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Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto earlier this month (Photo: Chris Farina)
Sometimes you need to be around someone face to face to fully appreciate them and get a true understanding for who they are. Such was the case for me with Super Middleweight contender Allan Green.
Before meeting him I had wondered if the Tulsa, Oklahoma native was a little too outspoken for his own good and questioned his actions at certain moments. But after getting to know him personally through covering him during training camps at Contender’s Gym in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the past three years I can say that I got to know ‘Sweetness’ deep down to his core. There were many facets of his persona that stood out, one of them being his deep and sharp intellect regarding the sport of boxing.
Whether speaking during a candid interview, watching fights live, or letting his thoughts loose at the gym, Green knows a great deal about the sport; more than I would have initially imagined. He studies fighters from all weight classes and has never been shy towards giving his thoughts on any individual pugilist in the game.
With much going on in the Welterweight class these days I saw it fitting that Green would be an ideal mind to dissect when looking at some of the division’s biggest names and potential matchups. Right off the bat I questioned Green about his thoughts on the possibility of a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather showdown but Green personally feels that it’s a fight we may never see.
“Floyd isn’t going to fight Manny Pacquiao,” Green states bluntly. “I think Floyd would beat him but he’s not going to fight him. Just like he doesn’t want to fight Shane Mosley. I think Floyd Mayweather is a very talented fighter but the truth is the truth and he has never beaten an A+ class fighter no matter what he says. I would pick Mayweather to win that fight however it would be very interesting to see what would happen if Manny Pacquiao catches him with a straight left.”
It’s always interesting when an ultra confident athlete is critiqued by another, and Green didn’t hold back his thoughts on the many opportunities that young Floyd has let slip away. While obviously having respect for Floyd’s skills, Green is like many in that he would simply like to see those talents up against the world’s elite fighters.
“When he fought De La Hoya he wasn’t at his best,” Green points out. “De La Hoya had beaten a real fighter in five years. Ricky Hatton was never an A level fighter. Diego Corrales was maybe on that level and the same with Jose Luis Castillo but he hasn’t beaten anyone greater. If you want to be called the greatest you need to fight the greatest in your division.”
Mayweather's opinion of himself has always been high but lately his talk has seemed to carry the day more times than not. I asked Green if he genuinely felt Mayweather was dismissive of Pacquiao or if deep down he truly respected the Filipino’s skills. Never one to go for false bravado, Green doesn't have a problem calling a spade a spade.
“I’m going to tell you something,” Green continues. “Every person you have heard Mayweather talk about or make excuses about he hasn’t ended up fighting them. If you are the best you have to fight the best. What Manny Pacquiao has done, whether Floyd wants to believe it or not, is beat some outstanding fighters. He’s beaten Barrera, Marquez, Morales, Cotto and other outstanding fighters.”
Pacquiao’s run in the sport has been impressive, with none of his bouts standing out more so than his recent destruction of Cotto on November 14th. Before the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown Green was on the fence as to who would emerge victorious but afterwards he came away with a newfound appreciation for what Manny had accomplished.
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“I thought it was a good fight,” Green states honestly of the WBO Welterweight title tilt. “I thought Cotto could have possibly won the fight but he never recovered after the fourth round when he was hit with that uppercut. He dropped and it seemed like mentally he went back to the Margarito fight.”
Perhaps Green is right in that Cotto has never been able to shake the memories of his brutal knockout loss to Antonio Margarito from July of last year. That defeat, coupled with the recent stoppage to Pacquiao has had many wanting the Puerto Rican to call it a day but Green feels unsure of what the two division champion should do next.
“I can’t really say what the man is thinking,” Green says of his fellow fighter. “When you take beatings like he took against Margarito and Pacquiao that is going to affect you. With Cotto I think it is more mental, just like with a guy like Jermain Taylor. If he can get his mind back mentally strong and tough I think he will be alright. I think he should have taken an easier fight after the Clottey fight because he fought Pacquiao immediately after him.”
Green is correct in noting that fighting Joshua Clottey is no easy task for any welterweight and Green personally feels the Ghanaian fighter is slightly overlooked in the 147 pound mix. The sport of boxing wouldn’t be the same without an occasional dark horse to shake things up and that is exactly how Green sees the former IBF Welterweight champion.
“Clottey is another good welterweight,” Green says with respect. “These guys call themselves the best but don’t forget that Joshua Clottey is out there too. I would like to see how Manny Pacquiao would deal with Joshua Clottey. Clottey strong, he has a good jab, he’s disciplined, and he pressures guys.”
When asked his thoughts on the January 30th Welterweight unification bout between Shane Mosley and Andre Berto, Green almost takes offense to the question. While some look at it as a pick em’ battle pitting Mosley’s experience against Berto’s youth, Green sees it more as a mismatch.
“Come on man,” Green says as he voice riles up. “That doesn’t even seem like a serious question. I saw Luis Collazo’s two fights against each guy. Collazo was actually at a better point in his career when he fought Mosley but looked much better against Berto. I like Andre Berto and I have nothing against him but when he fought for his title he fought a guy who hadn’t fought in like eighteen months when he fought for the WBC title.”
Green’s convictions regarding that bout are as clear as day, but not because he has any hate towards Berto. Instead it’s a case of simply seeing Mosley as the division’s premier fighter. A self proclaimed old school fighter at heart, Green is obviously partial to Mosley, who is seasoned and still very much potent at the ripe old age of 38.
“I pick Mosley to beat any of them,” Green says getting straight to the point. “He’s just better. He’s very fast himself, he’s very strong and he has great defense. Pacquiao can’t outbox Shane Mosley. Pacquiao can’t out fight Shane Mosley. I pick Mosley over all of them and I put Mayweather right under him.”
Interesting stuff, as always, from Green. A one on one talk with the championship hopeful is never a dull task and even a quick analysis of the 147 pound landscape can be more than what one would expect.
Boxing is a sport that is all about ‘now’ and at the moment much of the buzz and energy in the sport is in the Welterweight division due to Pacquiao’s recent run of success, Mayweather’s always outlandish talk, and Mosley’s still burning desire and willingness to face all comers.
Before we closed out I asked Green one last question in regards to what might be going on behind closed doors. With so much rumors and speculations taking place, it’s hard to really gauge how things will play out, as the sport of boxing is always full of surprises. Green has always been one to harp about the politics of the sport and feels that there is more brewing that we imagine.
“There is always something going on behind the scenes. Whoever doesn’t believe that is a damn fool. There’s always more than meets the eye. If it was just honestly about merit, valor, and accomplishments then everybody would fight everybody but it isn’t like that. No matter what ends up happening it won’t surprise me.”
Allan Green is a Super Middleweight contender with a 27-1 record with 18 knockouts. He spends his training camps down in South Florida and is dying for the opportunity to face one of his division’s biggest names.
To read about Green’s time in camp in Florida please click HERE
Chris Robinson is a freelance writer based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at Trimond@aol.com and www.FaceBook.com/CRHarmony. More of his work can be found by clicking HERE
(Cotto vs. Pacquiao picture: Chris Farina)
(Mosley-Berto staredown picture: Tom Hogan - HoganPhotos/Golden Boy Promotions)
Comments
who cares about a deadbeat fighter like allan green, he lost to somebody. he is not in my league. he's just another bum like mosley. Loser.
this bullshit boxer is NONSENSE!!
Allan green is an unknown compare to Pacquiao. His experience is still compare to an egg waiting to be hatched. If I am a writer, that is not the kind of comment which is needed by the boxing sport. He is not telling the truth, or just a plain idiot. His style will never be a candidate for greatness.
these guys, even now continue to underestimate Pacquiao. who cares at this point about their opinions. Like stupid students,who don't pay attention in school, they keep giving the wrong answers.
Who is this guy again? Too many B-Class boxers, no need to interview this guy!
Blacks always favor blacks. It's a fact of life.
good comments from a professional boxer. we will wait wether folyd jr will really sign and seal the deal to fight pacquiao. if he comes up with another excuse then he might as well retire for good. we dont need all the talk and nothing . We all know what we want. a good show. pacquiao is good to go with 50-50. then there shouldn't be any problems.
YO ALLAN, ARE YOU REALLY A MAN?..OR ONE SIDED OR BOTH?..HAHAHAHA..YOU DON'T BELONG TO ANY CLASS IF I WILL RATE YOU, YOU ONLY KNOW IS TO PUNCH YOUR DICK HEAD IN MY ASS THAT'S ALL..AND IT DID'NT EVEN MOAN ME..WHEWWW..NEVER EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS TO THE PUBLIC IF DON'T KNOW ANYTHING FROM A TALENTED BOXER..BETTER SUBMIT YOUR RESUME AS BOUNCER IN MY CLUB..ALLAN THE GAY GREEN NIGHT MASSAGE AND LIGHTS..HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE AGAIN AND LETS REMATCH AT ROOM 69 THE WAY WE DID..CHUPS!
Cotto never said he thought about Margarito. Man, you guys are making stories and assumption on whats going on in Cotto's mind. Cotto fought as a warrior and he lost. Thats the whole story seen by the million fans around the world. Dont make it to complicated. LOL
He is black.
Green is a C-D class fighter. let him fight SHAWN PORTER.. Porter will eat ALLAN GREEN alive..
i disagree on what green has stated. he's one of those guys who doesn't favor a good boxer especially asian, it's obvious that he favors a black man like himself. it's sad to see that discrimination still lingers.
I feel green is right..mosley takes pac
what will he say after Manny beats up Mosley..? that Mosley is too old! well, Manny has that ability to make everybody appear after his fighting with him to as either too old, washed up, or not good enough. be realistic.. Mosley needed only two days to wait for the outcome of Pacquiao-Cotto, and he announced a fight with Berto instead! he wants to maximize his payday potential before meeting the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto because he knows its going to be his last marketable fight. he will have to contend with crumbs after that. lest he should retire if he values his boxing legacy.
hey chris robinson, y are u wasting ur time on this unknown clas d fighter allan green.. who is he to say pac cant outbox mosley.. is he that reliable? come on... wake up mr. green.. freddie roach is the best trainer and the most reliable person regarding fighters. roach opinions is much more realistic than this unknown class d boxer..
I like Shane but to say he will be able to beat Pacman just like that is preposterous! Green does not see the intangibles and only base his assumption that Shane is much bigger (here we go again) and faster or stronger (here we go again) than Pacman. Shane Mosley cant even knock-down Cotto, my goodness! Pacman will walk all over Shane if ever they will meet. Cotto owned Shane and Pacman destroyed Cotto. Dont tell me the margarito fight have any effect. If so then all fighters with a loss must have such effects in their mentality which is Bull@#&*!.
Maybe Mosley is a better boxer than Pacquiao...but I can not subscribe to the B.S. that Mosley punch for punch can match Pacquiao's power combination. If Mosley fights Pac and walks around that ring feeling he is the bigger and stronger man, he will suffer the same fate as De La Hoya, Hatton and Cotto. But I have to agree this fight is somewhat interesting to watch, since Pac loves sending all of his opponents to early retirements and Mosley is definitely a prime candidate for that exclusive club .
green will turn into yellow when he fights b-hopkins man !HIS STATEMENTS IS JUST A MAKE BELIEVE !
the title of mayweather-pacquiao fight should be "the exciting fighter vs the boring fighter" or "the chaser and the runner" or "well-cooked vs over-cooked" or "the ugly vs ugly". here's the truth mayweather jr is afraid to fight pacquiao because he knows that pacquiao never gets tired, throws a lot of hard punches and is quicker than him!!! mayweather jr is afraid to die in the ring!!! look what happened to me when i fought pacquiao i almost died!!!
well,same scenarios are happening just like before Pacman vs Cotto fought. A lot of B and C class boxers,writers and celebrities have given their moronic and non sense thoughts on how Pacquiao will wind-up or how will Cotto demolish Pacman and so forth and so on...but you know what? these PATHETIC LOSERS were all wrong and Pacman is still whipping ass!Roach and Pacman are not dumb coach and boxers...they study their opponent and exploit HABITS not mistakes!!!every fight for Pacman is a different strategy.I still yet to read and hear the moronic excuses and alibis of those Pachaters and doubters and yet here they are again very alive and wasting our precious time w/ these kind of article.Hey Pachaters and non-believers...when can i read your moronic and non-sense thoughts of the last Pacman fight?will it be the same in Pacman's next fight?were all of you good enough and man enough to share your alibis and excuses next time?where are they now?disguising as Pac fans now?LOSERS!
I think Allan's points are spot on! He should also take his on advice and stop fighting blown up Jr.middle weights. He has avoided fighting me at least 3 times since '07. Very smart guy and good fighter but lets see him step his game up also.
I think Pacquiao vs. Mayweather will happen. becoz floyd likes to fight now for money for the last years floyd fought dela hoya and hatton for money. thats why his called now money mayweather. And this guys never learn. Their is no impossible for a man who has God and his country behind him. You guys never learn Pacquiao works hard and his coach works hard too. Pacquiao has became a 4 division champion in just two years(2008-2009) and he doesn't just fight ordinary fighters he fought elite fighters. He destroys them and send them to the hospital. He's the most brutal person in the ring he loves to fight toe to toe. And his coach makes his love for fighting toe to toe possible with a perfect strategy with perfect result.. So you losers know your place man..
May it be in pro boxing or a just simple street fight, when a 'bigger' guy is dominated and ass - kicked by a smaller guy...it hurts from the inside more that the outside, this is the exact same trauma that the so called 'bigger opponents' that Pac Ko'd lately are suffering from...their lives will never be the same again...as BIG pro boxers, a lot was taken away from them by the smaller guy and to further add insult to injury...he is not a Black American nor a hot tempered Latino, he is simply a good natured Filipino...
hehehehe...I can beat you..you have a big mouth
i disagree with the mosley thing i think pacquiao can outwork mosley enroute to a unanimous decision
NEXT TIME MR. WRITER TRY TO INTERVIEW A MORE CREDIBLE PERSON TO CONVINCE US
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