Mundine won his 46th career victory with a lop-sided points victory against Jackson (19-5-6KOs) at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Jackson was as game as Ned Kelly and probably would have appreciated a steel hat in the late rounds as Mundine unleashed, although he was unable to put the exclamation mark on his 10-round outing with a stoppage.

Mundine, approaching 39 years of age, was the first to give credit to the 27-year-old Kiwi, who responded to Khoder Nasser's last-minute call and took this fight on short notice as Americans Carson Jones, then Billy Lyell, dropped out of the card's main event like dominoes.

He may have arrived late but to his credit, Jackson did a stellar job to avoid departing early. Even so, bar a few moments of promise, he was clearly outgunned by Mundine, who safely navigated a fight designed mostly to keep him busy as he tries to make his way towards a shot at the WBA's 154-pound belt, currently held by Cuban Erislandy Lara.

Jackson was named after a racehorse but it was apparent early in the bout that if you were investing, you should have taken the short odds about the other nag. Mundine had prepared for months, while Jackson had taken this fight on just seven day's notice, although his trainer said he went for the odd run over Christmas.

The conditioning gap was evident, the class gap even wider, particularly as the fight ground onwards into the night. Unless Jackson could find a hero punch - and he certainly tried - this was always going to end one way.

Mundine was awarded every round by the three ringside judge and even though Jackson had won over the crowd by the end with his bravery under fire, nobody was going to argue. The writing was on the wall by the end of the second round when Mundine was picking off his opponent with time to spare and playing around with right-hand leads.

"He was a tough boy. He came to fight," Mundine said. "But if you can't get a knockout, you can't get much better than a stoppage. I did what I came to do."

That assessment was accurate. Mundine took care of business and even though he left frustrated at being unable to produce a knockout, left with the result he needed.

Afterwards, he said he wanted another fight in April and then every two months as he tries to fight more, talk less and work his way to a title shot later in the year.

Results and undercard

Anthony Mundine (AUS, 72.50kg) bt Gunnar Jackson (NZL, 74.00kg) on a unanimous points decision
(Judge Cyril Cairns 100-90 - Mundine, Judge Wally Lewis 100-90 - Mundine, Judge Adrian Cairns 100-90 - Mundine).

Cruiserweight (4 x 3)

Quade Cooper (AUS, 86.75kg) bt Warren Tresidder (AUS, 86.00kg) 4th round TKO.

Super Middleweight (8 x 3)

Renold Quinlan (AUS, 76.10kg) bt Joel Casey (AUS, 75.55kg) on a unanimous points decision.

Heavyweight (6 x 3)

David Aloua (NZL, 92.00kg) bt Junior Maletino Iakopo (NZL, 96.90kg) 5th round TKO.

Lightweight (6 x 3)

Billel Dib (AUS, 60.00kg) bt Igor Tsujev (EST, 59.35kg) on a unanimous points decision.

Welterweight (6 x 3)

George Kambosos Jr (AUS, 63.90kg) bt Jaikom Paitoon (THA, 64.45kg) on a unanimous points decision.

Middleweight (4 x 3)

Bilal Akkawy (AUS, 72.00kg) bt Jody Allen (NZL, 71.75kg) 4th round TKO.

Light Middleweight (4 x 3)

Cameron Hammond (AUS, 63.90kg) bt Pramool Boonpok (THA, 68.70kg) on a unanimous points decision.