10.05.06 – By DAVID DOUSE: The two best super-middleweights in Australia meet next Weds 17th May [Australian Eastern time] in what promises to be an exciting and explosive contest between two fighters who have reportedly never met personally, and yet who have a rivalry that has the spice of genuine animosity to fuel the interest of pundits, punters and boxing public alike. The open air venue at Aussie Stadium in Sydney will throng with rabid supporters of both fighters in Australia’s biggest ever boxing event to date.
Danny ‘The Green Machine’ Green and Anthony ‘’The Man’’ Mundine square off in what promises to be an epic encounter for supremacy and the right to expect the loser’s acknowledgement as to just who the better man really is. It promises to be an action packed affair with no quarter given or expected between two fighters who have each fought for world titles and each of whom have held ‘’interim’’ style crowns of a sort. Forget the non- title aspect of this fight for that’s not what this is about; this is about elemental Alpha male superiority pure and simple, and both men know it..
Each has a strong case to be made to say that he will be the victor on the night, and each possesses strengths that could see his hand raised in triumph at the end. Green fights with intelligence and intensity behind an excellent jab and has great power, particularly in the right. In Mundine’s favour he also has a great right hand shot, and is probably the better of the two in the footwork and handspeed department, thus possibly getting past he physical size advantage that Green will enjoy. Green is noted for his unyielding physical and mental toughness and Mundine has an athleticism and talent that just has to be admired whether you like him or not.
Mundine detractors have often levelled accusations of Anthony having had a soft road to the top saying that many of his opponents have been easybeats who were there only to give Mundine a confidence boosting easy payday with the glamour of a KO victory attached. Along with that has come the criticism that without the benefit of decent quality opponents to teach him his trade, he is likely not to know what to do when pressured and tested by a top class fighter of Green’s undoubted class. Anthony did get KO’d by Sven Ottke, and more recently looked hesitant in his loss against the relatively light punching Manny Sciaca, but he had previously beaten the heavy fisted and much touted Antwun Echolls. In his favour it must also be said that his losing decision effort to the power punching Mikkel Kessler was also a very creditable performance against a man easily as dangerous as Green. A bit lacking in consistency overall but well capable of rising to the occasion if he is feeling ‘on song.’
Criticism has been made of Green that he has peaked as a fighter and is not quite the man who lost so unnecessarily to Markus Beyer by DQ when he had him easily beaten first time round, or the man who gave the formidable Eric Lucas such a comprehensive beating over six rounds in Dec 2003 in Montreal. Certainly Green was not as physically dominant in the second Beyer fight and looking at him I thought he had left something behind in the gym, coming in well under the limit at the weigh-in and not fighting to his strengths by trading technique with the German. Perhaps his decision to part from Jeff Fenech and employ famed and highly regarded Cuban trainer Ismael Salas will bring an expertise more suited to his requirements and I do not believe that Salas will bring him to the ring either overdone or overexcited.
It was interesting to see Green”s calm and workmanlike demeanour at yesterday’s press opportunity. By contrast, Mundine did his usual over the top thing, but something tells me that Mundine is seriously worried about what Green has to bring to the squared circle and seemed to me to be in the process of convincing himself that he should win when he really ought to be believing that he will win.
If Mundine can get himself off to a good start and avoid Green early on then I think he will have a chance to dominate with his undoubted speed and skills. Green, who has been on the canvas before if only briefly, will need to be aware of Anthony’s right, which he might be a little susceptible to. Mundine will need to avoid letting Danny fight at his preferred range and must be careful not to get caught standing still as Green’s intensity will have him constantly right up there looking to do the damage he is so capable of inflicting given only the smallest of opportunities.
Very hard to call but overall I come down in favour of Green by stoppage because of his greater experience, consistency and pure mental toughness, but acknowledging that the result could just as easily be the exact reverse if Mundine is allowed to race away early forcing Green to leave himself open in a late attempt to catch up.