“Listen, I’m back unless something drastic occurs.” With that straightforward declaration, IBO cruiserweight world champion Danny Green put an end to rumors of his impending retirement and expressed his desire to fight again.
Following emergency surgery in January to remove a softball-sized abscess on his appendix—a situation that caused him to lose 12kg—Green contemplated stepping away from boxing.
However, after completing a challenging six-round sparring session with heavyweight Pieter Cronje on Wednesday, he became reassured that his body could withstand the demands of professional boxing.
“I feel like I’m bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger – I’m coming back,” Green expressed with relief.
“I aimed to assess how my body responded to pressure—not just the pressure from being hit, but also the mental pressure to see my own resilience.
“There were a couple of shots that hurt … a few stung where the scars are, so I suppose in a few days, I’ll have a clearer idea of how I recover.
“But I feel really happy.
“I believe I performed quite well for someone who has been very ill and hasn’t engaged in much training besides fitness.
“I’m fit physically, but not fight fit.
“As you can see, I was breathing heavily. But I anticipated that.”
Green’s comeback coincides with an exciting period for Australian boxing. Tasmanian Daniel Geale is preparing to face his toughest challenge yet against Germany’s IBF middleweight world champion Sebastian Sylvester on May 7 in Neubrandenburg.
Geale, who has a record of 25 fights with only one loss, which was a controversial split-points decision against Anthony Mundine in 2009, stated he is in the best condition of his life and ready to claim the world title.
“Since last November, after defeating former champion Roman Karmazin to become the mandatory challenger, I’ve been getting mentally ready for this,” Geale shared.
While Geale is making waves in the boxing world, Green aims to ramp up his training to fight again within the next four months.
Although the 38-year-old has yet to secure his next opponent, he dismissed the possibility of facing Garth Wood, who defeated Mundine in December.
“Garth’s a newcomer with only 13 fights under his belt. I’ve won three world titles,” Green remarked.
“… I don’t think he could last more than a round or two.
“Garth doesn’t move his head at all, so he would be easy to tag, and his scar tissue would limit his durability above the eyes.
“Garth’s a strong, young, eager fighter, and I wish him every success.
“But right now, I believe we’re on completely different levels … I’ve been in this sport for 20 years; we should be worlds apart.”
Green is currently in talks with several European fighters, asserting he will not require a tune-up fight before stepping up against a big name.
“It’s going to inspire me to train and prepare to defeat someone great, solidifying my legacy even further after facing Roy Jones Jr.,” Green stated.
Buford Balony says: How arrogant can Danny Green be? Garth Wood knocked out a guy you couldn’t even hit. Some criticize Mundine for being a loudmouth, yet Danny Green isn’t much different.
