RIP - World Boxing Champion Lionel Rose

[Allstar cards inc]

Just read the story below on Ninemsn.
For those that don't know who Lionel Rose is....he was a great boxer in the 60's.....born and bred in Gippsland.
There is a very good biopic made about him in 2008 called Lionel, that is definitely worth watching and his early life is also mentioned in an excellent book called "Jackson's Track".
Lionel Rose had 2 hit singles in the early 70's produced by Johnny Young...."I Thank You" and "Please Remember Me"
He was also god-father of MTV presenter Ruby Rose.

RIP Lionel Rose.

Rose was 'a bit special', says Frank Quill


21:19 AEST Sun May 8 2011


Aussie boxing great Lionel Rose was a fantastic world champion and a thoroughly decent person, the World Boxing Council's (WBC) Frank Quill said.

Perhaps more importantly, he became one of the first sportsmen or women anywhere in the world to make a stand against Apartheid-ravaged South Africa and provided widespread inspiration to indigenous Australians.

Rose, who won the world bantamweight title during a bout against Japan's Fighting Harada in 1968, died on Sunday after a long illness. He was 62.

"He became world champion at a time when, in two or three states of Australia, Aboriginal people weren't entitled to vote," an emotional Mr Quill, president of the WBC's ratings committee, told AAP on Sunday.

"He was born in very, very humble circumstances.

"I understand he was born to a family who lived in a dirt-floor shack.

"And he emerged to be a fantastic world champion.

"And a thoroughly decent person."

Rose was an inspiration to indigenous Australians, but did not see himself as an "indigenous Australian".

Rather, he saw himself as an Australian, Mr Quill added.

Mr Quill recounted Rose's refusal of a big money fight in South Africa in 1970.

The offer came not long after Rose had lost his world title to the Mexican, Ruben Olivares, and at a time when he was almost certainly in need of money.

"He considered the fight and if he had have taken it he would have had to go there (South Africa) as an honorary `white'," Mr Quill said.

"So he said: `I'm not going'.

"To my knowledge he was the first sportsman to refuse to go to South Africa because of Apartheid."

It was things like this, that made Rose "a bit special", Mr Quill added.

 

[Jaames]

Biopic is called Lionel mate.

 

[Allstar cards inc]

Thanks...updated my original post.

 

[DGCollectables]

better than mundine and the rest of the aussie boxers of today

 

[hobo]

Always sad when a champion passes, it is nice that he will be honoured by a State funeral.

Ross

 

[DGCollectables]

I was expecting more responses but noone respects a champion these days.

 

[Jaames]

Nah just most Australian don't know anything about the Sweet Science, The fact that Mundine was mentioned in this thread just goes to prove that.

 

[DGCollectables]

Nah just most Australian don't know anything about the Sweet Science, The fact that Mundine was mentioned in this thread just goes to prove that.

lol, i mentioned mundine...

 

[Jaames]

lol, i mentioned mundine...

I know you did. What I mean is the fact that you'd have to say that for most people to understand how good he was is rather sad.

 

[DGCollectables]

Ahh i gotcha. Yes, people only care about the now. Very sad indeed.