Lionel Rose was an Australian singer and bantamweight boxer who became the first Indigenous Australian to win a world title.
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Lionel Edmund Rose MBE became the first Indigenous Australian to be named Australian of the Year. He was born on June 21, 1948, in Victoria, Australia.
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Lionel Rose learned to box from his father, Roy, who happened to be a skilled fighter at local house shows. He later began his professional boxing career at age 16 on 9 September 1964, outpointing Mario Magriss over eight rounds.
Lionel Rose compiled a record of 42 wins and 11 losses as a professional boxer, with 12 wins by knockout. In 2007, he suffered a stroke that left him with speech and movement difficulties.
Lionel Rose died on 8 May 2011 following a prolonged illness. He was the 2003 inductee for the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame “moderns” category and was the second person to be elevated to “legend” status in 2010.
What Did Lionel Rose Die From?
Lionel Rose died from a stroke on 8 May 2011. He had suffered a stroke in 2007 that affected his mobility and speech, leaving him in poor health several months before his death.


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