SYDNEY - Anthony Mundine claims Daniel Geale was a ``young kid'' who caught him off guard the first time they fought but says there's too much at stake in their rematch in a fortnight for him to take the Tasmanian lightly again.
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The pair will clash for the IBF middleweight title in Sydney on January 30 with Geale looking to avenge his controversial split-points defeat to Mundine in 2009.
Mundine took Geale's IBO middleweight title that night - the first loss of his professional career.
Since then, 31-year-old Geale has gone on to win IBF and WBA super titles but was stripped of the latter for choosing to fight Mundine on the first occasion.
Mundine, 37, said this was a bigger fight than his first bout with Geale and the biggest of his career.
``I've beaten him once before in a big fight . ?. ?. this is probably bigger . ?. ?. he's really looked at around the world as the unified champion,'' Mundine said.
``I said it before but I'm the only man that can beat him.''
Mundine said that in their first fight Geale ``caught me off guard''.
``He was a young kid . ?. ?. had a dream and one of those dreams was to be champion and the other dream was to beat me.
``He become champion. He faced a guy that at some point he had to look at and aspire to be and, at that stage, I was pretty carefree about it, but this time I know what's at stake.''
Mundine has won 19 of his past 20 fights and is hopeful a victory in Sydney will rejuvenate his push into America.
His last defeat was to unheralded reality TV show competition winner and fellow former rugby league player Garth Wood in 2010.
Mundine insists he's improved since he first battled Geale.
``Look at me now - I'm fresh. I look 10 years younger. I'm fast as ever. I'm confident as ever and I believe I'm the best kept secret in boxing,'' he said.