By Danny Buttler
The former World Champion boxer and Australian of the Year passed away at his Warragul home on Sunday.
The son of an amateur boxer, Rose was born in the Aboriginal settlement at Jackson’s Track in 1948.
An immensley talented fighter, he trained under the legendary Jack Rennie as he rose through the state, national and international ranks.
His victory over Japan’s Fighting Harada saw him secure the world bantamweight title in 1968 – a time when boxing was one of the most popular sports in Australia.
The 19-year-old instantly became a national hero, returning home to a town hall reception and parade through the streets of Melbourne.
He defended his title three times before losing it to Ruben Olivares, one of Mexico’s greatest boxers. He tried several times, but narrowly missed winning back his world title before retiring for good in 1975.
Remarkably, he also became a recording artist in the 1970s and had two top 10 hits – I Thank You and Please Remember Me – as a country musician.
In an interview about his early days in West Gippsland Rose said, “it was home, and I spent many happy years in those crude huts”.
“(It) not only led me into boxing, but also gave me something else that helped me to the world’s title. It’s like an outer shell that gives you resistance and immunity to many things, physical and mental.”
Ernie McQuillan from the Veteran Boxers Association said Rose was one of the greatest boxers the world had seen.
“Pound for pound there was no greater or more beautiful boxer,” he said.
Such was Rose’s renown, obituaries were published this week in the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times among many international publications.
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