Zerafa said his next fight with Mundine in March 2021 was going to be a different story.

 When Michael Zerafa was 14, he wrote to a 31-year-old Anthony Mundine, promising the league star turned boxer he would beat him one day and end his career.

Mundine was at the height of his popularity at the time, with the former world champion setting numerous PPV records in Australia on the way to earning a reported $30 million inside the ring. Yet that didn't stop a teenage Zerafa from sending a message to the star on social media.

"He still remembers it," Zerafa tells Wide World of Sports.

Being 17 years Mundine's junior, Zerafa should never have realistically had the chance to turn a childhood dream into reality. Age alone should have been a barrier along with other fights that fell through for the Victorian boxer in 2020.

Now he gets the chance to officially end the controversial Australian sporting legend's career for a second time at Bendigo Stadium on March 13 for the World Boxing Association Oceania Middle Title. Zerafa vs Mundine fight time 

It was his second loss in as many years after the 45-year-old was embarrassed by Jeff Horn in just 96 seconds in 2018. Both losses threaten to taint the lasting memory most boxing fans have of the star after a highly successful domestic career. How another defeat will impact his legacy, only time will tell.

Mundine's lost six of his past 10 fights bringing his overall record to 48-10-0. While plenty of questions should be raised about Mundine's age and concerns for his health, Zerafa couldn't knock back the chance to fight the former Dragons' five-eighth, especially with a bigger purse on offer which the Victorian fighter claims is double what he was offered to fight Tim Tszyu.

"I've always had a lot of respect for Mundine,' Zerafa said. "He called me and said I motivate him and I'm his way back in. He thinks he can beat me so who am I to decline that? Mundine Zerafa 


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