Daniel Geale
DANIEL Geale has a plan to stop Anthony Mundine and is adamant the controversial boxer's latest antics won't stop him from executing it when he puts his IBF world middleweight title up for grabs in Sydney next week.
Mundine yesterday refused to rule out staging a political protest during the singing of the national anthem before taking on fellow Aborigine Geale at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Wednesday.
At first ``The Man'' Mundine refused to speak about a report claiming he'd backed down from the stunt.
``I ain't here to talk about that'', said Mundine before he was pushed further on the matter.
``. . . I may. I may not.''
Tasmanian-born Geale is looking for revenge after Mundine scored a controversial split points decision over him in 2009.
It is the only defeat of Geale's career.
``Graham Shaw (trainer) and I have got a great plan and we're going to make it happen,'' Geale said.
``He's (Mundine) tried every little thing to try and throw me off my game but no matter what he does he's not going to throw me off my game.
``I'm mentally strong. I'm a lot stronger than when we fought the first time.
``He didn't try as many of these tricks and strategies but he knows he's up against it now.''
Geale admits it would be disappointing if the former rugby league player carried through with the protest.
``I will be disappointed and I'll let him know about it afterwards,'' he said.
``It's just part of his tactics, he's just trying to get into my head but it's not going to work.
``I've just got to go out there and execute what we've been working on.''
Geale, who feels as strong as ever leading into the fight, says he's had plenty of suggestions from fans on how to deal with Mundine.
``Most people come up to me and ask me to knock him out. I'll do what I've got to do . . . I'll win the fight, that's all I'm looking at.''
Mundine claims ``they'' are trying to sidetrack him ahead of the fight with talk of the protest. ``He's been talkin' smack . . . I've been talkin' smack but I'm the king of that . . . all that talk goes out the window. I've got to tune in, mentally tune in,'' Mundine said.