Allan Green Interview: On Andre Ward, Showtime’s Super Six Tourney, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and much more! By Benny Henderson Jr. (Jan 28, 2010) Doghouse Boxing
It has been a long time coming, but after eight years, thirty fights, and twenty-nine wins, Oklahoma’s very own Allan Green 29-1 (20) gets his shot at a world title, and not only that, he gets his chance at doing so in Showtime’s Super Six World Boxing Classic Tournament.
Green, who has beaten the likes of Jaidon Codrington (KO 1), Carlos De Leon Jr. (TKO 2) and Tarvis Simms (UD) was slated to face Sakio Bika February 5th, but after Bika (for undisclosed reasons) backed out of the fight, and former champ Jermain Taylor elected to pull out of the tourney, Green steps in to face the undefeated champ Andre Ward.
In this exclusive interview, Allan Green speaks out on the tournament, talks about his match-up against Andrew Ward, and even gives his thoughts on the Pacquiao-Mayweather debacle, enjoy.
Benny Henderson Jr.: It has been a good minute since we had you on Doghouse Boxing, so first off I want to say thanks for coming back aboard and speaking your mind. Now that Jermain Taylor has elected not to fight on in the Super Six tourney you will be replacing the former champ, your thoughts on getting the spot?
Allan Green: Man, it is always a pleasure. Man, I am happy about getting the spot, I thought that I have paid my dues and I should have been in this tournament in the first place, it is happening now, but it should have happened in the first place.
BH: You are slated to take on the undefeated WBA Super Middleweight title holder Andre Ward, who had a stunning victory over Mikkel Kessler, your thoughts on Ward’s win over Kessler, as well as your thoughts on the match-up between the two of you.
AG: I was impressed with Ward, at first I thought Kessler would probably win, but after the second round I knew that Ward was going to win the fight. As far as Ward and I go, both of us are fast, both of us are slick, both of us are thinking fighters so it does make for a good fight, or an interesting fight rather.
BH: I am honestly excited that you are in the tournament, as a fan and a member in the media I have followed you for years, but I am baffled a bit why the Bika bout didn’t go through, I mean it is old news yes, but I am still a bit puzzled, so maybe you can shed some light on the subject.
AG: I heard that he needed more time, but I don’t know. I don’t know what was in his mind, I think it was something between he and his manager, I think he was misinformed by his manager about some things.
BH: How has it been having Greg Leon as your advisor?
AG: It has been great, Greg is my man, he puts in 100%, and he will go to bat for you. First I was suspended, I couldn’t fight, I got off suspension, I had some good fights and now I am fighting for a world title, so it has been pretty good.
BH: You are right on the verge of a world title, I mean a world champion is something all fighters work for, many try and many more don’t get the chance to get the shot. So what are your thoughts on finally getting a shot?
AG: You have no idea, it is hard to explain, I am calm but on the inside I cannot wait, I have been training so hard, maybe not in the fight, but in training and mentally I need to go to a place that I have never been before.
BH: Man you have been around this boxing business, you know what it is like, we are businessmen, but what are your thoughts on the Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight not materializing, I mean this would put major bank in their pockets and they couldn’t come to terms. I just want your honest opinion on that subject?
AG: I will say this, it is not Manny’s fault, the fight should have been made without any questions or like I want you to do this before I fight you. When “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran fought they fought, when Leonard fought Hearns they fought, it was none of this maybe you should do this. Me being a fighter and I think Floyd is the better fighter, but if I was going to fight another cat and I was telling him to take a test before we fought, it means there is something that I see in him that intimidates me, why would I ask that? If I really wanted to fight a guy and I was the better fighter I would beat him regardless.
BH: What can the fight fans expect from Allan Green come fight night?
