Mundine wins, but can't get KO

Anthony Mundine went for the stoppage but could not get it done against Gunnar Jackson. Source: Adam Smith / News Limited

THE haunting memory of his shock 2010 loss to rank outsider Garth Wood guaranteed Anthony Mundine never put himself in danger of being buried Wednesday night by Kiwi drain-digger Gunnar Jackson.

Mundine won convincingly on points, staying out of trouble behind his jab for most of the 10-rounder against the outclassed New Zealander, who answered the call-up to fight on a week's notice with great pluck after two Americans withdrew.

Mundine's inability to put the 8-1 outsider on the canvas again calls into question whether he has the big punch for the super-bout he still dreams of against one of the world's top fighters at super-welterweight later this year.

The Australian rattled off some sharp jabs and his defence kept his face unscarred but he couldn't land a telling shot when the Kiwi was seemingly at his mercy in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.

"I wanted to get the stoppage, I was going for the stoppage, but he's a tough boy," Mundine said.

"If you don't get the stoppage, you can't much better than a shutout."

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Anthony Mundine's uppercut was effective all night. Source: News Limited

Mundine desperately craves a main course in 2014 after Wednesday night's entree, which saw him back in the ring just two months after his last fight when aging American legend Shane Mosley was forced to retire with back spasms after six rounds.

The bout at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre was never to be more than a sharpener for the bigger fish that are always on the Mundine horizon. On that score, he got a workmanlike night out in the ring that no gym workout can replicate.

Jeff Fenech tackled his last serious fight at 31. Mutliple word champion Kostya Tszyu was 35 when he hung up his gloves.

Both were far better fighters than Mundine, who, just four months short of his 39th birthday, is teasing us that somehow his best fight is still ahead of him.

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Fighting Cuba's Erislandy Lara, the WBA superwelterweight world champion, is still two or three massive leaps of faith ahead that only the ever-optimistic Mundine can believe in absolutely.

"This wasn't a money fight and Anthony made that clear. Fighting a Daniel Geale or Danny Green are money fights," Nasser said.

"This was about keeping sharp, being on stage, staying used to the nerves. The big fight down the road is still the goal and the money comes at the end.

"Sportsmen are lasting longer than ever in their chosen games. His best fight is still in him."

Mundine improved his record to 46-5 and his relentless pursuit of a knock down in the 10th round did keep many of the fight fans interested.

For the fourth time, he won over the full distance at the venue.

Re-live the action in the round-by-round blog below

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