‘A great way to go out’: Green not interested in third Mundine fight
The decision to award Green the victory has confounded some pundits. Photo: AAP
Danny Green has played down the prospects of a rematch with his boxing rival Anthony Mundine after their controversial bout in Adelaide, while defending the judges’ decision to award him the fight.
Green was given the win by the judges on points after Friday night’s cruiserweight bout, but many believed Mundine was the true victor – and there have been calls for a rematch.
Mundine himself has suggested he was open to a “good offer”, although he has also questioned whether there was any point in a third fight between the pair.
Green said that while some were talking it up, a rematch was unlikely.
“No one speaks for me. I speak for myself, and I’m not talking about anything,” he said during a media conference in Perth.
“I think that was a great way to go out. I couldn’t beat it. I can’t beat that high. Adelaide Oval, it was a great atmosphere, had a lot of drama … it was awesome.”
Green’s face was nearly unmarked on Tuesday, despite him having gone the full 10 rounds in a tough, evenly matched battle.
He was only carrying one physical legacy.
“All I had was a shiner on my eye. I think my face shows who the winner was.”
Green ‘severely’ concussed from ‘blatant foul’
Danny Green says he won’t be able to beat the high of Friday night’s victory. Photo: ABC
However, Green revealed that he was “severely” concussed for nearly the whole fight after he was hit by Mundine on the chin and nearly knocked out in the first round, as the referee was trying to break the pair.
He described it as a “blatant foul”.
“It’s a very, very hard thing to come back from so early, anytime in the fight to suffer. The referee had both his hands on me, he was actually pulling my right arm away,” he said.
“To come back from that, mate, I’m just elated.”
Green said he was afraid at the time that Mundine would be disqualified and the fight would be over.
“That would’ve been the end of the fight in most cases … it was a shocking foul but you know, it’s the game and things happen in the heat of the moment,” he said.
“Something snapped and it was fear that that was going to finish this way, it terrified me, although I was completely out of it.
“I’m just glad it didn’t [end], I wouldn’t want to win that way. The way I won was far more satisfying.”
Watch Mundine hit Green before breaking the clinch:
Green said he was not fully aware of calls from his corner for a five-minute rest following the hit.
“I didn’t know whether I was Arthur or Martha. But it’s history, and it probably made it more exciting, especially for the crowd,” he said.
He also had more kind words for his long-time rival, after describing him as a “warrior” and a “class act” the day after the bout.
“It was a tough fight. Credit to Choc, he put up a good fight and emotion gets the better of you after the fight so I paid him a great deal of respect,” he said.
“And you do that – you get emotional, towards your opponent, you become a little bit endeared.
“But I won the fight, and everyone saw that.”
Green paid tribute to trainer Ray ‘Razor’ Franklin for helping him achieve the conditioning and preparation required to see the bout through in such trying circumstances.
He said he was looking forward to relaxing, surfing and fishing.
– ABC