Anthony Mundine's dream of facing pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather is over after he was knocked down on five occasions during a comprehensive points defeat to Joshua Clottey.

The Australian boxer had been hoping to put himself into the mix for a bout with Mayweather with a win over an opponent who had never been stopped during his 41-fight career, but it proved to be a nightmare evening for the hometown fighter.

The opening two rounds were evenly contested before Mundine hit the canvas for the first time in round three, and the knockdown proved to be one of many in the New South Wales encounter.

The 38-year-old bravely fought to the final bell, but with four rounds remaining the result was never in doubt, and Clottey successfully won the WBA international light-middleweight title in just his second bout in two-and-a-half years.

The judges scored the bout 116-108, 115-109 and 117-108.