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Lionel Rose

Lionel Rose, one among Australia’s most successful boxers was born on 21 June 1948, in Victoria. His father Roy Rose was a professional boxer from whom Lionel Rose had learned the early lessons of boxing. Rose chose boxing career to support his family. He was the first aboriginal Australian to win a world boxing title. �

At the age of 15 he won the Australian amateur flyweight title too. It was in February 1968 he received the greatest achievement, the world bantamweight title, defeating the Japanese champion Fighting Harada in Tokyo. He was titled Australian of the Year in 1968, in appreciation for his victory. Until losing the fight to a Mexican fighter, Ruben Olivares in August 1969, Rose held the world title.

He also made a successful career in singing with two Top Ten hits- "I Thank You" and "Please Remember Me". Lionel Rose’s marriage with his trainer Frank Oakes’s daughter, Jenny ended in divorce. They had a son, Michael. �He was awarded the E9 title of 'King of the Ring', in 2005.

An image of his gloves appeared on stamp in the same year. He had a stroke in 2007 affecting his speech and movement. The ill health followed him till his death on 8 May 2011.