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Mundine is like a nagging ex-wife: Green
By Tim Clarke
PERTH,
Comparing long-time arch rival Anthony Mundine to a nagging ex-wife who will not leave him alone, WBA light-heavyweight world champion Danny Green says he has already moved on to more attractive couplings.
Green announced the first defence of his WBA title will take place on April 27 at Challenge Stadium in Perth, against mandatory challenger Hugo Garay from Argentina.
And with the legendary Roy Jones Jr a possible target for the Green camp if he was to get past the 27 year-old Argentine, a possible rematch with Mundine was not something the talkative Perth champion was willing to spruik today.
"Choc is a bit like an ex-wife, who is still screaming out after getting a big pay out," Green said.
"He is still throwing insults after a getting a big pay out. I have moved on, I have remarried, I have got the world championship - I have got bigger and better things to think about.
"Really he pales in comparison to the opponents we are talking about if and when I get through Hugo Garay.
"He beat me in the fight, fair and square and that is cool and that is history.
"But he has got to really prove himself worthy of this world title. I am the world champion - he has never won a legitimate world title, he has never beaten a legitimate world champion. There has always been someone above him."
As talk of a second bout between the pair intensified this year, so has the squabbling, with Mundine first comparing Green to a live chicken, before Green blasted Mundine's use of banned AFL star Ben Cousins promote the fight with Nader Hamdan in Sydney tonight.
The avowed Eagles fan said Cousins was Mundine's "puppet" for agreeing to appear in the "KO on Drugs" publicity and undercard, before the drug addicted Brownlow medallist pulled out.
At the Hamdan weigh-in yesterday, dressed in braces and sporting a Jonah Lomu style haircut, Mundine used the bizarre notion that married father-of-two Green may be gay to announce he was ready to take his title
"I already whipped him once, I'll spank him again," Mundine said.
"They may think he's gay. He might be in the Mardi Gras this week, because I'm sick of tapping that ass. It's true. I'll tap it again if he wants."
Green said the assumption he wanted to fight Mundine again was a hasty one.
"I obviously want to fight him? That is your assumption," Green said.
"If he comes dressed to the weigh in like Charlie Chaplin, with those straps on and a misplaced moustache on his forehead, I am not sure I would stop myself laughing at the guy and switch on."
"He needs some new material, it is getting boring and no-one really finds it funny."
There had been a suggestion locally Green may even have been able to secure his next bout against Jones Jr, a former multiple world champion at light-heavyweight and super-middleweight.
But the WBA have ruled Garay, who boasts a record of 30 wins and three losses, as mandatory challenger, leaving Green with no choice.
"I am not really disappointed because this is what I have to do," Green said
"I am not going to duck anyone, and this proves it."
Green looking to Tarver after convincing win
By Tim Clarke
PERTH, July 18 - Danny Green's hopes of bringing a world title fight to his home town Perth took another massive leap forward, with a convincing three round win over American Otis Griffin.
Continuing his unbeaten comeback since being soundly defeated by Anthony Mundine last year, Green dispatched Griffin with a series of bombs, again confirming himself one Australia's best fighters in recent years.
And after the 34 year-old West Australian safely negotiated his latest foray into the light heavyweight ranks, Green immediately challenged IBO light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver to put his belt on the line in WA.
"Antonio Tarver, here in Perth, Subiaco Oval, 25,000 people - you want to do it Perth?," exclaimed Green in the ring moments after the bout.
Green plotting IBO title bid, starting with Siaca
By Tim Clarke
Plotting an assault on the IBO light-heavyweight title, Danny Green has set his sights on one of Anthony Mundine's conquerors before a planned title shot against Rocky Balboa's final opponent.
Green announced his next fight, in Perth on May 30, would be against Puerto Rican Manny Siaca, best known in Australia for his triumph over Mundine in Sydney three years ago.
What could follow for Green is a championship bout against American Antonio Tarver, whose comeback to the real-life ring is due on April 22 after his recent appearance in the final instalment of the Rocky series.
However, the Green camp said 38 year-old Tarver was struggling to recover his light-heavyweight frame after bulking up for his turn opposite Sylvester Stallone - meaning the bout against Siaca at Challenge Stadium could become a title fight itself.
Green, whose last outing was a rapid knockout of Paul Murdoch in Melbourne in January, said the Siaca fight would be the biggest staged in his hometown.
"We could have chosen an easier opponent ... but at this stage of my career I want the fights that are exciting, the fights that mean a lot," Green said.
"Manny Siaca is a fairly large name in Australia because of his history here and who he has beaten.
"So this is the biggest fight we have had in Perth and one of the biggest that has been in Australia for quite a while."
And while talking up Siaca as one of the biggest challenges of his 26-fight career, Green was looking ahead to a possible meeting with Tarver - if the American could drop down from his fictional heavyweight to his factual light-heavyweight in time for his scheduled bout with Elvir Muriqi.
"There are rumours because of his appearance in the Rocky movie ... he is struggling to make the light-heavyweight division," Green said.
"The IBO have sanctioned us and have said if he can't make the title, then you and Siaca are fighting off for the world title ... which will be a huge thing for us.
"If not, it is an elimination bout ... and that opens up the door for us to be the number one mandatory in line for Tarver's title, so it is a win-win situation."
Green admitted his interest was to use the IBO belt as a bargaining chip to attract possible future fights with WBA champion Silvio Branco or IBF title-holder Clinton Woods.
"To gain the IBO world title will give us very good bargaining power with the other world champions as well," Green said.
"Getting that gives us great bargaining power with the likes of Woods and Branco, to be able negotiate with them."
Siaca, 31, has fought in six world title fights dating back to 2000, losing to Bruno Girard and Byron Mitchell twice before beating Mundine in a shock split decision in May 2004.
And Green said Siaca's size as well as his experience would be a huge test.
"He is by far the biggest opponent I have fought - he is a very large light heavyweight and an extremely long reach.
"And his father, Manny senior, has trained 23 world champions including his son. So his record speaks for itself."
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De Mori stops Fijian Champ
On March 24, Saturday night local Perth heavyweight prospect Mark "The
Dominator" de Mori (11-1-2(10ko's), overcame his most experienced foe to
force the retirement of Fijian Heavyweight Champion Mosese Kavika
(16-14-2(10ko's).
Held at the Herb Graham Recreation Centre in Perth on March 24, the 111 kg
Kavika was brought to Perth as a test for the relatively inexperienced de
Mori who was fighting in his first 10 round bout. Kavika has fought notable
opponents such as former world title challengers Kali Meehan and Peter
Okhello, as well as Aussie 'Big' Bob Mirovic.
The fight was fought at a measured pace early as both men appeared to have
the power to finish the other with any power punch thrown. Wild swings from
Kavika signalled his intentions for an early knockout, as de Mori was
content to take his time and use the full 10 rounds to his advantage.
As early as the first round, Kavika seemed unwilling to trade in close with
the powerful de Mori, constantly clinching much to the frustration of de
Mori and the fans. In the second, Kavika lost a point for holding, and it
appeared he was losing confidence as de Mori started to methodically work
the body shots in.
Towards the end of the third, in yet another clinch, de Mori managed to
land a clean right hook which hurt Kavika. In pain and having thrown
everything he had, Kavika went back to his corner he signalled to his
trainers he wanted to quit and the fight was waved off at the end of the
third round.
Afterwards, a frustrated de Mori said 'I cant believe it ended like that,
we brought Kavika here to test me but all he wanted to do is clinch and
then quit. I can't help it if my opponent didn't want to fight, I never
left first gear and I'm disappointed for the boxing fans and myself that
Kavika would choose to quit."
‘The Maj’ turns 100 amid boxing memories of old
By John Richards
Perth’s plush His Majesty’s Theatre, on the corner of Hay and King Streets in the central business district, has turned 100 years old.
“The Maj”, as it has affectionately been known to thousands of loyal patrons for more than a century, initially opened its doors to the public in 1904 on Christmas Eve.
Sally Forrest, the daughter of former WA premier Sir John Forrest, performed the official opening on this date.
The first programme staged at the theatre was a variety show called “Forty Thieves”.
Among the world’s top entertainers to appear at the venue were Australia’s great soprano Dame Nellie Melba and Anna Pavlova, the excellent Russian ballet dancer.
In its infancy, His Majesty’s Theatre had a seating capacity for 2,500 people.
Surprising as it may seem to many uppercrust theatre patrons, who frown upon sporting events being held in their domain, the WA boxing fraternity has been well catered for by “The Maj” management over umpteen years.
The first important pugilistic contest promoted at the establishment was on Boxing Day, 1908, between hard-hitting Paddy King and tough-nut Bob Greenshields. George Cranston was referee.
King, who originally came from the New South Wales coalfields and was an ex-bantam and featherweight champion of Australia, had agreed to fight Greenshields in a match billed for the vacant National lightweight belt.
Greenshields, a product of the Kalgoorlie (WA) goldfields main-event fistic arena, was recognised in boxing circles for his ruggedness and never-say-die attitude in the square-ring. But King was to prove too strong for Greenshields on this special occasion, winning by stoppage in the eighth round for the WA version title only.
In truth, clever NSW boxer Lyn Truscott was the official National lightweight champion at the time. Greenshields would, however, take the same crown from Truscott in 1909 in Melbourne.
At His Majesty’s Theatre in 1909 King halted legendary old time fighter Joe Pluto in the fifth frame, to end Pluto’s colourful boxing career in the WA capital.
Prior to the outbreak of World War I, local lightweight Alf Morey and American Dick Cullen fought a series of good bouts at “The Maj” in Perth – each contest lasting 20 rounds. In one match the pair met for a purse of 200 gold sovereigns and the championship of the State. This time Cullen gained his revenge on Morey.
Alf Morey began his boxing career out West and subsequently would win both the lightweight and welterweight titles of the nation.
Morey was the biggest box-office drawcard ever at His Majesty’s Theatre, during boxing’s boom period on the Western Front in the early years between 1911 and 1915.
Australian champions who fought at this arena from 1912-1932 are Herb McCoy, Mick King, Hughie Mehegan, Tim Land, Fred Kay, Harry Stone, Frank Brogan, Albert Lloyd, Ern Waddy, Wally Hancock and George Thompson.
Among the top foreign fighters to strut their stuff on these premises were Americans Roy Kenny, Ernie Zanders, Terry Keller and Young Stribling, Frenchmen Augene Volaire, Marcel Denis and Marcel Leproux and African Zulu Kid.
In earlier times at “The Maj” great old time dual Aussie champ Bill Doherty refereed matches there. And in 1913, Dick Cullen promoted some fights at the venue.
Several National title bouts were staged at this establishment during and shortly after the Great War ended.
In late 1932, former welter King Wally Hancock took WA boxer Danny Ryan’s measure on points over 15 rounds.
Then came Young Stribling’s contest with Boulder City (WA) – born George Thompson. Stribling, a big puncher and world class performer, had youth and too much firepower on his side and halted the ageing Australian in the sixth stanza to close out 1932.
That brought an end to topline professional boxing at His Majesty’s Theatre.
But late in 1949 the Australian amateur championships were held at the venue. West Aussie boxers, Johnny Taylor and Merv Barrett, emerged with the light-heavyweight and bantamweight titles respectively.
The “old” His Majesty’s Theatre was built for Perth businessman T.G. Molloy by contractor Gustav Liebe. It was designed by architect William Wolf, who had been born in New York. Wolf arrived in Australia in 1877.
This grand theatre underwent restoration work in 1979 and reopened on May 28, 1980.
The “new” (or newer) building is well worth a visit by tourists coming to Perth from interstate or abroad.
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