Friday, 13 July 2012:

Boxer Anthony Mundine says he feels a lot better now he has publicly apologised in the United States for the heartache his comments about 9/11 caused in that country.

Mundine, who will have his first fight in America on Sunday (AEST) against former WBO light middleweight champion Bronco McKart in Las Vegas, used the pre-fight press conference to say sorry for the remarks he made.

"I got a lot of things off my chest that I wanted to get off," Mundine told AAP after the press conference.

"I feel a lot better now and it was good that I done it here on their soil."

Mundine told the gathering in Las Vegas he was the best kept secret in boxing and that his comments about the US in 2001 were not directed at the American people.

"Firstly, I would like to say I'm sorry for all the heartache I caused to the loved ones of those lost on September 11," Mundine said.

"I'm sorry that people still have sisters, daughters, sons, fathers and mothers still abroad and in dangerous situations every day.

"No good ever comes out of war, only misery.

"It exposes innocent lives to danger unnecessarily.

"I'm also sorry that what I said was manipulated out of context by the media and journos doing their best to tarnish my image trying to portray me as a bad human being, rather than associate the Mundine name with peace, charity, community and love."

A Korean War veteran who attended the press conference thanked Mundine for his words.

"I think I can probably speak for a lot of Americans - we were waiting for you to make a comment like that - and I sincerely appreciate it," the veteran said.

McKart said he also appreciated Mundine's words.

Mundine said he had gone to America to climb the boxing ladder and beat the better fighters.

He said McKart represented a solid test, but reiterated his ultimate goal was a fight against unbeaten American superstar Floyd Mayweather.

"He (Mayweather) is the best fighter out there pound for pound, but I'm bigger and just as fast as him," Mundine said.

"I feel I'm the best kept secret in boxing because I've been fighting down under.

"You ain't seen nothing yet. I'm the `Wonder From Down Under' and I'm going to show it to you on Saturday night."

AAP