Q&A: Danny Green!

February 7, 2007

By Ray Wheatley -- World of Boxing
Photos: Werner Kalin

Former WBC interim super middleweight champion Danny Green is chasing a world light heavyweight title shot against IBF champ Clinton Woods or WBA champ Silvio Branco. He displayed awesome power in dispatching world rated Paul Murdoch in two rounds recently to establish himself as a threat to both Woods and Branco. He would also like to have a return bout against Anthony Mundine at light heavyweight poundage. Their first contest attracted a record millions of fight fans watching the nationally televised super bout around Australia. He also gives Mundine's next opponent Sam Soliman a real chance of scoring an upset.

Your 2nd round victory over world rated Paul Murdoch (26-5-1) was very impressive. Murdoch went ten rounds with Zsolt Erdei (23-0) in 2006 and looked to be a tough and skillful opponent. Was your plan to jump on Murdoch in round one and get him out of the ring early.

I had a very solid plan going into the Murdoch fight, and executed that plan to perfection. I had originally planned and prepared to chop him down, due to his size and history of durability, but in the week leading up to the fight, I was feeling so good and punching so crisp, that I thought that an early victory was a strong possibility. As it turned out, I never gave him a chance to get his rhythm, and landed flush very early, and kept my cool and finished him with clean shots. His corner saved him from unnecessarily being KO'd, which was the only decision to make. The fact that Erdei took 10 rounds to stop him, with a fairly soft stoppage in Germany, gives me confidence that I am fighting to my strengths, and gives me a benchmark of where I am at the moment in the light heavyweight picture.

You showed that your ramrod straight left is a real weapon when you dropped Murdoch in round one. Have you been working on this with your trainer Ismael Salas.

It is no secret that my jab, and my straight left are my strengths. My dad, Malcolm told me early in my career that my jab is my bread and butter. I have been told by many fighters that my jab is as hard as a lot of fighters' right hands, which is pleasing to hear, seeing as how hard I work on it. I knew to bring Murdoch on to my left, as he lunges in with his own left, which doubles the power on my shot. Salas and I have worked very hard on getting my left jab back to where it was before I was neglecting it prior to hooking up with him.

On your performance against Murdoch, there is interest in you meeting former WBA champion Anthony Mundine in a return bout with many experts predicting a Green win. Do you feel it would be a different result at light heavyweight?

There has been a lot of talk surrounding the Mundine rematch, and it is a fight I am extremely interested in. The first fight was the most watched boxing event in Australian history, with pay per view numbers higher than any event ever, with millions of people watching Australia-wide , so it was a huge buzz, but a major disappointment for me personally. That loss really hurt, especially seeing I had so much support. I lost to a guy who fought a very good fight and was on song on the night. I am a proud man , and I have never made an excuse for losing, and for me to make a lot of noise about the rematch would go against my grain, so I am confident Mundine will want a rematch, as he has already stated, without me having to start banging the drum. Millions watched the first one, and historically, statistically rematches are the only fights to eclipse the original .

Mundine's management said they will not fight you at light heavyweight. Do you feel they think you are a more dangerous opponent at the heavier weight?

I was fighting as a super middle and was torturing my body and mind to get there, and you live and learn. My body naturally morphed into that of a light heavyweight, and it is now physically impossible to make super middleweight anymore. I have carried my power with me to light heavy, and feel so much fresher, and Mundine has stated he wants to be champion from middle to light heavy, so I think the fight will take place once we can come to an amicable agreement on the weight.

Mundine is scheduled to fight your former sparring partner Sam Soliman on March 7. Who wins this fight in your opinion and why?

This is a very interesting fight. Sammy is such a warrior and one of the fittest fighters going up against the speed, crispness and natural ability in Mundine. I feel Mundine will be prepared 100% for this fight , and that, coupled with his experience and confidence, will make it very difficult for Sammy. but don't count out a champion like Sammy Soliman. He would give King Kong a tough night!

You are rated in the IBF and WBA ratings. Have you got both IBF champion Clinton Woods and WBA champion Silvio Branco on your radar?

We had Branco basically signed and sealed in November, but the WBA ordered him to make a mandatory first. I have to wait and see if he wins his next fight to be able to negotiate with him. Woods is another guy on my radar, and I am ranked highly with the IBF, and would love to have the prestigious IBF belt around my waist, and join my good mate Vic 'The Raging Bull' Darchinian as an IBF world champ.