by James Slater – Though he made a huge name for himself the world over with his upset, 1st-round stoppage of legend Roy Jones Junior back in December of last year, Australian hard man Danny Green has been unable to land a second big, big fight. Talks with Bernard Hopkins ultimately proved fruitless for “The Green Machine,” and no way does Jones appear to want a second fight (despite Roy’s insistence that Green’s hands were illegally wrapped for the fight)..
But now, according to word on the net (the fight is also up as happening on BoxRec), 36-year-old Green will defend his IBO cruiserweight title against Puerto Rico’s Manny Siaca on April 25th, in Sydney, Australia.
Former WBA super-middleweight ruler Siaca, 22-6(19) has not been terribly active as of late; having fought just twice since the summer of 2006. Siaca has won his last two, however, with both fights taking place in Puerto Rico. Last time out, in March of last year, the former champ destroyed a 24-13 fighter named George Klinesmith inside a single round. Stopped just twice in a pro career that began in 1997, Siaca, if he has enough left, could maybe give Green a reasonable argument.
One-time conqueror of Green’s archrival, Anthony Mundine (a fighter Green very much wants to fight for a second time, having dropped a decision to his countryman in May of 2006), Siaca was a proven talent at both 168 and 175-pounds – aside from an early-career setback, losing only to top names at both weights. But the Puerto Rican’s last fight was down at middleweight, and it remains to be seen how he will fare up at cruiserweight. Will Green simply be too strong, too sharp and too good for him?
Green, who became an absolute superstar in Australia after doing what he did to Jones, has won his last seven in a row since the reasonably close loss to Mundine. Now 28-3(25) overall, the never-stopped tough guy’s confidence will be sky high as a result of his career-best win. Though a Hopkins fight would have been extremely interesting, Green is at least fighting quickly after the Jones triumph, and his ambitions remain high – a return with Mundine would no doubt be a super-fight in Australia, of course.
Siaca could well be taken out in this fight; certainly Green must start a very big favourite to win. Only Mikkel Kessler (RTD 7) and Byron Mitchell (TKO 12) have ever stopped Siaca, but I feel Green will add his name to this short list come April 25th.
Strange, though, how the sport works; Jones gets a huge payday against Hopkins, while his conqueror gets what is merely a low-key fight by comparison!