However Mundine, who questioned the Aboriginality of Geale yesterday, then embarked on a political campaign, claiming Australia is a racist country and maintaining that the Australian flag and national anthem should be changed to be more representative of Aboriginal people.

"Everyone that comes here, and a lot of my close friends and family members, we feel that Australia is one of the most racist countries here," Mundine said.

"[But] I want to move forward, I want to unite the people.

"We've never had any representation on the flag, yet I see representation of the Union Jack, something that symbolises the invasion, the murder, the pillaging, and on and on. I think we need to address that - it's dividing Australia, rather than uniting Australia.

"We need to be represented on the flag, and that's something I put to the government, to [Prime Minister] Julia Gillard. For us to unite and move forward, we need to be represented as traditional people in this country."

Addressing the anthem, Mundine said it was a legacy from the White Australia policy.

"I think we need to move forward together, unite together, move forward as people, move forward as Australians, no matter what you are - brown, black, brindle, white - and move forward together," Mundine said.

"This is time for change."

Addressing his comments about Geale, Mundine said: "I know there are a lot of Aborigines in Tasmania, that are proud of their heritage, just like me.

"My comments weren't directed at anybody but the system that, in my opinion, doesn't truly represent the sentiment of first-, second- or third-generation Aborigines. There are people who get jobs, and are claiming benefits, who claim to be Aboriginal, because they have a great-great-great-great grandmother or grandfather; that, I think, is wrong.

"I think the system needs to accommodate those Aboriginals that need it most, rather than trying to cater for everybody.

"This is my issue I'm passionate about [and] in my opinion needs to be addressed."

Mundine, though, did not apologise directly to Geale. "The only reason I questioned Daniel Geale's Aboriginality is because I never seen no action," he said.

"He's a dual world champion ... Daniel's a free man to do whatever he wants to do. I have my opinion, just like like you have your opinion.

"I'm just saying, action speaks louder than words."

Mundine's earlier comments about Geale, made at the launch of the long-awaited fight between Mundine and the Tasmanian, due to be held in January, attracted widespread condemnation.

Asked yesterday about the fact that Geale, a Tasmanian of indigenous heritage, wore an Aboriginal flag on his trunks, Mundine said: "I thought they wiped all the Aborigines from Tasmania out. That's all I know ... I don't know, I don't see him representing black people, or coloured people. I don't see him in the communities, I don't see him doing the things I do to people, and fighting for the people. But he's his own man. He's got a white woman, he's got white kids. I keep it real, all day every day."

Mundine maintained today his comments were not designed to hype his fight.

"This has been building up for some time. Sometimes you say things, and they're out of your mouth before you can take it back. Maybe it was meant to be, because it set up a stage like this for me to address the issues that I want to address, and hopefully get a better Australia."