Anthony Mundine says he tamed a young lion in Belarusian Sergey Rabchenko and proved plenty of doubters wrong in their title fight in Melbourne.

The Australian veteran used his experience and ring smarts to nullify his younger opponent’s power and win with a split points decision at Hisense Arena.

The victory gave 39-year-old Mundine the WBC silver light middleweight title and made him No.1 challenger to WBC title holder American superstar Floyd Mayweather.

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Whether that fight ever happens is up to Mayweather but Mundine showed he wasn’t past his prime.

Mundine said he hadn’t fought anyone during his long career who body-punched as hard as the previously undefeated Rabchenko.

“He’s a young lion,” Mundine said.

“The man can punch and he’s probably the best body puncher I’ve ever faced.

“But I outboxed him.”

With his career on the line following his heavy loss to Ghana’s Joshua Clottey in April Mundine looked sharp from the outset with the big-hitting Rabchenko unable to penetrate his tight defence.

After four rounds two judges had Mundine ahead.

He copped plenty of punishment in the seventh round from Rabchenko, who had 25 wins, with 18 by knock out, in 25 fights before encountering Mundine.

It was all tied up at the end of the eighth with one judge picking Rabchenko, one Mundine and one scoring it a draw.

The three-time world champion Mundine dug deep.

“It was do or die,” he said.

“He had a couple of great rounds but I thought I won the last two rounds and got the victory.”

The judges were split at the end with one scoring Rabchenko the winner 115-113, with the other two giving Mundine the fight 115-113 and 116-112.

“I proved everybody wrong again; it’s not about the age,” Mundine said.

“It’s about the mind, my seasoning and my experience.”

AAP