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Forget Floyd, face me, Ndou dares Mundine

Lovemore ''Black Panther" Ndou. Picture Credit: Gallo Images
Lovemore ''Black Panther" Ndou. Picture Credit: Gallo Images

Former two-time world champion Lovemore ''Black Panther" Ndou has challenged Australian compatriot Anthony Mundine to a showdown and urged him to forget about ever facing US superstar Floyd Mayweather.

Mundine became the mandatory challenger to Mayweather after he won the WBC Silver belt in November but Ndou - who was born in South Africa but became an Australian citizen 10 years ago - said yesterday the American will never grant the Mundine a fight.

''I have been saying one thing, that if Mundine wants a real fight to test himself, I am right here," Ndou told Sowetan from Sydney, Australia, yesterday.

''It is a fight that a lot of Australians would love to see and it's more appealing than what he has been feeding to the Australian public of late."

Mundine has been talking up a storm in the Australian media since he beat Sergey Rabchenko for the WBC Silver belt.

Mayweather, the WBC and WBA Super welterweight, and WBC junior-middleweight titlist, is scheduled to make several public appearances in Australia next month and the rumour mill has speculated about the possibility of a fight with Mundine. The Australian boxer has also done his bit in stoking the fire, harping on the fact that he is the WBC mandatory challenger.

''We want to put pressure on the WBC," Mundine has been quoted as saying. ''I'm the mandatory [challenger] so I want [Mayweather] to fulfil his obligation to fight me."

But an amused Ndou insisted Mayweather would never step in the same ring with Mundine.

''That fight will not happen, not now or any time in the future. Mundine hasn't been impressive of late," Ndou said.

Ndou said Mundine does not have what it takes to face A-Class fighters like Mayweather, Miguel Cotto or Saul Alvarez.

Ndou also announced that he will return to the ring against an as-yet- unnamed opponent in April.

He suggested that Mundine can stand in line after that fight and wait to receive his own punishment should he agree to the challenge.

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