Three-time world champion Danny Green has regained the speed that allowed him to destroy boxing legend Roy Jones Jr in 2009, according to his trainer Angelo Hyder.
Green struggled to cope with the extra weight needed in recent losses to WBC cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk and American Antonio Tarver.
The 39-year-old weighed in at 89.5 and 90.3kg respectively for those two cruiserweight bouts, but has stripped back to 84.4kg for his light-heavyweight bout against Danny Santiago (84.5kg) in Perth on Wednesday night.
Green’s finest ever moment came in February 2009 when he needed just 122 seconds to knock out future hall-of-famer Jones Jr in Sydney.
The West Australian weighed in at just 81.3kg for that bout, and his quick-fire punches proved too much for a shell-shocked Jones Jr to handle.
Hyder believes Green, who has stripped off more than 5kg since his last bout, will unleash another blistering spectacle of speed and power against Santiago.
“You’ll notice how much speed he’s picked up, back to what he looked at when he fought at light-heavyweight against Roy Jones,” Hyder said.
Green, who has compiled a record of 31 wins (27KO) and five losses, said his perfect fighting weight was the old cruiserweight limit of 86.6kg, and admitted he struggled when he went up closer to 90kg.
“To put on 4kg of pure muscle I had to work hard for four or five months,” Green said.
“And then to keep that muscle I had to eat all day. If I see another boiled egg I’m going to vomit.
“So this weight we’re fighting at now is my natural walk-around weight and I feel much better, much quicker, and hopefully I’ll be able to produce the goods on Wednesday night.”
While Green has enjoyed rich financial rewards and also settled into a dream family life outside the ring, Santiago hasn’t been as lucky.
“Boxing has been my whole life,” Santiago said.
“I don’t have a wife, I don’t have kids. My wife and my kids are boxing.
“If it makes dollars, it makes sense.”
Green has advertised the bout as his final fight in Perth, and Santiago is eager to play the role of party pooper.
“I’m coming to try to spoil his last fight,” said 39-year-old Santiago, who has compiled a record of 31 wins (19 KO) and five losses.
“I don’t think any pressure’s on me; the pressure’s on him.
“He’s made the statement that this is his last bout in Perth so I know he wants to go out with a big bang. It’s up to me to divert that.”
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