phenomenal speed, power,” he said. “Especially as a young guy when he was champion there wasn’t a fighter in the world that could beat him I believe.”

Former Australian Boxing Federation president Brad Vocale, who is also Rose’s cousin, says Rose is an Australian sporting legend. ”He created history. He made all Australians proud, especially my race, my people,” he said.

“He made us all very, very proud. He gave us all something to fight for and something to live for.”

Mr Vocale says Rose had an incredible career as a boxer, with 53 fights for 42 wins.

“His professional record, he had 53 fights, 42 wins and 11 losses” he said.

“He had a few of those losses near the end of his career when he was probably fighting for the love of fighting more so after his world championship days were well and truly over.”

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Rose was an inspiration to the Australian public, and she has extended her sympathies to his family.

In a statement, the Rose family said he had passed away at his Warragul home after a long battle with illness. “His fighting spirit and determination did not waiver during this time and this great community leader will be missed,” the statement on behalf of Jenny, Michael and Georgia Rose said.

“We ask that the privacy of the family is respected and a further statement will be made in due course.”