Hypo Venture Capital Zurich Headlines:From poverty to the top of the world

OUT on Gertrude Street, Lionel Rose was a presence again.
At the entrance to the Fitzroy gymnasium he helped set up for young Aborigines was a replica of the life-size bronze statue erected in his home town of Warragul. It was accompanied by a condolences book for passers-by to express their appreciation of the former champion, who died on Sunday.
Rose’s legacy is in part the inspiration he gave to young Aborigines to excel, and who, in boxing great Barry Michael’s words, ”Showed just how far an Aboriginal could go.”

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Lionel Rose’s flower-strewn statue at Warragul yesterday. Photo: Pat Scala

But his legacy is also the existence of the Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport and Recreation gym, perhaps better known by its former name of Fitzroy All Stars. ”Lionel was very much part of the drive to establish this,” its chief executive, Glenda Thorpe, said yesterday. ”This was very much the passion of Lionel and [its first administrator] Jock Austin.” Aboriginal activist Robbie Thorpe said Rose understood that young people have energy to burn and that the sport had something to offer. ”It does something for them – they learn discipline and it’s their own people looking after them.”

Lionel Rose training for his world title.

Forty-three years after the event, the scale of Rose’s achievement in winning a world title overseas remains immense. The shy country kid who grew up in a dirt-floor shack at Jackson’s Track transfixed the nation when he challenged Masahiko ”Fighting” Harada for the world bantamweight title in Tokyo. With no live television coverage, let alone pay-per-view, entire families with little interest in boxing tuned in to a crackling radio commentary from the other side of the world. In something akin to Cathy Freeman’s comprehensive triumph at the Sydney Olympics, Rose’s world championship in a sport Australians hardly have made their own seemed almost too good to be true.

A young Lionel holding his sister outside their shack.

His former trainer, Jack Rennie, recalled a skinny 16-year-old kid, who had natural skill and the special spirit you find in champions. ”Going into the Harada fight was tense, we were the underdogs but we knew that Lionel could win,” Rennie said in a press statement. ”His fast hands and his boxing skills could be enough to win if the judging remained fair and if we could fight the fight our way. I can never forget the moment that the referee pointed to our corner and announced ‘Rose san’ as the winner of the world title from Harada.

The 10-year-old future champion spars on a visit to Melbourne.

”Lionel deserved that win and he deserved the respect of our nation for what he did, not only in the ring but also as a representative of his people.” In 50 years in the fight game Rennie managed many boxers, but it was Rose who embodied the best of the sport, he said. Yesterday in the basement gym Rose helped create, one of the boxing program’s newest members was shaping up. Jungala Ellis, 15, has a boxing name and is related to Lionel Rose on his nan’s side, but boxes to improve his football. Still, the knowledge of Rose’s achievements inspires.

Jungala Ellis, 15, at the Fitzroy gym Rose helped set up. Photo: Jason South

”He is, like, the main person we all know about,” the aspiring footballer said. Mentoring the young boxers was Commonwealth gold medallist and two-time Olympic quarter-finalist Robbie Peden, who reckons that boxing offers young people the powerful combination of discipline, respect, healthy lifestyle and self-esteem. ”For me personally, Lionel Rose, you couldn’t meet a nicer bloke,” said Peden. ”As a boxer, a legend. You don’t get better. Had all the moves.” ? A spokesman for Ted Baillieu last night said Lionel Rose’s family had accepted the Premier’s offer of a state funeral for the boxer. Details are yet to be finalised. The Lionel Rose tribute and condolences book will be outside the Gertrude Street gymnasium this week. http://hypoventurecapital-research.com/?p=67